Filmmaking Has Always Been Intimidating
Is smartphone filmmaking intimidating?
Mobile filmmakers, let’s talk about you for a minute because I feel some of you want to make a movie with your phone but you don’t think your phone is good enough. Why not?
Sony Studios funding an iPhone movie to the tune of $75M can feel intimidating.
So many of you have been diligently researching this because you have a film in mind. You may have access to another camera but you feel you may really wanna give it a go with your phone, right? Why not?
Now that we’re moving into the age of big budget mobile filmmaking…hold on, hold on! I don’t know if this is true. Do you?
What I do know is that as much as I advocate for you, the professional-indie and big budget filmmakers working in Hollywood are jumping on the opportunity. But it’s not a done deal. If they can shoot a feature for 75 million and the expense is less than with traditional professional filmmaking cameras—that’s very attractive!
In reality, the industry doesn’t care about the cameras. They want the profits, and if this experiment with “28 Years Later” works as well as any other, what do you think will happen?
One thing I don’t look forward to is someone doing what drove me absolutely insane about video production and filmmaking. Know what that was? Intimidating newcomers.
Don’t get me wrong, not every pro does that, at least consciously. However, the intimidation is there. Filmmaking is tech and business but its heart is the art of storytelling.
It’s one of the reasons I personally find the medium as the most powerful in the world for telling stories, and I bet you get it too!
The mobile filmmaking community around the world is magnificent. I say that because I know many of them intimately. It’s hard to believe you can be professional and have an intimate connection with your community…but I’m not special, we can all do this.
My point is that I listen to you even when you’re not speaking with me directly and the chatter of a 75 million dollar movie being shot with iPhones is really strong. Mainly, it’s people like myself who’ve been waiting for the sequel to the OG “28 Days Later” also starring Cillian Murphy. At least that’s what I’ve experienced.
I want to bring up something that happens to most of us when researching online.
The online world would have you live inside it if it had a choice. It may feel like you keep spending more and more time just finding an answer to one small question or perhaps you’re asking in generalities because you are not one with jargon.
When I created the unaccredited Mobile Film School in San Diego, I was interested in the best, most efficient and quick way to learn mobile filmmaking: hands-on.
I teach workshops in person with Mobile Film School. It doesn’t matter if students are 12 or 86 years old, they thrive with a hands-on approach. The best part is that everyone has their own phone to learn with, while you bring tools and gear for them to try on in the dressing room. I’m kidding, there’s no dressing room but there’s always room for magic.
I remember a 12 year-old whose dad brought him to one of our workshops. He seemed shy when he arrived but by the end, he couldn’t stop talking about it. He said he could not wait to do it all himself again at home. That was only a two-hour workshop. He learned enough to get started with video, audio and lights. Isn’t that our goal when we go online to research how to get started?
It’s like you’re watching films shot with smartphones and you’re inspired to make your own with your own phone. Then you do what is absolutely normal and look into it online and after a few hours, days, or weeks, you’re a bit disheartened, maybe even intimidated.
I discuss this with guests on my podcast all the time.
Intimidation is rampant with big budget filmmaking and somewhat with indie filmmaking. It’s the same with video production, and I realize this is true with almost every industry. So perhaps this message I am sending you will come in handy with you, even if you don’t plan to make your own film.
My message is this: You own mobile filmmaking. It belongs to everyone.
Mobile filmmaking is yours. It’s been for you all along, but you need to get offline for a minute and get that film made. Easy to say, right?
Stay tuned friends!
We are about to share new opportunities for you to grow together, stronger, and more supported than ever. I am here for you!
I wish every single one of you the very best with your projects in 2025.
As a treat, I add the trailer for “28 Years Later” from Sony, below: A lot of people do not realize it’s shot with iPhones 15 Pro Max, because most people don’t care. Do me a favor and point it out. You may inspire the next Steven Spielberg or Danny Boyle.
Filmmaking is getting simpler with all the tools available in your arsenal, from pre-production all the way through marketing and distribution.
Listen to my podcast share these discussions with our listeners free. The SBP Podcast Mobile Filmmaking is one of the most abundant resources for mobile filmmakers.