Can You Shoot A Feature Film On An iPhone? 

Austin: It’s the one you have in your pocket. Me: Looks at pocket *Sees iPhone 4*

i like the angle of "most of us spend so much money on cameras when phones arent that bad to use" but the other angle is that kids and young adults that want to get into film making but are broke may be inspired by this . imagine all of the stories that were never told because the person couldnt afford fancy equipment and cameras. imagine the stories that can now be told in this age. it really excites me.

Good luck walking around with a 50 foot charging cable everywhere

Yes you can especially if you film vertically!

No mention of Tangerine, which came out 4 years ago, shot on iPhone5s, and currently sits on a 97% on RT.

0:48 "right? right? not quite" for some reason i love the rhyme

Shot on iPhone **Additional equipment used** And the additional equipments are literally remote controlled robots and massive drones. MKBHD also made a video on this.

"...is one of the very first critically acclaimed films shot exclusively on an iPhone" **Sean Baker lets out a single tear**

Aka theyre just flexing to us androids. But deep down we all know The nintendo ds is the best phone camera to make a movie with

Soderbergh's films on iPhone are terrific, but to see incredible guerrilla film-making that takes full advantage of the limitations and flexibility of an iPhone 5(!!!!!!), check out Sean Baker's "Tangerine." It's the film he made before "The Florida Project," and if you see behind-the-scenes details of how he shot some of it (using things like filming on a bicycle for tracking shots), and his unbelievably tiny budget, it's way more impressive (to me) than the "bet you didn't know it was on an iPhone" quality of Soderbergh's ventures.

Tangerine is an AMAZING movie shot on an iPhone as well!

“The camera you have a in your pocket” *pulls out Android*

_"And it's the one you've got in your pocket."_ *Shows iPhone X* I'm poor, you think I can afford to drop $1k on a damn phone?

Visual fidelity is probably not the problem with shooting with a phone. But you've got to have good sound. Bad audio quality will kill your film.

Or you can buy a $100 phone, then spend the thousand you saved on a dslr.

'work within limitations' is actually the best advice that one can give to a beginning filmmaker. I remember years back when I asked my dad for a dslr camera, and the best he could give me that time was a second hand Canon 1200D. I was sad, but nonetheless considerate of what my father could afford, so I made the most out of it. I remember watching hours of Indy Mogul, Tom Antos, Andyax, and Film Riot content just to get the perfect shot. I still remember when I had to use sunlight, a blank white cartolina paper, and flashlights/lamps to fake the 3-point lighting setup. I also zoomed-in my 18-55mm kit lens (to 55mm) to create that bokeh effect at the expense of my aperture, so i had to exaggerate the lighting. I didn't have a dolly, but I wanted that effect so bad that I recreated it just by holding the camera. And since I was using Photoshop before my interest in film making grew, I didn't hit a roadblock when learning color grading (though I still haven't mastered this art lol). In the end, we didn't win the best picture award. But we got awarded the best in cinematography and editing awards, which were big awards for me considering I was pitting my short film against those which were made with canon 5D mk3 and panasonic GH3.

The neglect of Tangerine in the video breaks my heart but the love for it in the comments heals it

I feel like Tangerine would've been a better example for this video. It was made by Sean Baker, who was much more of an indie filmmaker at the time, it had a smaller budget, it was shot on equipment that was way more inferior (iPhone 5) and it's such a beautiful movie, visually speaking (better than High Flying Bird imo).

I've spent months looking for a camera, and as soon as I found one, it wasn't available in my area at the moment and I fell into a creative road block, but you've inspired me, and production is about to begin, you've saved me so much money, and I'm gonna buy a new mic soon, didn't cost a bone, thank you Austin, seriously

Thanks so much for this! As always, I loved it. I’m not the type to ask random (albeit wonderful) youtubers for advice in my specific situation but I’m really glad you mentioned audio. My mom has late stage cancer and we’re making legacy videos. I want my kids to be able to hear her voice. Not overlayed with a ton of garbled background noise; I want to be able to hear it and remember it as clearly as I can now, and from the losses I’ve had previously, I know it’s not as easy as it seems to hold on to the parts of people that are important to us. I want a good microphone for her to use. It matters to us. So thank you for the information.

