SBP Podcast Mobile Filmmaking
The Voice of Mobile Film™ is for everyone who ever wanted to or is curious about making movies and videos using smartphones. S. Botello Productions (SBP) is a pioneer in the mobile filmmaking industry. Hosted, produced and edited by Susy Botello without AI.
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Episodes
Tuesday Aug 03, 2021
Tuesday Aug 03, 2021
Travis Mills is the Director and CEO of Running Wild Films. He has challenged himself to make 12 Western films in 12 months, one per month. In episode 105 of the SBP Podcast Mobile Filmmaking, we share the story of one of these films, which was shot with the iPhone.
Read the article for this episode in our Smartphone Filmmaking Publication: https://medium.com/smartphonefilmmaking
Travis loves a good challenge and calls himself a bit “crazy” so he jumped at the thought of shooting one of 12 Western films in 12 months with the iPhone. In 2013 he challenged himself to shoot 52 films in 52 weeks, and that was part of how he began to set incredible goals as a filmmakers. He continued to make films and feature films over the years and he came to the idea that he would make 12 feature films in 12 months. However, he upscaled that challenge because he figured it wasn’t hard enough. Remember, Travis is a bit crazy, right? He decided to make the most challenging features by shooting Westerns.
Westerns are a unique genre because of the challenges, from sets, locations, horse wrangling, shootouts…it’s a big challenge in itself but shooting it all with the iPhone is both interesting and intriguing. One one hand, all these details can be challenging for any filmmaker using traditional cameras. On the flip side, it also becomes a relief to film using a smartphone due to the minimalist production process. Thinking about tearing down the equipment after shooting a scene with a smartphone is a lot easier to do with a small camera. What people think about though, is those grand shots of people riding horses and stage coach scenes. That didn’t seem to get in the way of the film, from the rough footage I watched, because again…the story itself is captivating. As you are following the story, the wide shots on the Western landscape are simply a part of the storyline.
Travis is one of the characters in the film, one of the protagonists. But the main character is Pearl Hart, played by Lorraine Etchell. Her performance is worthy of mentioning. Her acting brings her character to life and watching her really brings you close to the turmoil she experienced in her life’s story.
The Woman Who Robbed A Stagecoach film tells the true story of Pearl Hart, a female outlaw who became famous for robbing a stagecoach and escaping prison in Arizona at the turn of the century.
The film also features actors Travis Mills, Kevin Goss, John Marrs, Michael Estridge, John Schile, and many more. It was written and directed by Travis Mills, and is part of the “12 films made in 12 months” and the first Western feature film shot with an iPhone.
Most of the film was shot in Globe, Arizona. But they traveled to Yuma and they were able to shoot at the prison in the cell where Pearl Hart was held. Travis shares his character, and the unknown history about him which he had to create for the story in the film. The conversation brings the topic of bringing actual history into a film based on a true story. One of the ways to do that, was his insistence on shooting in the actual locations in Arizona, instead of shooting the film in more picturesque locations.
Travis was inspired by Sean Baker’s Tangerine and since then, he’s been twirling the idea of making a feature with an iPhone. In the podcast, he shares some of the ideas he’s had for a mobile feature but it was the story of Pearl Hart that he kept thinking about.
The budget for the movie was about $6,000 and it was a 15-day shoot. Considering it’s also a Western, it was a very modest budget. His crew was four people and they had no experience shooting on the iPhone. They learned about mobile filmmaking along the way.
Listen to Travis share his own story of what brought him into film. Part of that story is that he was obsessed with movies growing up. Interestingly, he grew up in the Comoro Islands in the southeastern coast of Africa.
Pioneers are paving the way for the future of the mobile filmmaking industry. It’s inspiring to share pioneers like Travis Mills in our podcast. If you are looking for inspiration and information about this niche industry where more and more people are making incredible films using smartphone cameras.
