Filmmaking like most arts has come a long way, all thanks to the development in technology and the introduction of new and better filming equipment. The aspiring filmmakers often find it the most difficult to find new sets especially during the waiting period between different productions. This is a time when most filmmakers begin to lose their grip on their art and might be unable to hone their skills further. Thanks to technology now filmmakers can easily turn their mundane and boring Smartphones into full-fledged filmmaking equipment through some amazing, heavy-duty apps. Listed below are few of the best apps that most of you aspiring filmmakers should try.
Image Bob Bekian, CC BY-SA 2.0
1. Wattpad
This app takes you to an online community of writer where various users post their photos, stories, articles and other works of fan fiction. A great film is a mix of several elements such as memorable characters, hard hitting dialogues, an engaging story and a great script. You can upload your stories, screenplays or scripts here, and get feedback from the other users on the community. Although the feedbacks are mostly helpful, there might also be a lot of criticism that you must be prepared for. Nevertheless, it is always a personal choice whether to take that criticism in a constructive manner or not. Wattpad lets you hone your skills at developing the central characters in the story, and the basics of storytelling.
2. Fly
While this is more of a video editing app, it can be used to upload and edit 4 videos at a time. You can also add various elements like background scores, voiceovers, special effects, dissolves and cuts straight from your Cellphone device. There is also an amazing ‘multi-cam’ option that you can access by paying a little extra. The multi-cam, as the name suggests can link up 4 iOS devices to shoot a video simultaneously. You home movies will never be the same when shot simultaneously by 4 different cameras that cover the various angles just like a professional setup.
3. Magisto
A web and a mobile app, Magisto provides free video editing service and is primarily used by amateur filmmakers. While real time video editing using the various professional software is an extremely technical and a time consuming job, Magisto simplifies the process to a level where editing can be done in a few clicks. Simply upload a video to the app and it automatically analyzes your footage. It automatically identifies the most interesting parts and puts them together to be added music and other special effects in a single click.
4. FX Guru
Like the name suggests, FX guru is your all time solution when you want to add special effects when editing sci-fi, action or horror movies. There are a total of 18 different effects that are available totally free of cost to the users. The app also utilizes the unique trademarked feature called ‘Motion Match’ which allows the users to add realistic movements in the footage while filming. It also contains various virtual decals that help you align your shots in a smooth and seamless manner. The effect duration can also be controlled which allows for a greater flexibility. While the effects aren’t as effective as professional VFX it essentially allows you to hone your skills at using special effects in your movies. Be it an action packed scene with a hail of bullets and explosions or a really eerie and scary zombie holocaust, FX Guru lets you do it all.
5. Horizon
An interesting name that fits the work this app is used for. We all know that iPhone cameras are great in terms of quality but they cannot be utilized to shoot horizontal videos. To counter this really strange and frustrating problem, you can now use the Horizon app that allows videos to be shot horizontally. Horizontal videos allow for a wider screen space which is great when filming amateur videos. Irrespective of the way you’re holding your camera, the videos are always shot in a horizontal angle. It has a wide array of aspect ratio, leveling modes and resolutions that help you to get the right shot with the right angle and frame.
Filmmaking is not just a plain hobby but is one of the most enticing arts which need to be mastered with years of experience. The aspiring filmmakers, who do not have many productions to work on, can now hone their filming skills even when not working on a project. Amateur filmmakers can also save their work by converting their old 8mm film to dvd to preserve the work on a more secure format which can be further enhanced used the above mention apps.
Luke Peters is a movie reviewer. He has written several articles and blogs and has reviewed several movies across various websites on the internet. He spends his free time watching obscure cinema and keeping up with the latest news in the industry.