Austin Thanks a lot, you're filmmaking videos are great because I just entered production of our first feature film, your advice is strongly beneficial not just to me but to the entire crew on set. Keep making amazing content.

“It’s the one you’ve got in your pocket.” Me: *watching on mobile* “...”

High Flying Bird is probably one of my favorite movies of the past few years, and nobody is talking about it. Thanks for giving it some attention man!

“A good story will almost always overcome technical limitations” Hits home, doesn’t it. ;)

big tip if you have a hoverboard use that to stabalise moving shots

"you've got it right in your pocket" Bold of you to assume I can afford an iPhone

Loved this video!!!! I’m taking a video production class right now and every week we shoot a film on iPhones and edit it and show to the class. It’s my first experience with making any sort of films, so I was a little annoyed when my the teacher said he wasn’t gonna provide us with fancy cameras or any real equipment other than what we’ve already got, but this video totally opened up my eyes to all the possibilities rather than the setbacks!

That's a very cool offer to help a few aspiring film makers get their work shown. I, for one, can't WAIT for that video!

There is a movie called _Tangerine_ that came out in 2015 and was shot entirely with an iPhone 5s. I haven't seen it but it was on YMS's Best Films of 2015 list. So yes, and it's already been done before High Flying Bird

The O in STORY not being quite centered on the lens at 2:59 is mildly unsettling

In a behind the scenes video, Tom Scott and Matt Gray went over their tech for filming. They also covered the importance of audio, stating "Audio is king". They encouraged using whatever camera you have on you, but definitely using an external microphone.

Thats pretty awesome how they can shoot a full film on a iPhone! Awesome vid as always Austin.

Film Riot made a video explaining how they shot a short with an iPhone and complained about how it would overheat really fast, causing the screen to dim which made it difficult to get proper focus in bright sunlight, and since you can't adjust the aperture, they had to awkwardly tape a ND filter to it. You're also limited to either wide shots or digital zoom. Sure, you can get an _acceptable_ image out of an iPhone, but working with it sounds like such a pain in the ass that you might as well spend a few hundred dollars and get a nice DSLR or mirrorless camera. At least then, you won't have to worry about running out of day light while you wait for the battery to recharge every hour since you can just swap it out for another one. You can get a used Canon EOS M or Sony NEX-3N for less than $150 on ebay, along with a cheap manual lens (sure, neither of those will do 4K, but if you're _just_ getting started as a filmmaker, you probably don't have a PC adequate for editing 4K anyway). And if you're an amateur, using an interchangeable lens camera with full exposure control is a much better learning experience. As you learn how a camera works, you will begin to understand the actual craft of filmmaking. Simply having a story to tell doesn't mean anything if you don't know what you're doing. And to those who say the camera doesn't matter, yes it does. The camera is a visual storytelling device, and your visual storytelling is limited by your equipment. For example, you're not going to do a slow motion shot if your camera can't record slow motion, and you're not going to do a low light scene with an iPhone and expect it to look good. To a degree, you can get by with a cheap DSLR, or even a smart phone, but you will always be constrained by the limitations and you will eventually want something better in order to achieve the specific look you're envisioning in your head as an artist. There's a reason Michelangelo didn't paint the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel with crayons. Also, not all phones have good cameras. I would never even consider shooting a movie with my piece of shit unless I was shooting a found footage movie and I wanted it to look like amateur video.

4:41 Thought that said "go shoot a short person"

You are so right about sound mixing. Ive seen youtube videos that were just unwatchable because of bad sound quality

I think the reason I (and I'm sure many others) flock towards cameras is that it makes me feel professional. It almost legitimizes me as a videographer because I have nice gear that people "ooh and ahh" at. I like your point about the microphones too - you need 24 frames a second to create realistic audio, but you need 44,100 pictures a second of sound to make it natural. It shows how big sounds plays a part in filmmaking.

4:01 Mr. Flare get out of Austin's video.

