In the era of advanced technology, it is foolish to make films on expensive and heavy equipment and a whole crew on board. With proper expertise and skills, it is possible to make films in a cost-effective way without cumbersome procedures. With the present position of technology, smartphone cameras and microphones have proved to be a productive alternative to cameras. There are several filmmakers who have understood this possibility and have started experimenting with smartphone films as well.
Shooting films on a smartphone is in a way liberating of the gear kits that documentary filmmakers have to carry to harsh and tough places. They just have to carry a smartphone to shoot and one for backup including a tripod, lenses, and lighting equipment.
This setting, in no way, compromises the quality of the content if shot on a regular camera. “Filmmaking from pocket to the cinema is a bona fide reality.”
Film Riot is a youtube channel that focuses on filmmaking techniques and is run by competent directors, writers, VFX artists, and so on. They believe that shooting on a smartphone gives the creator more control over the output and there is a more innovative ability at disposal.
Apart from the camera quality, the audio is also a very important element of a film. While recording sound on phones, the source should be within a 1 metre distance. However, there are chances where external disturbances can affect the sound quality. For example, in certain situations, the subject’s clothes or hair may brush over the microphone disrupting the audio. In this case, an external audio recording microphone may prove to be helpful.
The filmmaker should keep in mind to shoot the sequence in a well-lighted place. There are sensors in smartphones that self-adjust the exposure of the scene. Therefore, it is imperative to shoot in a well-lighted place. It has been observed that if a scene is shot in a bright place, at times the camera would overexpose the shot while in a dim-lighted area, one has to invest in external lights for the content to look good.
Another important aspect is to ensure the stability of the smartphone. Holding the smartphone in hands may result in a shaking shot which may make the video look very bad. Amateur filmmakers are often recommended to use a tripod to keep the phone stable. In circumstances where they have to handhold the phone, it is advised to reduce the shaking by holding it closer to your body. While some smartphones have the feature of maintaining the stability of the frame which comes in handy in certain situations.
Ultimately, making films on smartphones would prove beneficial to the filmmakers on several parameters. For instance, a documentary filmmaker is shooting in a village area and they witness the people doing an activity. They have the opportunity to shoot the scene on the spot, escaping the process of setting up the full equipment gear.
Shooting films on smartphones may turn productive on several occasions. It also gives them the opportunity to add creative, unscripted, and spontaneous scenes that add to the flavour of the films. Filmmakers should at least once experiment by shooting on a smartphone.
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