SBP Podcast Mobile Filmmaking

Send A Message With Your Film - Arthur Mikheev

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.

Special Edition: iPhone Movie Making History with Michael Koerbel

Special Edition: Our podcast just reached 100 episodes and we have a special episode. Pioneer mobile filmmaker and the winner of the first prize in the inaugural International Mobile Film Festival in San Diego in 2012 joins us and we embark on a journey about his participation in the history of making movies with iPhones, and smartphones in general. 
Michael Koerbel and Anna Elizabeth James got their hands on the iPhone 4 and the new iMovie app on the phone. They decided to run some camera tests, and that led to making a movie that became one of the most inspiring movies shot with iPhone at that time. You may have seen it, Apple Of My Eye, which won first place in our inaugural film festival. 
Michael’s film was shot and edited on the iPhone. His partner edited it in the iMovie app. In a car as he drove. How mobile can you go?
They moved on to create a web series and partnered with an app developer to create a unique way to view the series in the app with features that allowed the film to be sent to a large display, receive push notifications for each new episode and interact through gamification. The app was Majek and the web series was called, Goldilocks. They put their phone and sealed it into a plastic bag, and put it into a fish bowl. They strapped the phone on vehicles. They did a lot experimental guerrilla filmmaking with iPhones.
Michael shares how Apple Of My Eye affected him personally and why the title of his movie has a special meaning for him. They didn’t make the the movie, in 2010, to gain attention but when they put it on Vimeo they garnered attention and it helped boost the video platform. 
Michael shares why he pays attention to his recordings and how he feels we all have an obligation to what we capture with our cameras. Even if it is easy and accessible.
“I don’t hit record unless I know I want it captured, you know? My heart’s in it.” Michael Koerbel
Michael was inspired by a professor to go to L.A. and attend USC School of Cinematic Arts. It was there that he met many people who are now successful in the film industry today. Ryan Coogler, who held a boom mic in a class is the director of Black Panther. 
In this special edition of our podcast, where we celebrate the 100th episode, Michael and I share our connection back in 2011. But also, it led us to discuss our connection to mobile filmmaking because we are passionate about storytelling and how the smartphone camera empowers storytellers and gives everyone a tool to share your voice with the world. 
People who have not followed mobile filmmaking since 2010 may appreciate listening to Michael’s account of the days when it all began. Michael played a big part in the success of this “movement” to make movies using iPhones and other smartphones. Michael was invited to a panel in the Director’s Guild of America (DGA) event in Los Angeles by the head of Vimeo back then. The attention he received allowed him to succeed in the industry as a commercial producer and his partner Anna Elizabeth James has written a number of features that have been featured in Netflix.
He met Neill Barham, CEO of Filmic Pro when Neill reached out to film a commercial for a cruise line. He has had a lot of success making high end commercials. It’s inspiring to listen to Michael’s stories about his experiences. After that day he and his filmmaking partner decided to test if you could make a movie with an iPhone and edit it on the phone with iMovie, doors opened up to where he is today.
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. 
You can watch Michael’s films discussed in the podcast right now. Michael is an official mobile filmmaker on Mobile Film Stories. https://mobilefilmstories.com/michael-koerbel/ 
 
Follow Michael Koerbel:
Website: https://www.michaelkoerbel.com/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mkoerbel/ 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/mkoerbel 
Mentioned in the podcast:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryan_Coogler
Majek Films: http://www.majekfilms.com/ 
 
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.

Indie Filmmaking with Smartphone Cameras with Rachel Jacob

The story in film has always been an attraction to Rachel Jacob. She grew up in the industry from her father’s side of the family and occasionally would dip her feet in it. She tried many aspects of filmmaking. 
In her teens while in school Rachel was acting, which she still loves, and then she tried screenwriting. Most of her experience in film were a series of loose ends. When she was 18 she attempted directing a project and it became the push she needed to tie the knot as a filmmaker. Rachel advises to try working in different positions in film to learn and gain experience. 
But it was in her twenties when she went all in and got serious. She found work on feature films and shows that were being shot locally, in New Orleans. That experience helped her become the filmmaker she is today. She is currently working on a screenplay to make a feature film.
During the SBP Podcast Mobile Filmmaking, in episode 99, we discuss many tips for people starting out in the industry, even if you live in an area where the film industry is not accessible. Rachel believes mobile filmmaking with smartphones is a great opportunity for people who want to make films and don’t have access to the traditional film industry, like she did, to get work and experience.
During the pandemic she had already heard about Tangerine, by Sean Baker, that was shot with an iPhone. She realized mobile filmmaking was a popular thing, however, she had never considered it.
During the pandemic in 2020, she designed a challenge with some friends, and the non-profit organization she works with. They created the Home Movie Madness Film Festival, which challenged everyone to make a short film at home using their smartphone.
That experience was mind-blowing for her. She had a blast making her first smartphone movie. She realized the potential of what she could do with her phone after completing her short film. That realization motivated her to begin making short mobile films, and Rachel now makes short films on a more regular basis. The simplicity of getting an idea for a story and making a film in a short period of time is thrilling.
Rachel discusses the opportunities mobile filmmaking gives everyone with a smartphone to make films and share stories. It was refreshing to speak with a filmmaker who understands the unique benefits of mobile filmmaking while still appreciating traditional filmmaking. Regardless of the camera, in the end we are making films and sharing stories. Traditional filmmakers making mobile films inspire mobile filmmakers and vice versa by coming together and sharing the unique culture of mobile filmmaking.
Staying busy making films is important to Rachel and she says its part of the process of becoming a better filmmaker. The more films you make, the better you get at it. She believes mobile filmmaking is a big part of the process now that she has experienced the benefits and how fun it is. Because of it, she can concentrate more on the story of her films as opposed to all the technical aspects. 
All the experience with film festivals has given her many insights to the film festival process and she offers consulting to anyone interested in submitting films to film festivals.
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. 
Follow Rachel on Social Media and check out her Reel and Videos: 
Video we talked about during the podcast: https://youtu.be/6aN4oCxmyBg   
Rachel Jacob Directing Reel: https://youtu.be/J9IPdQyuFFA
Rachel Jacob IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2790920/ 
Rachel on LinkTree: https://linktr.ee/racheljacob  
Directed by Rachel Jacob, Official Music Video - Hear You Say by Jeremy Dean: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wzsguAzb8Fc   
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.