Travis may also be the first filmmaker to shoot 12 feature films in 12 months, which he is using traditional filmmaking cameras for the rest of the films. We asked him to elaborate a bit on filming all his films, regardless of the camera he used on the rest of the films.
Close to the end of our conversation, Travis shares how the daunting process of feature filmmaking can be achievable, and how to push yourself as a filmmaker. He shares some of the filmmakers that inspire him.
SBP Podcast Mobile Filmmaking: The Voice of Mobile Film™ is for everyone who ever wanted to or is curious about making movies and videos using smartphones.
Watch the trailer for the film which features a version of Buffalo Gals, performed by Courtney Odom: https://youtu.be/ig1xhBtyDUI
Follow Travis Mills and Running Wild Films:
Running Wild Films Website: http://www.runningwildfilms.com/
Twitter for Running Wild Films: https://twitter.com/RunWildFilms
Running Wild Films on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC1uVUsOVjqQgIId1UF7khhw
Travis Mills on IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm3524360/
Travis on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/travismillsdirector/
Travis on Twitter: https://twitter.com/travis_director
Our Links:
Smartphone Filmmaking Publication on Medium: https://medium.com/smartphonefilmmaking
Mobile Filmmaker Shop Online Store: http://mobilefilmmakershop.com
Subscribe, support and listen to bonus episodes and more on Patreon: http://patreon.com/sbppodcast
Support podcast host Susy Botello: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/susybotello
Mobile Film Stories on Clubhouse: https://www.joinclubhouse.com/club/mobile-film-stories
SBP Podcast Website: http://sbppodcast.studio
SBP Podcast on IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14682500/reference
Video and Film Streaming Distribution for Smartphone Films: http://mobilefilmstories.com
International Mobile Film Festival Website: http://internationalmobilefilmfestival.com
Facebook: http://facebook.com/sbppodcast
Twitter: http://twitter.com/sbppodcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mobilefilmsd/
iTunes/Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/sbp-podcast/id1296673665
Susy Botello on Twitter: http://twitter.com/susybotello
SBP Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4ISEF0SZOLyRpw20loXzlo#upsell
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/mobilfilmfestival?sub_confirmation=1
© Copyright 2021 S. Botello Productions™. All rights reserved.
Friday Jul 23, 2021
Friday Jul 23, 2021
Caroline Spence and James Smith are the brilliant filmmakers behind Raya Films, in the UK. They’ve been producing films and videos together since around 2004. And they’ve produced two feature length films using smartphone cameras. Most of the people I’ve spoken to have produced one feature film. There is one well-known filmmaker who’s produced two features using iPhones, In case you don’t know who that is: Steven Soderbergh.
Read the Article About this Episode with links and photos on our Smartphone Filmmaking Publication on Medium: https://medium.com/smartphonefilmmaking
Cyberlante and Surveilled were both filmed with Android smartphones. Surveilled, their latest, was entered into San Diego’s International Mobile Film Festival 2022, the 11th annual edition for only films shot with smartphones.
In this episode of our podcast, episode 104, we enjoy James and Caroline’s stories about the other part of the film industry many indie filmmakers don’t talk about much, publicly: Screening events for their films. Most filmmakers screen their films before they release them to screen in festivals. James and Caroline share some behind the scenes stories about some of their screening events in London.
You’ll also hear about indie film production, and why it doesn’t fit the traditional schedule considered standard business practice. For example, working 9 to 5 during weekdays. Filmmaking is tough work. It’s hard for people to understand why filmmakers do do it. Indie film attracts people who can get up at 4am, go on set, and work hard. And sometimes continue into the late night.
James and Caroline worked the 9-5 job at an office before they began their production company. They once tagged along with a television crew for a promotion corporate video, and that’s when they were “bitten by the bug.” They decided to start their production company. They’ve yet to change their minds. Caroline and James love what they do, and they are making great films together. They’ve accumulated a great network, and team to work with.
