Making a movie on your smartphone

Think of the best smartphone movies and, at best, you'll be imagining that video you once took of your drunken friends trying to push over a cow before falling into a ditch. At least it was in HD.

But you should realise that your smartphone is silently weeping, hating you for not realising the untapped potential in its high power video camera, as quality and affordability have now aligned in such a way that almost anyone can become a filmmaker.

Don't believe us? Just look at the number of smartphone film festivals that have popped up, from Festival Pocket Films in France, to the iPhone Film Festival and Mobil Film Festival in America and the Olleh International Smartphone Film Festival in South Korea.

All of these and more are dedicated to films shot largely or entirely on smartphones and the number of smartphone film festivals and film makers is growing all the time.

Indeed Ruben Kazantsev, the co-founder of the iPhone Film Festival, told us that the number of smartphone film makers has grown a lot over the last couple of years, saying that "to date we have received submissions from over 70 countries, so this has truly turned into a worldwide event."

While Susan Botello, the brains behind the Mobil Film Festival has also noticed "exceptional growth" in the industry in recent years.

A booming industry

Film makers have already found significant success in the field. The first feature length smartphone film, SMS Sugar Man, was shot back in 2007 on a Sony Ericsson W900i and since then there have been several other full length movies and numerous shorts and music videos.

These include 'Olive', which was shot on a Nokia N8 with a 35mm zoom lens and was the first ever smartphone film to get a cinema release.

Perhaps most significant of all is Tangerine, a 2015 film shot exclusively on iPhone 5S handsets and picked up by Magnolia pictures for distribution.

As more major films are made on smartphones ever more people are getting involved and it's no wonder, as Botello believes that you don't need an expensive camera to make a great film.

Speaking about Tangerine, she said "their film was a great film but not because it was shot with a phone but because of the story and how it came together. I think that film is inspiring more filmmakers, and it should! Already we have proved that mobile films play on big screens like conventional films.

"When you get the audience in the theatre with the big screen and turn off the lights it's not about special effects or the latest superhero, it's about the story unfolding in front of you which absorbs you and is captivating. That is the value of a good film, no matter what camera you use."

But Tangerine is just the tip of the iceberg. Other notable smartphone films include Park Chan-wook's Night Fishing short, which was shot on an iPhone 4 and won the Golden Bear for Best Short Film at the 61st Berlin International Film Festival.

You could also take a look at Departure, a film shot on iPhones by three different directors in three different countries and premiered at Cannes 2015.

So there's clearly an appetite for using the medium of a smartphone to create a feature length piece of cinematic glory, but surely a 'proper' camera makes more sense?

Power within

It might seem weird to think that a filmmaker would choose a mobile for their movie, particularly someone established like Park Chan-wook, who's better known for his award winning revenge thriller Oldboy, but with the powerful phones we have today it's not that much of a surprise.

"Smartphone film making is here to stay," Kazantsev told us emphatically, while Botello pointed out that there are even "people who are experienced in filmmaking who have reached into their pockets for their next films."

It's no surprise, as there are real advantages to shooting on a phone. For one thing, it's a lot cheaper than conventional camera equipment, and it also opens up the medium to a gigantic number of wannabe directors as manufacturers have smuggled this high-power tech into your pocket, removing the barrier for entry.

Not only does that empower almost anyone to be a film maker, but it also makes it easier to counter equipment problems on set. Kazantsev, also a producer on the smartphone film 'Departure', highlighted an issue that only a smartphone could have solved:

"During our filming of Departure we had a warehouse space for a limited time and we were down to the last scene with 20 minutes left.

"As we were getting ready to start filming I noticed my hard drive was full and had no time to download the footage to make room, since we had 20 minutes left.

"So I asked our crew 'who has an iPhone?' And almost everyone popped one out of their back pockets. If we did not have the backup cameras/smartphones we would have never gotten the last shot."

Filming on a phone also allows more risks to be taken as there's less money at stake. And because of their size and portability, smartphones can film almost anywhere, which potentially allows for shots that a traditional camera couldn't get.

A smartphone film called 'Goldilocks' included a scene where a phone was put in a ziplock bag, then placed in a glass and had wine poured on it while filming. If you're feeling a little more flush with cash, solid state microSD cards can be fitted to phones and flung around to get some truly amazing shots – you might smash the phone, but the footage will survive.

Smartphones also allow for more opportunistic filming, allowing you to capture moments that would otherwise be lost because you didn't have your video camera with you.

Nothing's perfect

Of course there are downsides too. Botello laments the lack of storage space on phones, telling us that "a phone with a great camera for video [but] low space makes it worthless."

She also argues that most phones have a horrible microphone and that the handling of low light situations needs to improve – elements which are being focused on quickly by the likes of HTC and Apple with multiple microphones with dual membranes to improve sound quality, and massively upgraded low light sensors in cameras.

Other issues include the fact that the battery will be drained quickly when filming and ideally you'll probably still want to invest in some other equipment, such as lights, microphones and a tripod.

But in their very nature smartphones are going to attract independent and guerrilla film makers. Those who are unable or unwilling to work within the system and who can't afford the major expenses of a standard film.

This leads to unique projects that perhaps wouldn't be seen in mainstream cinema, such as Luke Geissbuhler's 'Space Balloon' short, which involves an iPhone being shot into space and then falling back down to earth, all while filming.

How to make a movie with your smartphone

Choosing your weapon

Want to get on with shooting a film from your own phone? Well, here are the tools you're going to need...

The first thing is, obviously, the phone itself. The good news is there are now a number of handsets which make for excellent film cameras, from the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, to the Samsung Galaxy S6 and LG G4.

The Samsung Galaxy S6 for example can shoot 1080p video at 60fps or 2160p video at 30fps, as can an ever growing number of other phones, allowing for higher quality videos across a range of handsets.

