6 iPhone Movie-Making Apps Even Steven Spielberg Should Have
One of the reasons why the iPhone is a cut above the competition is how powerful it is. Its tiny processor packs quite a punch and allows app developers to really push the limit. The iPhone has become a fan favorite with movie makers thanks to the quality it offers and the number of movie-making apps the iTunes store has. Here are 6 of the best iPhone movie-making apps that even Steven Spielberg should have.
Before you can start shooting your movie, you need to have a script. Without a script, the movie will have no direction, no production schedule, and the actors wouldn’t know their dialogues. There are quite a few script writing apps in the iTunes App Store, but most of them are just glorified versions of note-taking apps. Scripts Pro is a proper app dedicated to the craft of script writing and is the best at what it does. Celtx Script may be the most popular script writing app, but Scripts Pro is definitely the better performing app and is worth every penny.
Having a storyboard is crucial is you are really serious about making a good movie. This is where Storyboard Composer comes into the picture. Rated by Apple as one of the best iOS apps of 2009, Storyboard Composer is a golden example of how a feature-packed app can be simple to use. A great GUI and fluid navigation, that makes complete use of the iPhone’s powerful processor, helps users create storyboards with little hassle. The app uses the iPhone’s multi-touch capability to allow users to mark camera moves; a feature that hardly any other storyboard apps can recreate.
Once the script and storyboard are good to go, you are finally ready to begin shooting. However, no matter how good the default Camera app is, its limitations means it’s not something you can use to record movie-quality video. For great quality and complete control, it is worth investing in the FiLMiC Pro app. How good is the app? It has won the Video Camera App of the Year Award two years running and has beaten $10,000 cameras in blind tests. The app boasts a host of features, including the ability to adjust focus, frame rates, white balance, and exposure; 4X zoom in real-time is also on the cards. The app supports stereo recording and has a built-in audio meter on the main display.
When the Wachowski siblings featured “bullet time” for the first time ever in The Matrix, they helped to create an FX revolution. Initially, the use of slow-mo was restricted only to people who could afford the super expensive cameras. However, thanks to developments in software technology, it is now possible to get similar effects using a regular camera. SloPro puts the iPhone’s powerful processor to work and can churn out a 1000 fps video. Now that is extreme slow-mo! You can choose to record a scene in slow motion, or edit the scene later on. The SloPro app also has a few in-built effects to give that slow motion scene some extra pizzazz.
Once you have all the footage you intend to shoot, the final task that remains is editing. One can never underestimate the importance of what good editing can do. For example, Quentin Tarantino’s Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction had good stories, but were turned into amazing movies thanks to superb editing. Splice Video Editor doesn’t promise to make you an excellent editor, but it does give you all the tools you will need to become one. In the app, raw footage and images can easily be introduced into the timeline thanks to a drag-and-drop feature. Besides your usual editing tools, the Splice app also allows users to edit multiple audio tracks at the same time. The app has a host of transition and special effects to choose from, with the option to purchase more from the Splice Store. As soon as editing is done, the final cut is ready to be transferred from your iPhone and on its way to a DVD printing service.
Not all movies shot using the iPhone have to serious films; sometimes you just want to have some fun. Action Movie FX by Bad Robot Interactive is the best iOS app for those looking to give their movie some big-budget special effects. In recent years, Bad Robot Productions has been one of Hollywood’s finest production houses, with titles such as Star Trek, Lost, Fringe, Cloverfield, and Person of Interest to its credit. Action Movie FX allows users to infuse their movies with effects from Bad Robot’s school of awesomeness. And yes, there is a Star Trek effects pack available.
Author Bio:
The contributor of today’s post is Shruti Vaghe. Shruti is a freelance blogger, currently writing for 3XL, leading providers of DVD replication in Brisbane. In her spare time, she likes to play games on her Xbox. You can follow her on Twitter @ShrutiVaghe.