This episode is a thorough discussion on filmmaking from the perspective of what happens behind the scenes. We talk about events, having and not having an online presence as filmmakers, things to watch out for when approached by producers and investors, and a lot more! We also discuss cinematography and how smartphone cameras benefits the process and the final project.
We discuss how many more feature films are being made with smartphone cameras now. Even though the viewers don’t care what cameras are used to make films, I point out the connection between the films and their audience is the smartphone. It’s why I believe in pointing out the fact that a film was shot with the same camera they have in possession. It’s inspiring more people to make films, in general. And that is not a bad thing. James’ perspective is that we could never have too much music, for example, so there is no problem with having many films.
Even though they’ve made two features with their smartphone, they’re currently in pre-production for Casting Kill, a feature film which they plan to shoot in London. And of course, this is not the only film they are working on right now. There is another one in the plan which they plan to shoot in Spain.
SBP Podcast Mobile Filmmaking: The Voice of Mobile Film™ is for everyone who ever wanted to or is curious about making movies and videos using smartphones.
Watch the trailer for Surveilled: https://youtu.be/wzu-mbO4eRM
Follow Caroline on Twitter: https://twitter.com/cspenceproducer
Raya Films http://www.RayaFilms.com
James Smith: https://twitter.com/jsmithwriter
Raya Films: https://twitter.com/RayaFilms
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/RayaFilmsLondon
Surveilled Website: https://rayafilms.com/surveilled
Twitter: https://twitter.com/SurveilledMovie
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/surveilledmovie
Current Film Project not shot with smartphones: https://rayafilms.com/castingkill
Our Links:
Mobile Filmmaker Shop Online Store: http://mobilefilmmakershop.com
Subscribe, support and listen to bonus episodes and more on Patreon: http://patreon.com/sbppodcast
Support podcast host Susy Botello: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/susybotello
Mobile Film Stories on Clubhouse: https://www.joinclubhouse.com/club/mobile-film-stories
SBP Podcast Website: http://sbppodcast.studio
SBP Podcast on IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14682500/reference
Video and Film Streaming Distribution for Smartphone Films: http://mobilefilmstories.com
International Mobile Film Festival Website: http://internationalmobilefilmfestival.com
Facebook: http://facebook.com/sbppodcast
Twitter: http://twitter.com/sbppodcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mobilefilmsd/
iTunes/Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/sbp-podcast/id1296673665
Susy Botello on Twitter: http://twitter.com/susybotello
SBP Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4ISEF0SZOLyRpw20loXzlo#upsell
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/mobilfilmfestival?sub_confirmation=1
© Copyright 2021 S. Botello Productions™. All rights reserved.
Tuesday Jul 13, 2021
Tuesday Jul 13, 2021
Brionne Olsen is an audio engineer, filmmaker and storyteller. Bringing his audio skills that he’s acquired working in radio to the “theater of the mind” with film was a natural progression. In episode 103 of the SBP Podcast Mobile Filmmaking, we share insights and the stories Brionne shares from South Africa to San Diego.
Brionne began with music videos but decided to go into radio. He had high expectations but fell in love with the experience of working with audio for radio. Radio and imaging production playing with jingles and such, he feels that he “paints a picture in the mind” of the listener.
Brionne explains the importance of audio in film, not just the quality of audio, but how audio compliments and completes the story in film.
It was during lock down in 2020 that he watched a summit on mobile filmmaking and was introduced and inspired to make smartphone video content. He then began to research the concept of mobile film on Google and then began to learn Filmic Pro. He began to experiment and the more he experimented the more excited he would become.
One of his first projects was a paid gig making a music video. He filmed some things during a walk and showed it to someone. He was asked to make the video and it was an opportunity for him to create something serious. He used resources that he found and pay for them using some of the money he made from what he was making on the video. The video ended up being broadcast on a music television channel and no one realized it was shot on a phone until he told them.
