Panelists Discuss Smartphone Filmmaking
You heard it before, “Timing is everything.” I don’t believe it’s everything but it’s relevant to the progress of development.
At first, I had to search deep into the world of the internet to find anything remotely connected to the thought that you could make movies using a mobile phone camera. Today, you can watch feature length films shot with smartphone cameras on Tubi or Amazon Prime.
The commercialization of the niche exploded after the iPhone 4 was released with the first HD camera on a phone. Soon, the likes of FilmicPro and editing apps like Splice were available in their simplest forms. Companies began to manufacture tripod mounts for iPhones to use with existing gear like the GorillaPod (2006).
Our film festival in San Diego was launched in the Spring of 2009 to push filmmakers to make movies for the large cinema screen exclusively with mobile phone cameras. As the founder, I experienced the growth of a niche industry first hand, from multiple levels.
The most unique and inspiring experience for me, personally, was being a first point-of-contact for filmmakers worldwide, searching online for someone to talk to about the topic. Mostly due to of our first in-person film festival exclusive to mobile phone only films.
THE PODCAST
In October 2017, after spending about a year learning all I could about podcasting professionally, I launched the SBP Podcast (Renamed SBP Podcast Mobile Filmmaking in 2019).
Having had multiple conversations with indie filmmakers about mobile filmmaking, I invited many filmmakers to guest in my podcast to inspire more people to make films and videos using smartphone cameras. The episodes were not casual short interviews.
Each episode is an in-depth discussion around the topic, with introspect about why someone would, should, or did — film with mobile phones.
My podcast is going on six years since launch in October. I’ve published over 150 episodes.
FADE IN TO FILM
Beginning June 5th, this year, I reached out to a handful of industry experts and colleagues I felt would provide great perspectives on the current state of everything indie and mobile film.
I named the program Fade In To Film. The first introductory episode was published July 18, followed by the first official episode July 25.
Listen to this week’s episode 155: “Fade In To Film: Making Films Versus Products” and subscribe to our newsletter to receive updates and new episodes.
To my surprise, they agreed to commit to recording a bi-weekly panel discussion with me.
Our panelists are Ryan McDonald, Levi Austin Morris, Jason Rivera, and Joey Min. Later in this article I share a bit more about each panelist.
NICHE INDUSTRY GROWTH
In my opinion, the growth of this niche has come through the support of the mobile filmmaking community at large. But it’s been my experience, that the community I’ve personally built since launching our film festival, has mostly been supportive of each other.
During my in-person experiences with the festival participants and attendees, I became aware everyone was very interested in speaking with me about mobile filmmaking. My passion for this topic at the time, was quite clear through my actions writing about filmmakers in blogs and sharing and connecting enthusiasts and filmmakers through social media. I also taught workshops and held networking events.
My podcast, was born from a necessity to share my conversations with individual guests, in-depth.
INDEPENDENT FILM
About two years ago, I had this idea that it would be a great benefit for this niche community to have a consistent group panel of guests who could discuss indie and mobile film. Why indie?
Independent filmmaking is mobile filmmaking. The only thing that has ever felt like a separation between them is the camera. While indie filmmakers use a vast amount of different cameras from DSLRs to Arri Alexa cameras, there has always been a misconception that a professional would not use a smartphone camera.
But that all changed somewhat in 2020, during the pandemic. And it’s happening again with the Hollywood strikes, as the expanse of independent filmmaking grows.
Smartphone filmmaking is not just for the novice, or for someone starting out to get experience. In fact, even a professional filmmaker can feel like a novice using a smartphone camera for the first time to make movies.
What stands out the most between a smartphone and hundreds of other cameras is that everyone has access to a smartphone over another camera. Not just for film and video, but photography as well.
The people I reached out to for the panel were excited and willing to come onboard. They are part of a team of panelists for an ongoing program on my podcast. How cool is that? Not one turned down the opportunity.
TIMING
The timing is now perfect. The film industry is a topic on the forefront of the news. It means, everyone is thinking about it because it affects them too.
As the studios and streaming platforms are included in the strikes, consumers are feeling the repercussions too. Forcing them to think about it. Putting writers and actors and the unions aside, indie filmmakers using smartphone cameras are also considering their options to profit from their filmmaking projects.
If you’re spending hundreds of thousands of dollars as an independent filmmaker, and having your film distributed on the same streaming platform with someone who spent six-thousand dollars to make an iPhone feature film — that may just have you reconsidering your options, depending on the type of film you’re planning to make.
THE PANEL
Discussing this and many more topics currently on the minds of all filmmakers and people in the entertainment industry is why I am committed to this panel.
The mobile film industry does not have a consistent cumulative voice in a single platform. There is also no better platform as an audio-only platform (in my opinion) for consistent producing and consumption. The effort on both the listener and producer of audio content is a win-win.
I am excited to bring this program to our podcast show for all the people around the world who are thirsty to engage with the topic.
Listening to us while driving, in your living room, or while on the go, perhaps while working — draws you in as if you are in the room with us.
When you listen to my podcast, you are part of the show. You’re always at the forefront of my thoughts, as host, in the panel and with my guests. Most importantly, you are the reason I keep it going! www.sbppodcast.studio
THE PANELISTS
Joey Min has a unique perspective as a “YouTuber” and filmmaker who also advocates mobile filmmaking and has experience making short films on his iPhone, including Legend of No Budget Zorro. Joey is the co-founder of Art School Dropouts in the east coast.
Ryan McDonald has been acting and making films since he was in high school in Utah. He is passionate and educated in film. He consistently studies and reads books about filmmaking. His feature film, Married and Loving It! (shot with an iPhone) was a contender in our film festival in San Diego, and is available in Amazon Prime.
Levi Austin Morris is an actor and has been making iPhone short films for many years. Some of his shorts have been contenders in our film festival since the 2015 edition. Levi lives in Hollywood and has made films, including a feature film with traditional cameras. But this year, he completed his newest feature shot with two iPhones, Paralysis. The film won the Best Feature Film in our film festival in San Diego last April and is currently screening in film festivals.
Jason Rivera is a music composer, a musician and scores music for films. He scored music for a short film in our film festival, Help Wanted by Conor Geary and represented the filmmaker attending our festival in person. Jason began writing and making music when he was 4 years-old. Jason is a Puerto Rican, Los Angeles based composer and multi-instrumentalist. Listen to his music.
Find out more about our panelists, listen to our episodes together and get more details. www.fadeintofilm.com