The people saying "if you can afford an expensive smartphone, then you can afford an expensive DSLR" are dumb. A phone is a general tool that you need for life nowadays, so spending a lot on one isn't a problem, because you'll need it for work, socializing, school, etc. You're getting a lot of value on it. A DSLR, however, is something with very limited capabilities. All you can do with it is shoot video/pictures. You're getting way more value from a phone. Also, these people fail to realize that no one's buying a phone specifically to shoot a movie. They probably bought the phone years ago, so they probably don't have the money now.

You're pacing and editing are top notch, Austin.

I’m stoked that I found your channel! Your content is right up my alley!

If the budget is 2 million dollars a 2000 dollar DSLR which is 1000 times better than an iphone is what like 0.1 percent of the budget for arguably one of the most important equipment.

10:12 Woah! How much money do you spend on a cup of coffee, Austin? o-o

This is the best publicity any tech company can ever get

I just want to toss in the products I've had a good experience with: If you're recording VOs for your movie or just want a generally good mic for vocals, take a look at Audio Technica's ATR-2100. I picked a couple up for $50 each a few years ago and I absolutely love them. They're all-metal, inexpensive, robust, and very easy to work with. It comes with an XLR jack and USB cable if you want to plug it straight into a computer, but I found an H4N Pro + Fethead works best. The audio quality isn't perfect, but for a cardioid dynamic mic it's damn close to an SM7B for 1/8th of the price. Not to mention it's lighter and works just fine handheld. As for cameras, Austin is totally right when he says that the camera isn't as important as the other equipment as long as you know how to use it. That said, the Pixel 3 is probably the best phone camera-wise right now since 1. the camera is great, 2. it's cheaper than an iPhone, and 3. you can transfer files to a PC for editing without dealing with all the iTunes bullshit. If you use final cut and work exclusively on apple products, the iPhone will obviously be easiest, but otherwise a Pixel, LG, or Samsung phone takes the cake. I've shot a lot of stuff on my LG V30, and it's really convenient to have the super wide-angle 2nd lens for indoor shots when you need to pack everything in. Your mileage will vary, but you can make just about any camera work if you play to its strengths. Of course if your budget is high enough, consider picking up a cheap DSLR. I can't speak for Canon's Rebel series, but the few times I've used them were pleasant. A DSLR also has the added benefit of Magic Lantern or similar software. In addition to camera quality, consider the convenience of having 2 or 3 cameras. Since everyone on your crew most likely has a smartphone, you can use multiple phones for different angles in a dialogue scene or, even better, and action scene. Chase/running scenes are really tough to keep exciting when you have to keep telling the actors to stop so you can reposition your camera a few feet. (I am not sponsored by any of the brands mentioned, I just have too much time on my hands)

What about a Samsung smart fridge?

How about a film made with an android, a rig made out of tape, a ton of green screen, with footage from video games. (Don't worry about the video games the one I'm making is not a let's play.)

This video has Chan my view on filmmaking as a whole thank you Austin

Austin’s Story>Specs rhetoric works really well. Great video as always.

When I saw the orig trailer, I thought that it was filmed on a Phone from the start. Is that just me?

Short Answer: Eeeh Kinda Long Answer: *watch the video*

Another excellent video Austin, fascinating and informative. Thank you!

I love your stuff they’re all so random. Keep up the work and you’ll get my like and comments

A 1000$ camera is far better than an 1000$ iPhone.

When they shot it in such a short time and with that equipment. What did they spend the 2M on?

Super interesting video! Happy to have seen it. I do wish he (and thereby you) had done this on a Pixel, my husband has a Pixel 3 and it's *insane* how much better everything looks on his phone. I don't even bother taking photos/video if he's around now

Hope to see more videos like this in the future from you Austin

no one ever talks about sean baker's Tangerine when talking about iphone movies, that is by far the best one

If you can afford a 1000$+ iPhone then you can afford a DSLR that will make 1000x better looking shots

5:32 hey, that's my mic! Had it for a few years, it's fantastic for the ~80€ I bought it for back then. Sound Quality is really nice, it's USB not XLR meaning you don't need a mixer to use it on PC and it comes with the mic stand you can see in the Video.