Brionne Olsen made a film called, Finding Freedom. The story is an inspiring insight into his community in South Africa. Speaking to the social issues of the people. He then began to hear about the abuse of women by their partners during lock downs, and then the story of George Floyd in America. So as he was reflecting on his own freedom and those issues he began to write the poetry that he turned into the film.
He asked his niece, Kyra Isaacs, to perform the part in the video and the voice over. It’s a powerful video and the structure of the audio he uses includes audio clips that adds intensity and emotional texture to the video.
Brionne has also created other videos that are documentaries which are very meaningful to him. He mentions they are a part of his personal journey and expression of his culture and his ancestry. His identity.
Close to the end of this episode I asked Brionne to share some key tips filmmakers need to know in order to feel confident when starting to film for the first time using smartphone cameras.
Listening to Brionne share his personal stories is inspiring and educational. I found our conversation enlightening and personally inspiring. I am looking forward to following his journey as a member of the mobile filmmaking community and storyteller.
SBP Podcast Mobile Filmmaking: The Voice of Mobile Film™ is for everyone who ever wanted to or is curious about making movies and videos using smartphones.
About Finding Freedom:
“The truth is that the pursuit of freedom has been a long journey from early civilisation to massive slavery for profits. Economic emancipation for women in the workplace to freedom under law where equal rights are not observed, time and time again we rise up when injustices is a spectacle for the world to see and nothing is done.
Kyra Isaacs is a 20 year old woman from South Africa and was born 7 years into our young democracy. Kyra like most young women, are actively making their voices heard but more needs to be done. Kyra is a singer, song writer and artists.”
Watch Finding Freedom: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0uNx9-fwC74
Credits: Music by Music Bed; Written and Directed by Brionne Olsen; Starring Kyra Isaacs.
Mentioned in the podcast, Assimilate film: https://youtu.be/ZHsAtMw65aA
Website: https://brionneolsen.com
Follow Brionne:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brionneolsen/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brionnesamuelolsen/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BrionneOlsen
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpt9ReZdBsNLJ_W5H7V99qA
Our Links:
Smartphone Filmmaking Publication on Medium: https://medium.com/smartphonefilmmaking
NEW! Mobile Filmmaker Shop Online Store: http://mobilefilmmakershop.com
Subscribe, support and listen to bonus episodes and more on Patreon: http://patreon.com/sbppodcast
Support podcast host Susy Botello: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/susybotello
Mobile Film Stories on Clubhouse: https://www.joinclubhouse.com/club/mobile-film-stories
SBP Podcast Website: http://sbppodcast.studio
SBP Podcast on IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14682500/reference
Video and Film Streaming Distribution for Smartphone Films: http://mobilefilmstories.com
International Mobile Film Festival Website: http://internationalmobilefilmfestival.com
Facebook: http://facebook.com/sbppodcast
Twitter: http://twitter.com/sbppodcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mobilefilmsd/
iTunes/Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/sbp-podcast/id1296673665
Susy Botello on Twitter: http://twitter.com/susybotello
SBP Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4ISEF0SZOLyRpw20loXzlo#upsell
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/mobilfilmfestival?sub_confirmation=1
Our podcast was chosen by Feedspot as the top Mobile Filmmaking Podcast to follow:https://blog.feedspot.com/mobile_filmmaking_podcasts/
© Copyright 2021 S. Botello Productions™. All rights reserved.
Tuesday Jun 15, 2021
Tuesday Jun 15, 2021
Actors teaming up to make films together is impressive. And it’s happening more and more often with the rise of smartphone filmmaking.
You may think an actor cannot make a quality film, but think again. They have spent countless hours on film sets. They have the ability to ask questions and learn the filmmaking craft. They network with filmmakers all the time. And then…well, you knew I was going to bring it up, right? That’s correct, they have a smartphone camera close by.
Our guest in episode 102 of the SBP Podcast Mobile Filmmaking is Levi Austin Morris. He lives in Los Angeles and is an experienced actor.
