Cedar Hill Residence
AWT Designs — Video Guide

How to Record Your Space for the 3D Design

Just a smartphone and a few minutes. Follow these steps so we can capture everything needed to design your outdoor gym and pickleball court.

Before You Start
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Highest quality settingSet your phone to 1080p or 4K video before you begin
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Horizontal or verticalEither works — just keep it consistent throughout
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Choose a bright dayNatural daylight gives the clearest, most accurate footage
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Clear the spaceMove any furniture, equipment, or items out of the way if possible
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Clean your lensWipe the camera lens with a soft cloth before starting
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No zoomKeep zoom fixed at default — do not zoom in or out while recording
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Part 1 — The Backyard

This is the most important section — take your time here

1
Full overview — slow walk across the entire yard
Stand at the back of the house and walk slowly from one side of the yard to the other, keeping the full space in frame. This gives us the overall dimensions and layout.
2
Record each boundary
Walk along each edge of the yard and film it:
  • The back of the house (the wall facing the yard)
  • Left fence or boundary line
  • Right fence or boundary line
  • Far end of the yard (back fence or property line)
3
Show the full ground area — walk it slowly
Walk the entire yard at a slow pace, pointing the camera slightly down to show the ground surface, any slopes or level changes, existing concrete or pavers, drainage areas, or irrigation heads.
4
Capture all existing features
Record each of these separately with a short close-up clip:
  • Any existing patio, deck, or concrete slab
  • Trees, hedges, or large plants — show their size and location
  • Utility boxes, AC units, pool equipment, or hose bibs
  • Steps or level changes between areas
  • Any existing lighting or electrical outlets outside
  • Gates and their locations
5
Corner-to-corner shots
Stand in each corner of the yard and record the full space diagonally. This gives us the best sense of depth and proportions. Do this from all 4 corners.
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If you have a measuring tape, record yourself measuring the width and length of the yard while walking and speaking the numbers out loud. This helps enormously with accuracy.
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Part 2 — The Home Exterior

So the design matches the architecture and style of the home

1
Back of the house — full wall
Stand far enough back to fit the entire rear wall in frame. Record a slow pan from left to right. We need to see the roofline, windows, doors, and any architectural details on this side.
2
Exterior materials close-ups
Short close-up clips of:
  • Exterior wall material (brick, stucco, wood, etc.)
  • Roof material and color
  • Existing outdoor flooring or patio material
  • Any outdoor light fixtures already installed
☀️
Avoid recording with the sun directly behind the house — stand so the sun is behind you or to your side for the best visibility.
How to Move While Recording
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Go slow
Slower than feels natural — fast movement makes footage blurry and hard to use
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Smooth turns
Move like you're carrying a full glass of water — no sudden stops or jerks
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Heel to toe
Walk heel to toe to reduce camera shake. Turn on stabilization if your phone has it
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Narrate as you goSpeaking while you record helps me understand the space — for example: "This is the master bedroom, it's on the back-left side of the house" or "This door leads out to the yard." Any context you can give us out loud makes the design much more accurate.
✅ Before You Send — Quick Checklist
0 of 10 complete
Full overview walk of the backyard recorded
All 4 boundaries of the yard filmed
Ground surface shown (slopes, concrete, grass, etc.)
All existing features captured (trees, AC units, patios, gates)
Corner-to-corner diagonal shots from all 4 corners
Back wall of the home recorded (full wall in frame)
Close-ups of exterior materials (wall, roof, flooring)
Yard dimensions measured and spoken on camera (if possible)
All footage recorded in landscape mode (horizontal)
Files labeled and ready to send
Sending Your Videos

How to Send the Files

1
Label each clip — for example: backyard-overview.mp4, back-wall.mp4, front-exterior.mp4
2
Upload to Google Drive or Dropbox — put all clips in one folder
3
Do not compress or convert — send the original files exactly as they came off your phone
4
Share the folder link and set it to "Anyone with the link can view"
AWT Designs
Questions? erika@awtdesigns.co