Imagine if that director accidentally shot the entire movie horizontally

It just works

0:56 "The one you have in your pocket" *has an android*

Hell yeah. Been refreshing your channel page for a while waiting for a new video.

I just want to mention that rolling shutters can be found in most manufacturers' flagship cinema cameras, including: all ARRI cameras from the ALEXA onwards (since they've used the same sensor technology for nearly a decade since it's that good), SONY VENICE (the F55 and F65 both have global shutters, but not many large productions use them anymore), VARICAM PURE/LT/35, CANON C700 (FF/35) (also has a GS option, but I've only ever seen RS models at any other rental houses in my area), any RED camera from RED ONE to RED WEAPON MONSTRO/GEMINI/HELIUM, PANAVISION MILLENIUM DXL 2 (since it uses a Monstro sensor), and VISION RESEARCH PHANTOM FLEX4K. I only bring this up to highlight the fact that global shutter isn't much of an issue for most modern cinema cameras, and shouldn't be the deciding factor in any purchase outside of very specific shooting scenarios. *names capitalised for readability

Hey Austin, I'm seeking ideas for short film documentary type videos for my channel. There's one big twist though which is I'm limited to using only stock footage & b roll to create my videos, no actors/interviews etc. Although this style of creating videos is widely frowned upon by professional filmmakers who shoot their own scenes etc, it's something I enjoy doing & find very convenient & affordable. Long story short, I used to make daily/weekly videos w/minimal dialogue on various current events via creative commons using licensed stock footage in addition to 3rd party news clips/archive footage etc. The result was a mix between a dramatic short film/unorthodox doc.. Due to recent RU-vid policy changes which now require original commentary for videos, I've been left w/no other option but to delete nearly all my preexisting content & millions of views. I'm now in the stages of starting over from scratch in attempts to salvage my channel that I worked so hard on creating. My new plan is something completely different which is foreign to me, & that includes incorporating original scripts for each video which will be narrated by a voice over artist & written by an award winning screenwriter... The goal is to create informative proper short film docs minus the traditional format which includes interviewees etc as previously mentioned.. Since I previously made videos with no script or dialogue & rather just "winged it" on each video given my frequent upload rate, I'm now having an extremely difficult time coming up with new ideas. I mainly focused on geopolitical tensions & day to day news/current events instead of topics that were thought of in advance & created from scratch. The only genres I've come up with so far include humanitarian issues, climate matters, endangered species, sci-fi/space, military & politics. Although I can branch out on these various topics I'm looking to expand the list for more options. The transition from video news journalism to narrated short films is much tougher than I ever anticipated. Any opinions or advice would be welcomed & greatly appreciated!

"it's the one you have in your pocket" android users rise up

I agree with the core idea of the video that not owning a proper camera shouldn't stop you from presenting a good story. I also agree that instead of 'researching' new cameras, looking for stuff to buy, and procrastinating, people should instead just go out and create something. However, I don't think that big film studios with big budgets (even though 2mil is comparatively small) should stoop to the level of making movies on (objectively) inferior cameras when indie films with less than 1% of that budget look far better. I mean, It's not like they filmed the whole movie on the same phone or on the personal phones of the production crew, they went out and bought a box of Iphones to use as cameras. Instead of buying those, they could have bought cheap cameras with many more features and a far better video quality. While the story that you tell in a movie or other visual format is probably the most important part, I don't think people should undermine the "visual" part. If people wanted a story, they could read a book or, if they're more passive, listen to one as an audiobook. People like to think that the visuals aren't important but that's simply not true. I mean, look at videogames. There are plenty of great games that were created before computers even had dedicated graphics cards but now, very few play them. Even games that are less than a decade old just don't hold up to modern expectations of graphics (with exceptions). We've just moved on. Same with special effects in movies. Lots of older movies look dated when special effects don't look good and a bad CGI scene can completely pull you out of the moment. There's also a reason people go to movie theaters (besides movies coming out earlier) or owning HD televisions. High quality image is just better. This isn't just some personal preference thing though, it's biological. People are attracted (in a neurochemical and emotional sense) to things that are aesthetically pleasing to the eye and look beautiful. Hell, even though people don't like to admit it, romantic relationships that don't contain physical attraction just don't work that well (many even say that attraction on an aesthetic level is the foundation of a good relationship). When I see the clips from the movie shot on a phone it just subconsciously turns me off to watching it just like bad cover art to a book will make me pass it by when looking for something to read even though I know you shouldn't judge a book by it's cover and many good stories just have bad coverart.