This discussion shares the process of crowd funding in great detail. Can a podcast be a tutorial? Levi Austin Morris had experience in crowd funding and he was inspired by a conversation we had about feature filmmaking with smartphones.
Levi was one of the participants in a mobile filmmaking and storytelling panel streaming now on Mobile Film Stories. When he realized Inga Vosk was a first time filmmaker blew him away. Inga won the Best Feature Film Award in 2020’s International Mobile Film Festival in San Diego with her film, STEALTH shot in St. Petersburg.
Levi wrote a screenplay at the end of 2020 for a feature mobile film. He then began to ask for collaboration with his filmmaking team/family. Several revisions later, Paralysis was ready and is currently in the pre-production process. Paralysis is a 96 minute film to be produced in Los Angeles. The trailer for the movie is quite impressive!
When it comes to campaign and crowd funding, the team decided to make it very inclusive and interactive. The campaign is based around gamification and contests. Levi shares insights on planning for the campaign.
There are two ways to plan your campaign between the production and post-production phase. Levi shares which one they chose and why. He also shares how to plan your budget in detail, how to market your campaign in Instagram and Facebook, etc.
In this episode, we hope to inspire filmmakers making short films to make feature films with a solid plan for success.
SBP Podcast Mobile Filmmaking: The Voice of Mobile Film™ is for everyone who ever wanted to or is curious about making movies and videos using smartphones.
Watch the trailer for Paralysis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOpQQa1w-VQ&t=1s
Paralysis is in the funding phase so don’t miss it!https://seedandspark.com/fund/paralysis#story
Paralysis on Facebook: www.facebook.com/ParalysisTheFilm
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/paralysisthefilm/
Mentioned in this episode:
Panel discussion on smartphone filmmaking and storytelling on Mobile Film Stories with Levi Austin Morris.https://mobilefilmstories.com/smartphone-filmmaking-and-storytelling/
The Tea Short Film from IMFF 2020: https://youtu.be/wnFnxxE8Uao
90 Seconds To Live IMFF 2015:https://youtu.be/3-_dp8LSYCc
Our Links:
Smartphone Filmmaking Publication on Medium: https://medium.com/smartphonefilmmaking
NEW! Mobile Filmmaker Shop Online Store: http://mobilefilmmakershop.com
Subscribe, support and listen to bonus episodes and more on Patreon: http://patreon.com/sbppodcast
Support podcast host Susy Botello: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/susybotello
Mobile Film Stories on Clubhouse: https://www.joinclubhouse.com/club/mobile-film-stories
SBP Podcast Website: http://sbppodcast.studio
SBP Podcast on IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14682500/reference
Video and Film Streaming Distribution for Smartphone Films: http://mobilefilmstories.com
International Mobile Film Festival Website: http://internationalmobilefilmfestival.com
Facebook: http://facebook.com/sbppodcast
Twitter: http://twitter.com/sbppodcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mobilefilmsd/
iTunes/Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/sbp-podcast/id1296673665
Susy Botello on Twitter: http://twitter.com/susybotello
SBP Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4ISEF0SZOLyRpw20loXzlo#upsell
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/mobilfilmfestival?sub_confirmation=1
© Copyright 2021 S. Botello Productions™. All rights reserved.
Tuesday Jun 08, 2021
Tuesday Jun 08, 2021
Arthur Mikheev was raised in Moscow, by parents who were skeptical of his interest in art as a career. Arthur was attracted to photography in his early days in school, but he soon found it to be complicated. It just wasn’t for him. So he became a musician and studied psychology.
Arthur is a filmmaker with 10 years experience in the video industry. He began his career on television and gaming journalism. He has authored three books about filmmaking and one of them is exclusively about mobile filmmaking. He is the founder of the mobile filmmaking online school. He’s worked with companies like Samsung, Huawei, LaCie, Seagate, Apple, Amediateka (the home of HBO), and others.
