18 TVBEurope Workflow
Phone it in: FiLMiC Pro can turn an iPhone into a 50Mbps HD camera
which is backed up with Celtx Shots (free) for creating storyboards and blocking scenes.
What’s the story?
Mobile production There’s an app for that
Many parts of the production process that require dedicated hardware or laptops can now be carried out on your phone. David Fox reports
MOBILE DEVICES are now as powerful as many computers were not long ago, but have far more advanced and efficient operating systems and lots of abilities that would previously have required additional hardware (such as GPS or inclinometers). This means they can be used for an increasing number of tasks on set, in post, or while planning a production. From script and storyboard, to location scouting,
production planning, intelligent clapperboards, camera control, prompters, logging, controlling
and matching lighting, and even live vision switching, there’s an app for that.
Usually, you’ll need an iPhone or iPad, because almost all of the apps are iOS only. Indeed, FWD:Labs, which has a list of Apps for Filmmakers, shows 186 professional apps for the iPhone, 34 for Android, and just four for Windows Mobile.
Screenwriting
It all starts with the script, and writers no longer need to be tied to a computer, as there are several good screenwriting
apps, making it easier to update scripts on location or share them with others without needing printed copies. Final Draft Writer, ($29.99/£20.99/€26.99) from the makers of the industry-standard screenwriting software, interacts well with the desktop version, and has many features to simplify writing or editing — it remembers character names and scene headings, for example, and puts revisions on differently coloured backgrounds. There is also a free Final Draft Reader, without the editing abilities.
Scripts Pro ($12.99/£8.99/ €11.99) is similar, and can import/export Final Draft 8, Celtx or formatted text files from desktop script writing software. It has iCloud support, so scripts automatically update across all your iOS devices and Macs. There are also: Fade In Mobile (free or $4.99/£2.99/ €4.49 versions), which uses Dropbox to sync between devices and its Windows, Mac, Linux and Android versions; and Celtx Script ($4.99/£2.99/€4.49) for collaborative scriptwriting,
Storyboards (free limited version or Premium $14.99/£10.49/ €13.99) makes it simple to set up a storyboard using template graphics that can be rotated and changed (such as different hair colour, glasses and clothes) and built up in layers (which can be blurred to mimic focus). You can add backgrounds from photos, and it’s easy to add frames and arrows (to indicate action/ camera movements). It comes with hundreds of characters and props, so you don’t need to be able to draw. It can also export the images for use in other programmes. Cinemek Storyboard Composer ($14.99/£10.49/€13.99) for iPhone and iPod Touch and Storyboard Composer HD ($23.99/£20.99/ 26.99) for iPad (or any iOS device) allow users to take photos with a phone and add traditional storyboarding markups such as dolly, track, zoom and pan. Set a duration for each panel and play it back to show realtime pacing and framing, which can be exported as a QuickTime Movie (or PDF).
Scout’s honour Panascout ($9.99/£6.99/€8.99) is useful for planning productions and scouting locations. It can frame photos or video in custom aspect ratios, or 2.40 (Anamorphic), 1.85 (Super 35mm), 1.78 (16:9) or 1.33 (4:3) presets. Each shot includes such metadata as GPS, compass heading, date and time. It also has location sunrise/sunset information and users can make voice notes.
Something similar is Artemis (for iPhone) and Artemis HD (iPad) ($29.99/£20.99/€26.99), although this is not a Universal app, so if you want to use it both on your iPhone and iPad, you have to buy it twice.
www.tvbeurope.com July 2014
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