Hollywood Dreams and Your Smartphone Camera with FilmConvert and Filmic Pro

The partnership between FilmConvert and Filmic Pro is bridging the mobile smartphone filmmaking with traditional filmmaking communities.  
FilmConvert has been creating software for film grain and color grading for about ten years. They’ve been keeping an eye on the mobile filmmaking community’s growth and have partnered with the app used by Hollywood filmmakers like Steven Soderbergh to shoot their films with iPhones. 
Episode 98 of the SBP Podcast Mobile Filmmaking is a discussion with FilmConvert’s John Parker and Filmic Pro’s Eliot Fitzroy explaining this partnership and how it benefits iPhone filmmakers.
FilmConvert has been working with Filmic Pro since 2017 to create supportive profiles with its software. They have brought compatibility between FilmConvert’s software and Filmic Pro’s App. Filmic Pro is available for both IOS and Android. 
Most recently they have worked together to create a tool, Cinematch, that brings the look and feel of professional Hollywood cameras to the iPhone 12. John explains how it handles footage shot with the iPhone and it produces the color and tone of the Hollywood high end cameras when coupled with the FilmicPro app.
According to the Cinematch website, “Using dedicated camera packs, CineMatch converts your footage from one Log picture style to another. Mix and match between SLog2/3, CLog, BRaw, V-Log/L, RED IPP2 and more, and apply the correct REC.709 transform with a single click.”
One of the drawbacks to mobile filmmaking, according to some filmmakers, has been the dynamic range limitations of smartphone cameras. However, the process of using FilmicPro with the iPhone 12 and Cinematch’s Nitrate is an exciting game-changer for filmmakers. 
According to FilmConvert’s John Parker, it will “…Give your films higher production quality. It’ll look like a million dollars.”
Cinematch can also do something powerful for documentary producers. A producer can send a camera person to capture footage with an iPhone, bring it into the production timeline, and it will create a seamless process that will match the look and feel of the other camera. Essentially, you won’t notice it was shot with a smartphone. 
Using Filmic Pro Log V2 and V3 features can help match the quality of your film using the iPhone 6s through the iPhone 12. 
“Shooting log is one way to do that because you have a much more neutral starting point to build your finished look,” says Eliot Fitzroy. 
John Parker shares the work and details involved in creating different color profiles at the FilmConvert Lab. It’s a process which involves gathering data using different cameras as they record test footage under different conditions. 
I asked Eliot and John a bit about their experience in filmmaking and what brought them to where they are today. 
Eliot mentioned his love for narrative films and the horror film genre, which he eventually would like to find time to make new films. 
John shared his past within a local TV station in New Zealand putting together some local news stories and also lived in New York for some time, where he worked on some documentaries which ended up at the Tribeca Festival. Though his experience has been mostly in editing and post production, he’s also done some screenwriting. 
We get to discuss our thoughts on the current state of mobile filmmaking and how Apple has helped realize creativity opportunities for content creators from writers and musicians to filmmakers.
This episodes includes a mention of the winners of the 2021 International Mobile Film Festival in San Diego and Best Feature Film Awardee Jennifer Zhang who shot and fully edited her feature length film using only her iPhone.
Watch the video we referred to in the podcast, shot and voiced by Eliot Fitzroy: https://youtu.be/gJcpmAXIMx8
The process with before and after comparisons by FilmConvert: https://www.filmconvert.com/blog/matching-an-iphone-to-an-arri/ 
Listen to more about FilmConvert from our interview with John Parker in 2018 Episode 38: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/smartphone-filmmaking-post-production-color-grading/id1296673665?i=1000419187935  
Cinematch Website: https://www.cinematch.com 
FilmConvert Website: https://www.filmconvert.com 
Filmic Pro Website: https://www.filmicpro.com 
Follow FilmConvert:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/filmconvert 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FilmConvert 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/filmconvert/ 
Filmic Pro on Social Media: 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/FiLMiCPro 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/filmicapps/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FilmicPro 
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 
SBP Podcast Website: http://sbppodcast.studio    
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.

