As smartphone features and capabilities have improved, one function that has enjoyed a boon in quality and upgrades is the camera. But while many concentrate on the still image aspect, video camera quality has also improved remarkably – to the point where shooting decent quality films on your phone is now entirely achievable.
Alongside ever increasing megapixel ratings, most smartphone cameras like the Samsung Galaxy S3 and Apple iPhone 5 can now shoot Full HD 1080p moving images (as well as the lesser HD quality 720p and standard definition) good enough to make home movies look almost professional.
It’s also much easier nowadays to share and show off your filmic masterpiece. As well as hugely popular and free to use online resources like YouTube and Vimeo, phone specific features like the iPhone ’s AirPlay, which lets you stream your phone content to your TV via Apple TV, make it quick and easy to review and showcase your films on the big (ish) screen.
Then there are the apps. From Twitter’s blisteringly simple app, that let’s you create and quickly upload six-second looping videos of whatever you shoot, to the Instagram-style Viddy that extends the time frame to 15 seconds and introduces en vogue retro filters to the videos you share online, there are myriad ways of getting your films out there.
Simple tips for better results
Whether you’re shooting on your phone or a high-end video camera, there are some basics any would-be filmmaker should begin with.
If you’re making a ‘proper’ staged film, plan and storyboard what you want to shoot, and research locations and the best times to film there. Research successful examples of smartphone films – some classics to look at are the stop-motion masterpiece Dot shot on a Nokia N8, and Apple of My Eye shot on the Apple iPhone 4.
Before you start, make sure your phone’s lens is spotlessly clean (sounds simple, but imagine reviewing your footage on the big screen only to find a fingerprint or blob of dust ruining every shot) and the battery charged. A good idea is to turn on Airplane mode (or even remove your SIM) so you aren’t rudely interrupted in a crucial shot by your mum calling to ask how filming is coming along.
Always film in landscape mode by holding your phone horizontally – it’s easier to hold and aligns your footage orientation for viewing on a TV or cinema screen (if you’re thinking really big).
A critical part of any film is lighting. Where possible, always shoot in bright natural light with the sun behind you so your subject is clear. If you have to shoot into the light, film from above with the sky out of shot to lessen the contrast between high and low light – which your phone will inevitably struggle with and which can cast your subject into shadow. Use simple tools like white sheets to mask glare and reflections or to bounce light into darker areas. Shooting indoors can be tough, as phones still struggle with quick effective transitions between high and low light. You can get around this with artificial spotlighting, but remember that this can often affect colour reproduction and make your movie look inconsistent if you’re shooting indoors and out.
Some phone cameras like the Nokia Lumia 920 will have an optical image stabiliser to reduce camera shake, but where possible use a tripod or shoot from a solid surface (we’re fans of the particularly versatile Joby Gorilla tripods). Yes, the shaky camera classic has been popular in films over recent years, but it’s almost always more distracting than complementary. Along the same steady shot theme, avoid unnecessary zooms and pans, as these inevitably add shake and wobble to your shots. That handy image stabilisation technology is not yet effective when zooming and panning, so instead try moving the camera closer to the action, albeit nice and slowly.
Being close to the action is no bad thing either, as it will help with your framing (which can be tricky on a small screen), and also benefits the sound quality, which is a weak point when filming on a phone. Without a directional microphone, your footage can be compromised by background noise and strong wind so try to shade your phone from unwanted sounds.
Other things to consider
Think about where and how you’re going to show your film. If you’re hoping for online infamy, shorter is sweeter. Try to keep videos less than three minutes in length, as they’re more likely to be watched by online browsers with a few moments to spare at work.
If you’re shooting simply to share on social feeds, Full HD 1080p may be a little over the top and will use more phone memory and take longer to upload. If you do go all out High Definition, make sure there’s enough memory on your phone to hold what you shoot – running out of storage space halfway through a shot is not conducive to a good day’s filming.
Finally, if you’re intending to really get into shooting films on your phone, there’s a huge accessories market offering everything from add-on lenses like the Photojojo series to clip on microphones like the weatherproof i-Microphone. And once in the editing room, apps like Apple’s iMovie (£2.99) and the free multi-platform Magisto let you splice, trim frames, alternate transitions, stabilise images and add music and titles to your cinematic epic.
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