Arthur began to make films and videos using his DSLR and cinema cameras about ten years ago. One day, his girlfriend told him about a mobile film festival in Moscow. As it turns out Arthur was referring to the festival founded by our friend Maxim Mussel.
Max has been popularizing making films using smartphones in Russia. Arthur was a bit skeptical about the idea, but he tried it. He made a mobile film and submitted into the Mobile Filmmaker International Festival in Moscow.
Episode 101 of the SBP Podcast Mobile Filmmaking is a conversation with Arthur Mikheev exploring his message to our audience about taking time to make good films and focusing on the story.
It’s easy to grab your phone and start shooting video. However, without a good story a film lacks substance. Arthur shares his journey from Russia and the reason behind his short film War is Not A Game. He explains why it was important for him to share the story and send that message.
Arthur is a teacher and he teaches making films using smartphones. His parents are now convinced that following your dream is not a bad thing because Arthur is able to earn a living as a smartphone video producer and instructor.
Most people watch films for entertainment, and so do filmmakers. However, most filmmakers watch films with a “third eye” to study the effects of a film on the mind of the viewer. We talk about Alfred Hitchcock’s style of filmmaking horror films like Psycho (1960) and that led us to analyze other films like The Blair Witch Project (1999) and Cloverfield (2008). In particular, we spoke about how some of the most effective horror stories don’t show much but the suggestions allow our own imagination to scare us. This is done with simple visuals and audio.
Arthur Mikheev spent a good amount of time making his short film, War Is Not A Game. He set up the scene, shot it multiple times and took the time he needed to edit and color grade it. He suggests that practicing and learning to manually control settings can make a big difference in the quality of the footage. However, as he points out, it’s the story that will turn what you capture into a film.
He shot the film before with another camera, years before. However, he was not satisfied with how it turned out. So he shot it again using the smartphone and he was more satisfied with how it turned out. Obviously, it turned out very well because he won First Place in the 10th Anniversary edition of the International Mobile Film Festival in San Diego.
SBP Podcast Mobile Filmmaking: The Voice of Mobile Film™ is for everyone who ever wanted to or is curious about making movies and videos using smartphones.
Arthur on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001242174643
Arthur’s website, One Side Media: http://www.oneside.ru
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/1sidemedia/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/1sidemedia.video/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/OneSideMediavideo
Arthur’s Mobile Filmmaking book on Amazon: https://amzn.to/3chlc0s
Arthur has created several ambient tracks, which he says everybody can use in their works (the only requirement is to indicate the artist’s name in the credits)
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3jqPsrlfu7ECOAsdEg51VC?si=ypAIT3BwRlOyjG8ZKI8ANg
Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/artist/arthur-mikheev/1525409579
Mentioned in this episode:
Mobile Filmmaker International Festival: https://www.mobilefilmmaker.org
Our Links:
Smartphone Filmmaking Publication on Medium: https://medium.com/smartphonefilmmaking
Subscribe, support and listen to bonus episodes and more on Patreon: http://patreon.com/sbppodcast
Support podcast host Susy Botello: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/susybotello
Mobile Film Stories on Clubhouse: https://www.joinclubhouse.com/club/mobile-film-stories
SBP Podcast Website: http://sbppodcast.studio
SBP Podcast on IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14682500/reference
Video and Film Streaming Distribution for Smartphone Films: http://mobilefilmstories.com
International Mobile Film Festival Website: http://internationalmobilefilmfestival.com
Facebook: http://facebook.com/sbppodcast
Twitter: http://twitter.com/sbppodcast
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mobilefilmsd/
iTunes/Apple Podcasts: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/sbp-podcast/id1296673665
Susy Botello on Twitter: http://twitter.com/susybotello
SBP Podcast on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/4ISEF0SZOLyRpw20loXzlo#upsell
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/mobilfilmfestival?sub_confirmation=1
© Copyright 2021 S. Botello Productions™. All rights reserved.