But both Kazantsev and Botello give the iPhone the nod as the best phone to make a film on:

"iPhones were the first to provide HD recording on a smartphone. That was like giving filmmakers the 'thumbs up' around the world" Botello notes, while Kazantsev points out that the large screen, camera improvements and optical image stabilisation on the iPhone 6 Plus make it great for both filming and editing on.

Handsets are getting better all the time too, with cameras proving a particularly competitive aspect of smartphones right now. For Botello "the most exciting (improvement) has been how the iPhone updates have [improved] the native camera app so that we can now lock the focus and exposure without the need for an app."

If you do opt for an iPhone then there are also some apps you might want to take a look at to improve things before you start shooting. "A must have app for any iPhone film maker is, FiLMiC Pro or iPhocus" Kazantsev informed us, both of which give you additional camera controls and options.

Lights, camera, action

While it's certainly possible to shoot with a smartphone and nothing else, for best results you will want some extra equipment.

Even then though you don't need to spend a fortune. Kazantsev recommends a lens kit, such as those made by Bridge Optix, a tripod, a microphone such as the AR101 Audio Retriever and lighting for night shots, all of which can potentially be obtained for just a few hundred pounds.

In addition Botello recommends the iRig PRE, which allows you to connect a microphone directly to your handset so you don't have to worry about syncing externally recorded audio. You can pick one of them up from around £22/$35. A hand grip could also be worth buying, for hand-held filming without the jitters.

Practice makes perfect

You can't expect to make a masterpiece on your first attempt, but as you'll always have your smartphone to hand you should have plenty of opportunities to hone your skills.

Botello advises that you "shoot on your phone hand-held and with a tripod. Practice shooting people and scenes and dialogue between two or more people. Practice sound capturing by getting an iRig, a microphone and an XLR cable."

When you're ready to start work on your film, Botello says: "write a short script with minimal production elements.

"[This means] don't write about airplanes crashing and a police raid unless you have the resources to create such a scene. Create your storyboard and shot list."

Keep it small, in other words, and the lack of budget won't be so obvious.

Editing a film on your phone

Shooting something is only half the battle, as you then need to edit it, but that's another thing that smartphones (and tablets) have become surprisingly adept at. For this stage of the process a tablet is preferable as it gives you a larger window to work from, but a phone can still be used.

Whichever you opt for there are a plethora of apps available for your video editing needs. These vary by platform of course, but for example there's Pinnacle Studio for iOS devices, which lets you arrange clips, make precision edits and trims, add effects and add a soundtrack.

Then there's VidTrim Pro for Android, which has a similar selection of features. There are even a few options which cost absolutely nothing. There's a free version of VidTrim for example and a free version of Splice, which is an iOS video editor.

You can even get apps to add effects to your footage or filters for your video camera. For example '8mm Vintage Camera' lets you create a retro look for a price and it was even used for some of the shots in the Oscar-winning documentary 'Searching for Sugar Man'.

Then there's the 'Cinefy - Special FX Studio' app, which includes over one hundred special effects and animations which can be added to your videos.

If you need a soundtrack for your film there are also numerous audio creation and editing tools available for smartphones and tablets, such as the free 'Music Maker Jam' for Android and GarageBand for iOS.

If you've got any musicians in your friendship circle you could even enlist them to make music for it. Just resist the urge to use licensed tracks or you might not be able to distribute your film.

Then, once you've pieced it all together you can use something like 'Intro Designer' to add titles and credits to your movie.

Though while editing on a smartphone is certainly an option, it's not ideal. Kazantsev told us: "I still think editing requires time on a large screen, (i.e. a computer). But now with the iPhone 6 Plus it has become much easier to edit on the device directly."

Botello feels the same, saying: "The editing apps for phones are great but I still think that we get more from editing with traditional apps. I have yet to find an awesome app to edit an entire film with in the way some of us would like, and I think the reason is the size of the screen on the phone."

But editing on a computer needn't be a problem. "It is not complicated at all. Just import your video into your editing program" Botello explained. She recommends "iMovie, Final Cut Pro or any professional editing program."

Many of the best options are for Mac, but if you're using a PC there's software such as Corel VideoStudio and numerous free options.

Still, you may sometimes want to edit on your phone. Kazantsev gave the example of "if you are in a location where all you have is your smartphone then yes, do whatever is necessary to get the job done.

"So that is an advantage over a traditional camera, the smartphone is the only camera where you can shoot, edit and share with the world from one device."

Speaking of sharing, once you've finished editing you even have access to instant global distribution at no cost, thanks to YouTube and other video sharing sites.

In fact some editing apps, such as Pinnacle Studio, even let you share your film straight to YouTube. And of course, at the end of the chain smartphones can also be used to watch your film on.

Swiss army film making

So from filming, through to editing, sharing and consuming, smartphones can handle every part of the film making process and all for little to no more money than the cost of the phone itself- which is something that most people already have. They may not be ideally suited to all parts of the process, but they manage and you can always augment them with extra equipment if you have the funds.

Soon smartphones may even excel. As the cameras get better and more people embrace the potential there could be a not too distant future where smartphone films are regularly playing in a cinema near you, in the same way DSLRs are replacing larger, dedicated, cameras all over the place.

When asked about whether smartphone films could compete with conventional films Botello argued that they already almost do, explaining that "mobile filmmaking has been seen as a niche in the industry or a hobby or something 'interesting,' but lately it is a genuine industry with all the elements such as the fans, the players and the business potential coming from it."

With the industry steadily growing there's never been a better time to get involved. "Just do it" was the advice given by both Kazantsev and Botello. "There is a wave right now" Botello explained "and if you want to you can jump on it. All you need is your phone."

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