diff --git a/ios/Video/RCTVideo.m b/ios/Video/RCTVideo.m
index 8732f768..da1cbe31 100644
--- a/ios/Video/RCTVideo.m
+++ b/ios/Video/RCTVideo.m
@@ -370,16 +370,18 @@ static int const RCTVideoUnset = -1;
 }
 
 - (NSURL*) urlFilePath:(NSString*) filepath {
-  if ([filepath containsString:@"file://"] && ![filepath containsString:@"/Documents/"]) {
-    return [NSURL URLWithString:filepath];
+  
+  // check if the file exists at the specified location
+  if ([[NSFileManager defaultManager] fileExistsAtPath:filepath]) {
+    return [NSURL fileURLWithPath:filepath];
   }
   
-  // code to support local caching
+  // if no file found, check if the file exists in the Document directory
   NSArray *paths = NSSearchPathForDirectoriesInDomains(NSDocumentDirectory, NSUserDomainMask, YES);
   NSString* relativeFilePath = [filepath lastPathComponent];
   // the file may be multiple levels below the documents directory
-  NSArray* fileComponents = [filepath componentsSeparatedByString:@"Documents/"];
-  if (fileComponents.count > 1) {
+  NSArray* fileComponents = [filepath componentsSeparatedByString:@"/Documents/"];
+  if (fileComponents.count>1) {
     relativeFilePath = [fileComponents objectAtIndex:1];
   }
   
diff --git a/ios/Video/RCTVideoPlayerViewController.m b/ios/Video/RCTVideoPlayerViewController.m
index b79a2de2..fe8cb171 100644
--- a/ios/Video/RCTVideoPlayerViewController.m
+++ b/ios/Video/RCTVideoPlayerViewController.m
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 - (id)init {
   self = [super init];
   if (self) {
-    self.autorotate = false;
+    self.autorotate = true; // autorotate should be true by default
   }
   return self;
 }
@@ -27,12 +27,18 @@
 
 - (UIInterfaceOrientationMask)supportedInterfaceOrientations {
   
+  if ([self.preferredOrientation.lowercaseString isEqualToString:@"landscape"]) {
+    return UIInterfaceOrientationMaskLandscape;
+  }
+  else if ([self.preferredOrientation.lowercaseString isEqualToString:@"portrait"]) {
+    return UIInterfaceOrientationMaskPortrait;
+  }
   return UIInterfaceOrientationMaskAll;
 }
 
 - (UIInterfaceOrientation)preferredInterfaceOrientationForPresentation {
   if ([self.preferredOrientation.lowercaseString isEqualToString:@"landscape"]) {
-    return UIInterfaceOrientationLandscapeLeft;
+    return UIInterfaceOrientationLandscapeRight;
   }
   else if ([self.preferredOrientation.lowercaseString isEqualToString:@"portrait"]) {
     return UIInterfaceOrientationPortrait;