Actors with Smartphones, Make Movies with Anthony Bradford

The process of creating films and video programming is extensive and can be exhausting. But for Anthony Bradford, our guest on the SBP Podcast Mobile Filmmaking Episode 97, it’s about how much it prolongs the production process. Mobile filmmaking shortens a lot of the production so Anthony can go from pre-production and planning, to post-production and distribution. 
Anthony Bradford is an actor and a producer who writes screenplays and has a lot of ideas for stories. During our podcast he shares how he organizes all his ideas so he can turn them into screenplays. He’s inspired by his story ideas. Some ideas come to him while he is driving, so he has to jot them down while stopped at a stop light. This type of dedication is probably one of the reasons he’s able to create some great stories into films. 
Our conversation highlights the process from his perspective, which can help our listeners organize their own ideas for their films. 
Anthony had to learn to edit his auditions “self-tapes” as an actor. He began with iMovie but has since learned the Adobe Premier editing program, and he uses other Adobe programs for sound as well. 
Anthony is driven by the concept of stories in films. He shares how important it is to focus on your story and then revolve your method of capturing your story around it. The method he uses includes good audio. During this episode, you’ll listen to Anthony share some of the creative ideas he’s used to overcome some of the quirks that come up while filming with a smartphone. After all, the camera is only one part of your smartphone and all that your smartphone does in the background.
He mentions the microphones he uses and his back up process for audio capturing.
Anthony works meticulously to ensure that even though he saves time in production using a smartphone camera, he does not cut the quality of the filming and post-production short. 
“Cleaning up with the audio—it can just feel like very monotonous but it’s super important, and I feel like it’s the longest part of the process.” Anthony Bradford
Anthony produces a web series, Love Millennial Style with his production company is called Priceless Productions.
His film, Raider of the Last TP is screening at the International Mobile Film Festival which will take place online this year due to the event restrictions still in place. He shot the short film with an iPhone 11. 
The film’s synopsis: A teacher moonlights as a basement storage unit raider in his spare time in search for a roll of toilet paper.
Of course, Anthony is also an actor. It’s impressive to see an actor who is not only directing and producing, but writing and editing his own projects. Anthony is routinely working as an actor, which is important for all actors. He shares how he’s working on his films, his web series and acting on television and films. It requires dedication and it’s commendable.
Like many who are making movies after 2015, Anthony was inspired by Sean Baker’s film, Tangerine. He watched the film and then found out, after watching it, that Sean Baker had shot it with the iPhone using FilmicPro and Moondog Labs anamorphic lens for iPhones. 
This episode of the SBP Podcast Mobile Filmmaking is inspiring because Anthony Bradford indulged me with many details on the topic of filmmaking, mainly with smartphone cameras. It’s an entertaining conversation about making movies, acting, editing, directing and more. 
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. 
International Mobile Film Festival dates are Friday, April 23 through Sunday, April 25, 2021. It’s our tenth anniversary edition.
You can go to MobileFilmStories.com to join the participating filmmakers from the festival  on The Quad. Connect with them, chat with them on the topic dedicated to the festival: https://mobilefilmstories.com/community/mfs-announcements/international-mobile-film-festival-2021/#post-223  
Connect with Anthony Bradford through the links below:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anthonybradford/ 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ABradford10 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ABradford10 
IMDb: http://www.imdb.me/anthonybradford    
Website: http://www.Anthony-bradford.com/  
Reel: https://vimeo.com/535947277    
Web Series on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lovemillennialstyle/ 
Priceless Productions on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/v/pricelessproductions  
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the_priceless_productions/ 
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/c/pricelessproductions   

Website: http://thepricelessproductions.com  
Our Links:  
Smartphone Filmmaking Publication on Medium: https://medium.com/smartphonefilmmaking    
IMFF 2021 Tickets: We have worked very hard to create and design this event for you. In order to gain access to the information in the article in the link below, we are giving you the option to pay (support) anywhere between $5 to $25 for the tickets. Once you have unlocked the information you will not need to pay (support) again. Our current and new $5 minimum monthly subscribers on Patreon (link below) will also be provided access to the festival. https://www.buymeacoffee.com/susybotello/international-mobile-film-festival-tickets 
Subscribe, support and listen to bonus episodes and more on Patreon: http://patreon.com/sbppodcast    
SBP Podcast Website: http://sbppodcast.studio    
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   
Podchaser: https://www.podchaser.com/podcasts/sbp-podcast-mobile-filmmaking-928180    
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/mobilfilmfestival?sub_confirmation=1   
© Copyright 2021 S. Botello Productions™. All rights reserved.