Want to share your take on a tool? This guide covers everything you need to film a short, honest tool review for Reviews by You: the upload rules, filming tips and how your video gets reviewed.
In This Guide
- Before You Film: Pick the Job
- The Rules for Every Upload
- Nail the First 3 Seconds
- Filming Tips: Light, Steady, Clear
- Horizontal or Vertical?
- Be Honest: Pros and Cons
- Safety on Camera
- What Happens After You Upload
- Ready to Share Yours?
- FAQ
Before You Film: Pick the Job
The best tool reviews start with a real job. Don’t film a drill spinning in the air or a saw cutting nothing. Wait until you have something to build, fix, cut or clean, then bring the camera along. Viewers want to see how the tool handles the kind of work they do.
Before you hit record, think about the one question every review needs to answer: should you buy it? Everything in your video should help someone answer that.
The Rules for Every Upload
Keep these in mind and your video will be ready for review:
- 60 seconds max. Short and focused wins. If it runs long, trim it.
- File types: MP4, MOV or WebM.
- File size: keep it under about 100 MB. A one-minute clip from most phones fits easily.
- Show the tool working on a real job. Hands in frame, tool doing the work.
- Say the exact tool name and model. “Brand, model number” helps viewers find the exact tool you used.
- No copyrighted music. Let the tool be the soundtrack.
- No other people on camera without their permission.
- Only upload video you own or have permission to share.
Nail the First 3 Seconds
People decide fast whether to keep watching. Open with the tool already working or with a strong line, not a long intro. A few hooks that work:
- Start mid-cut, mid-drive or mid-pour, then tell us what the tool is.
- Lead with your verdict: “I’ve used this impact for a month, and here’s the one thing that surprised me.”
- Show the problem first: the stuck bolt, the overgrown fence line, the stained deck.
Filming Tips: Light, Steady, Clear
Good lighting. Daylight is your friend. Face the work toward a window or film outside, and avoid shooting straight into the sun. In a dim shop, a work light behind the camera makes a big difference.
Steady shot. Set your phone on a tripod, a clamp or even a stack of lumber. If you hand-hold, brace your elbows and move slowly. Shaky video is hard to watch.
Clear audio. Get close when you talk, and say your key points before or after the loud part, not over it. Turn off fans and radios. A cheap clip-on mic helps a lot outdoors.
Get close on the details. Show the switch, the battery, the chuck, the depth adjustment, whatever matters. Then pull back to show the result.
Horizontal or Vertical?
Both work. Vertical (9:16) fits phone feeds and short-video apps and is a great default for quick, single-tool clips. Horizontal (16:9) is better when the work is wide, like a long rip cut, a mower pass or a full deck board. Pick one and stick with it for the whole clip, and don’t rotate the phone mid-shot.
Be Honest: Pros and Cons
Honest reviews are the whole point. Tell us what you liked and what bugged you. Every tool has trade-offs: weight, battery life, price, noise, a fiddly adjustment. Mentioning them makes your praise more believable, not less. If you bought it yourself, say so; if you got it some other way, say that too.
A simple structure that fits in 60 seconds:
- 0 to 3 seconds: hook, tool working.
- 3 to 10 seconds: exact tool name and model, and the job.
- 10 to 45 seconds: the tool doing the work, with your pros and cons.
- 45 to 60 seconds: your verdict. Would you buy it again?
Safety on Camera
Viewers copy what they see, so set a good example. Wear the right safety gear on camera for the job: safety glasses, hearing protection, gloves, a dust mask or respirator, and anything else the tool’s manual calls for. Keep guards in place and follow the manufacturer’s instructions. No stunts, and never risk an injury to get a shot.
What Happens After You Upload
Every video is reviewed before it goes live. When you submit on the Reviews by You page, your upload is pending until it’s approved by our team. Videos that follow the rules above, show a real tool on a real job and give an honest opinion have the best shot. Videos with copyrighted music, unsafe work, people who didn’t agree to be filmed, or no real tool use won’t be approved.
Ready to Share Yours?
Tools In Action has been putting tools to work on camera since 2003, and now it’s your turn. Grab your favorite tool, pick a real job and head to the Reviews by You page to upload your review. For inspiration, check out our Predator 4200 generator review to see how we show a tool in use.
FAQ
How long can my video be?
Up to 60 seconds. Shorter is fine, as long as you show the tool working and share your opinion.
What file types can I upload?
MP4, MOV or WebM. Keep the file under about 100 MB.
Do I need fancy gear?
No. A phone is plenty. Good light, a steady shot and clear audio matter more than an expensive camera.
Can I add music to my video?
Please don’t use copyrighted music. The sound of the tool working is the best soundtrack for a review.
When will my video show up?
Every upload is pending until it’s approved. Our team reviews each video before it goes live.
Can my friends or family be in my video?
Only with their permission. If someone is recognizable on camera, make sure they’ve agreed to be in it.