Shot On iPhone: These Recent Films Are Breathtaking
Once in a while, Apple publishes films “shot on iPhone” on their YouTube channel. They are often very impressive works and inspiring for us smartphone filmmakers.
You’ll notice that comments are usually disabled. They also carry quite a proportion of down thumbs. Why is this, if the films are so stunning to look at?
I think one reason is people feel there’s a certain dishonesty going on. When you watch them, they are clearly not shot by one person holding an iPhone. They are often shot by highly skilled professionals, with a extra equipment and crew not available to us ordinary folk.
In one of the more recent ones, to create a shallow depth of field, they had paid a rotoscope artist to mask around the foreground objects. But it’s actually not that hard to do. How do I know? Because I’m doing rotoscoping myself right now (and have been for the last month) on a short smartphone film I shot in March.
Rotoscoping with Adobe After Effects
In this short, about 80-90% of the shots need some for of CGI (Computer Generated Images). Almost every shot requires rotoscoping too. This allows you to mask out certain objects, so you can put things behind them, as well as add blur.
By adding blur to certain parts of your image you allow the viewer to focus on the sharper parts. This is of course standard cinematography, in the 21st century. But with a smartphone it’s very hard without adding a DoF adapter.
Here’s an example from the film I’m working on currently.
This is a screen capture from the film, was shot with my Samsung S9. In fact, in this shot I have completely replaced the background using After Effects Roto Brush Tool.
First you paint over the areas you wish to mask around with the tool:
Then you need to allow the brush to do it’s magic along the entire duration of the shot you are working on. This is where things can get difficult (and time consuming). The tool tries to work out which parts of the image you want to mask, based on the previous frames.
So you go through each frame, making sure the mask is in the right place, adjusting it as you go with the tool. Then, to add extra detail into the edge of the mask you use the Refine Edge Tool.
This is particularly useful for picking out fine details, such as hair. But it is tricky, takes some mastering and masses of patience. There’s also a variety of settings to play with to try to get the best possible detail into the mask.
One thing about using smartphones when doing CGI is that you actually NEED the background to be in focus when you are tracking objects or markers. So, in this case, the phone’s deep depth of field is a bonus.
Anyway, my point is that this technology isn’t out of reach of us no to low budget filmmakers. So let’s take a look at the shot on iPhone movies.
Don’t mess with Mother
“Earth. Shot on iPhone by Camp4 Collective, featuring stunning images of nature from around the world. Don’t mess with Mother.”
Apple commissioned filmmakers Camp4 Collective, best known for their Sundance Film Festival winning documentary Meru, to capture the planet in all her glory on an iPhone XS. Incidentally, Megadeth’s track “Last Rites / Loved to Deth” provides the backing music. Are the filmmakers trying to tell us something?
Filmed in nine countries around the world, the video concentrates mostly on animal wildlife around the world, delving underwater with a shark and taking to the air to capture an eagle. When talking about the advantages of using the camera you happen to have in your pocket, Camp4 say:
“A lot of times shooting nature, wildlife or landscapes is about being in the right place at the right time. If there’s a tornado forming in front of you, it doesn’t matter what camera you have. It matters that you have a camera in the first place.”
From the behind this behind scenes image, we can see the setup for this shot is pretty basic: standard tripod, Beastgrip cage and lens.
And here’s a shark trying to borrow the filmmaker’s camera…
To capture the underwater footage the diver has a special grip and waterproof housing for the phone and the microphone (or is that a light?).
From another shot inside the helicopter cockpit we can see the filmmakers using a Freefly Movi Cinema Robot Smartphone Stabilizer.
A later shot reveals they’re using our favourite camera app, FiLMiC pro.
What the whole BTS video here:
Ola Cubana
Apple says the short film provides “a glimpse into the Cuban surf community and a new era within the island nation” and “explores the humble beginnings of the movement and how interest in surfing is building in the country.”
“Ola Cubana” was shot by Zak Noyle on the iPhone XS and iPhone XS Max. Again, they used a Freefly Movi Cinema Robot smartphone stabilizer and the FILMic Pro app. They also used an AxisGO waterproof housing to protect the iPhone from water. In addition, they used a BeastGrip universal lens adapter and rig system.
The video was commissioned by Apple and directed by Nick Woytuk.
“Being able to shoot with something smaller and more compact. And having a wide-angle on one iPhone and a flat port on the other, I’m able to be more versatile, more maneuverable to capture these moments.” Zak Noyle
Check out the BTS making of video here:
Mitch Marner shot by Auston Matthews
This shot on iPhone video features Toronto Maple Leafs stars Auston Matthews and Mitch Marner. In the short clip, Matthews films a day in the life of Marner as the teammates travel, practice, greet fans, and more.
The video demonstrates the advantages of using the camera in your pocket to capture life as it happens. Shots on an aircraft, spontaneous moments behind the scenes, and so on.
In one shot, the iPhone is mounted to the top of the net while they take practice shots at goal. Perfect example of fresh shot you can quickly grab without too much set up. The fact the camera gets thrown around by the impact of the puck only adds to the energie of the shot.
The Reef, Maldives
Back to the water and sharks again.
“The Maldives Whale Shark Research Programme (MWSRP) is a charity that is breaking new ground in whale shark research and fostering community-focused conservation initiatives. The field team of the MWSRP monitors the demographics and movement of different species such as whale sharks using an iOS app.” Apple
The video was directed by Sven Dreesbach, who shot the video with Carlos Vargas. As above, thes used the Freefly Movi Cinema Robot, FiLMiC Pro, the AxisGO housing and Beastgrip.
The video is longer and more atmospheric than the others, running at almost 8 minutes. This gives them the opportunity to really set the mood and tone. The video starts with great use of a high shutter speed to capture rain water hitting the surface of the ocean. The use of high shutter is used throughout to get those water droplets sparkling like precious jewels.
Watch some of the best films shot on smartphones at Mobile Motion Film Festival on May 11-12 in Zurich!
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