How to make your phone look cinematic
Hey everyone, my name is George and welcome to another video.
I think that the way you tell your stories says a lot about you as a filmmaker.
How do you want your audience to feel and what do you want them to experience?
These are questions I often ask myself when I'm making these videos
and today we're going to discuss a very important part of this all.
Even though I partially filmed this video with a cinematic camera,
it doesn't mean you need one too. The thing is, I often than not shoot with my iPhone
and I'm very happy with the results I'm getting with it.
To start off, I always use the highest possible settings. I actually made a video about them too,
which you can find in the description if you're interested. Basically, since I'm using an iPhone
Pro, I have the option to shoot in Apple Log. This gives me a lot of flexibility when it comes
to color grading during editing. If your device doesn't have this feature, no worries, just make
sure to use the highest possible settings your system allows, so you can capture as much detail
as possible. Alright, with the settings done, let's talk about movement. How you move your
camera is super important because you need to remember that your camera acts as the eyes of
your audience. If you move too quickly, people will struggle to follow, but if you keep your
movement slow and steady, it's much easier and more comfortable for them to take everything in.
I usually go for controlled, smooth motion to keep things natural and easy to follow.
Of course, this isn't a strict rule, you can definitely move faster or more abruptly
if it helps your story better.
Next is deciding on your subjects and how you frame them. I've realized I'm naturally drawn
to the beauty of the ordinary moments happening around me. Small, simple stories that I try to
capture on camera. I usually approach this in a minimal way, leaving plenty of space around
the subject so the atmosphere feels big and present, making the characters just a small
part of a larger world. This really helps with worldbuilding too, because it allows the viewer
to not just follow a moving subject, but also take in the place they exist in. When it comes to gear,
I like to keep things super minimal. I mostly shoot with just an iPhone, which makes you way
more flexible and avoids a lot of the hassle that comes with bigger setups. It means you're
always ready to capture whatever comes your way, reducing the chance of missing a great moment.
The only extra thing I sometimes bring is a tripod to film myself,
but honestly, I shoot handheld most of the time.
If you feel like trying something new, I want to show you a gadget I recently got sent by Hohem
to test out. It's quickly become a part of my filmmaking kit, and I've captured some really
cool footage with it. It's called the Hohem iSteady M7 gimbal. It's basically a compact
and practical tool for creating smooth and cinematic shots.
What I love most about it is its size, solid build quality, and especially the remote control
it comes with. That's honestly my favorite feature because it opens up a lot of creative
possibilities. The remote's detachable too, so you can pull off creative shots solo without needing
another camera operator. It also has a monitor preview that roughly shows what your camera sees
from a distance. Overall, I'm super happy with this gimbal. It's allowed me to make cinematic
shots using nothing more than my phone and a bit of minimal gear. I hope this video gave you a
fresh take on filming cinematic stories, no matter what gear you're using.
And remember, it's not about the camera. It's about how you move it, frame it, and make people
feel. Gadgets like the Hohem gimbal are fun and definitely useful, but it's your vision that
counts. So grab whatever camera you've got, head out there, and start creating. Because the best
stories aren't the ones with the biggest budgets, they're the ones with the biggest hearts.
Thank you for watching, and I'll see you in the next one.