This is the video I needed to see on youtube. Thanks for making it. Now I need to go make my first short film.

Don't forget to use Filmic Pro instead of the awful default camera app

You wrong about me having Iphone in pocket...

Part of the movie "Upgrade" from last year was shot on an iPhone, specifically the shots that moved with the protagonist's body, which was a great effect.

looks way better than I expected, nice

You didn't even mention Sean Baker but okay

I hate to be that guy, I’m not a big cinema guy or anything, I don’t know the names of any cameras, but that movie doesn’t look very nice. Maybe I couldn’t pin it down it being shot on an iPhone but it looks very unprofessional and I definitely think the whole thing would be better if it were shot with a professional camera. It seriously bothers me how it all looks like regularly recorded video, I honestly never noticed until now just how much a camera can affect video quality

Where should I send the link to my phone cam short film once it's finished?

Just commenting to help with the algorithm. Great video again Austin!

I’ve been making videos for 6 years. I’ve only used iPhones

Yes, Sean Baker's "Tangerine." looked awesum shot entirely w/ an Iphone

It would’ve been awesome that you talked about Dogma 95, it’s pretty fitting.

I can’t believe you made a whole video about shooting feature films with an iPhone and didn’t even mention Tangerine (which had a budget of 100K, was shot with a 5S, and still managed to be critically acclaimed and very well-received)

5:20 I’m such an idiot... When you said DSLR, I thought you were talking about a Nintendo DS XL, and my first reaction was, “Who would pay 2000 bucks for a DS XL?”

Lol the battery would die out in the first scene

Very well said. We just shot our first feature film, called Munnariv (meaning foreknowledge) on 2 iPhone SEs. Currently in postproduction. All points you said are absolutely true, especially working within the limitations part. An additional issue we faced here in Kerala, India, with it's equatorial climate, is heat. Whenever we took the camera outdoors, it'd not let us shoot more than a minute of 4k footage at 100Mbps. It'd just stop responding, the file would get corrupted and we'd loose the performance. The DoP had a nerve wrecking time whenever we went outdoors, though we had 5 or 10 ice packs always with us. Indoors, inside an air conditioned room, with the temperature maintained at least around 25 degree Celsius, it worked like any other camera.

Well well well more Austin means more good content so my morning is now officially great.

nice job excluding tangerine, a movie that also used iPhones before this one.

Can I eat the iPhone I want to see what it taste like

A RU-vid channel called Colin and Samir hosts a thing called Weekend Film Fest. They give a prompt for a short film, and give you the weekend to create a film. The vast majority of these videos are shot on phones

Doesn’t the iPhone 7 Plus and above have image stabilization so when filming, the camera doesn’t bob up and down when walking?

Who else is watching on android XD

Tangerine did it first but go off I guess

The Sundance Film "Tangerine" by Sean Baker also was shot with an iPhone. iPhone 5S i believe.

Austin Mcconnell: The guy who made an entire video talking about the ability to shoot movies on iPhone so that people would stop emailing him questions about equipment. 👏👏👏

Samsung note 7 + overcharge = makeshift grenade

Magic Mike was a masterpiece of cinema that was subtly about the economy, Austin. How dare you show it disdain!

I have a iPhone 12 and want to make a feature length film to someday maybe get on the Big Screen 📺 what could I do to get their what tips can you give me on that

Dope! Keep up the great work Austin!

They should have used a pixel

Is it a little diengious to all the great actors and people working on the movie, to film it with an iphone camera, you could have better shots, better composition of the actors playing out this great story if it was shot on decent equipment, I'm just saying is all

This is the first time I've experienced an inkling of desire for seeing High Flying Bird.

I have a Samsung Galaxy S9 would that work as good or better?