Smartphone to big screen: The rise of pocket filmmaking

Smartphones are democratising the art of storytelling in cinema. Industry experts tell Pranati A S the pros and cons of the new medium

With technology rapidly evolving, filmmaking has taken on different forms over the years. We are living in a particularly interesting time. On the one hand, many filmmakers have returned to shooting on film stock to experience the chemical reaction between light and film and to embrace the imperfections that film grain brings to the frame. On the other hand, some are creating Instagram reels and experimenting with vertical filmmaking using professional cinema cameras. 

Then there are those who have successfully made films using just an iPhone. The MAMI Mumbai Film Festival completed the second edition of its ‘Filmed on iPhone’ programme earlier this month. Four young directors — Shalini Vijaykumar, Rohin Raveendran Nair, Amrita Bagchi, and Chanakya Vyas — presented their films.

Even established filmmakers are experimenting. Some scenes of the Prithviraj Sukumaran-helmed ‘Empuraan’, released last month, were shot on an iPhone. In an interview, Vishal Bhardwaj described the process of shooting his 30-minute short ‘Fursat’ (2023) on an iPhone 14 Pro as “liberating”. Sean Baker, director of the Oscar-winning ‘Anora’, shot his comedy-drama ‘Tangerine’ on an iPhone 5S a decade ago.

Flexible shoots

Shalini views a smartphone as “just another type of camera” and emphasises that it doesn’t change the process of filmmaking — in terms of story and screenplay. 

However, it has significant advantages. According to cinematographer Enosh Olivera, larger cameras like an Arri, a Red, or even a Sony FX3 or A7S3 “can’t fit into compact spaces, but a mobile phone can.”

Shalini concurs and cites the example of her 28-minute film ‘Seeing Red’: “I can put my hand through a window or get a shot from the corner of a room using a phone. That’s what we did while shooting the film.”

Rohin’s film ‘Kovarty’ is told from the perspective of a typewriter. “My DOP and I decided to place our camera — the iPhone — inside the typewriter. We had to just open the top flap of the machine and place it inside. That gave our film a unique look,” he says.

When a scene demands shooting in a natural environment — a guerrilla-style shoot, for example, where gathering the full crew isn’t possible — a phone camera becomes the practical choice, notes Enosh.

Advanced features

Shalini and Rohin used the Blackmagic Camera mobile application to shoot their films. “It offers better control and more exposure. It shows histograms, allows shooting in RAW, and even gives you a proxy. The app expands the capabilities of the (real Blackmagic) camera,” Shalini shares. Rohin additionally attaches third-party lenses to the phone, including an anamorphic lens to achieve a wider perspective.

Enosh points out that modern phone cameras come with built-in stabilisation, making external gimbals less essential. “The shallow depth of field — the blurry background in frames — was earlier only achievable with DSLRs or cine cameras. Now phone cameras can replicate that. The effects look natural and organic,” he explains.

The latest iPhone model supports high frame rates (120 fps) and 4K resolution. Shalini shot her entire climax scene in one go without the phone overheating. 

The model also offers 1TB of storage. “The iPhone also created a proxy of the footage that was easily playable on the MacBook for editing,” she says.

Empowering tool

Technology has made filmmaking democratic, and that is what excites cinematographer Advaitha Gurumurthy. He believes that the size and type of camera shouldn’t interfere with the story being told. “It’s a very small part of storytelling,” he notes. 

Advaitha encourages young and aspiring filmmakers to consider shooting on iPhones. Reflecting on the success of the ‘Filmed on iPhone’ initiative in Mumbai, he says, “We should explore these unorthodox ideas of filmmaking in the South as well.” He has yet not shot a film with a smartphone because the directors he worked with in the past weren’t convinced. He is waiting to find someone experimental like him.

Shalini feels the ability to shoot on an iPhone is changing the landscape of filmmaking — from who makes a film to how a film can be made — and the ability to shoot faster and more affordably, even without the backing of a big production.

Advaitha believes everyone should start telling stories. “Just like how folktales were passed down and have stayed with us for generations, filmmaking can become a tool to retell those stories,” he explains.

Pro cameras will stay 

Shalini says that while one needs access to an iPhone, she doesn’t think it is far-fetched. Moreover, an iPhone is one among the many options in the market.

While significant research is underway in the advancement of mobile cameras, Advaitha believes they still can’t replace traditional cinema cameras, which come with their own set of advantages. “But they can serve as excellent B or C cameras,” he opines.

Rohin notes that the choice of camera should align with the storytelling medium.

“Most DOPs still prefer bigger cameras mainly for their dynamic range — they can seamlessly capture shadows and highlights. iPhones are catching up, but I don’t think they can yet surpass major cameras like the Arri,” says Enosh. He remains skeptical about the image quality of phone-shot footage when viewed on a big screen.