Over the past few months I have been putting together a Mobile Filmmaking Kit. Read on to see what’s inside!
“MOBILE FILMMAKING MAKES FILMMAKING FAR MORE ACCESSIBLE FOR EVERYONE.”
Before we jump into the gear, below are two outstanding things that for me, really differentiates a mobile kit from others types of camera kits.
- AFFORDABILITY … Equipment is an investment no matter the cost. That said, equipment designed towards Mobile Filmmaking tends to be lower in cost compared to equipment for larger camera systems. Ultimately, this makes Mobile Filmmaking a great way to get into filmmaking!
- PORTABILITY … This may seem obvious, but another selling point of Mobile Filmmaking is its portability. It’s great if you’re filming by yourself, traveling, or trying to stay inconspicuous. I’ve found too, that being so portable and accessible, I am more inclined to ‘not be lazy’ and grab my kit and film!
| ITEM | MOBILE | COMPACT/MIRRORLESS |
|---|---|---|
| Camera | n/a (most already have a mobile device) | > $900 |
| Lenses | n/a (using the lens on you mobile device) | > $300 |
| Neutral Density Filter | $75 | $75 |
| On-Camera Mic | $30 | $200 |
| Gimbal | $80 | > $300 |
| $185 | > $1675 |
THE “CORE” SEVEN
The following components are what I would consider as the ‘core’ or bare minimum of any Mobile Filmmaking Kit.
| ITEM | DESCRIPTION | MY KIT |
|---|---|---|
Mobile Device | What is the best mobile device for video? The answer is not that straightforward. The reality is that for many, including myself, filmmaking is NOT the primary use of our mobile devices. The choice of mobile device will be heavily dictated by preference of ecosystem (Android vs iOS) and budget. That said, most devices today, can produce reasonably acceptable images. | iPhone SE (2016) It’s still my favourite size and I’m holding out for a USB-C iPhone 😉 |
| Camera App | I would consider a dedicated camera app the most critical component of a mobile filmmaking kit, especially if you are serious about mobile filmmaking. An app allows manual control over a device’s camera, necessary to ‘squeeze out’ the most out of your device. | FilmicPro Other Options: Pro Camera by Moment |
| Neutral Density Filter(s) | ND Filters make it possible to control exposure while maintaining the use of standard shutter speeds for the a specific frame rate (i.e 1/48th for 24fps or 1/60th for 30fps). The model I use has the added benefit of also having a CPL, Circular Polarizar, built-in to help capture more vibrant images. | K&F VariND/CPL Filter + Clip-On Clamp Other Options: MoonDog Labs Moment Sandmarc PolarPro |
| Phone Cage or Clamp | Mobile devices are not natively designed to mount onto a tripod or carry microphones and the like. You need a cage or clamp of some sort to do that. I elected to go with a simple clamp with an integrated Cold Shoe for mounting accessories. Interestingly this serves as a perfect counter-balance when using my phone on a gimbal. | Ulanzi Other Options: SmallRig Other |
| Compact Cardioid Microphone | The built-in microphone on a mobile device may suffice if you are simply trying to capture ambient sound, but if you want to record higher quality audio, you really need to look at external mics. | BOYA MM1 Other Options: DEITY V-Mic D4 Mini RODE VideoMicro MOVO VXR10 |
| Tripod | Unless you plan on only holding onto you Mobile Device, some type of tripod will allow you frame up the shot and add stability. I went with a mini table-top tripod that incidentally came with my gimbal. | Ball-Head w/ Mini Table Top Tripod Other Options: SmallRig Joby Gorilla Pod Compact Video Head + Tripod |
| Mobile Editing App | Besides being used to acquire footage, mobile devices are now powerful enough to also be used as mobile edit stations, making for an all-in-one filmmaking solution. | LumaFusion Other Options: iMovie |
OTHER
In addition to the ‘core’ components, I have acquired additional items, to extend my kits capabilities.
| ITEM | DESCRIPTION | MY KIT |
|---|---|---|
| Cold Shoe Extension Rail | This adapter adds extra space to attach accessories (i.e Mic, wireless mic receiver, or light). | Rycote |
| Smart Phone Gimbal | Gimbals are great for adding a level of ‘sophistication’ to your footage. I selected this specific gimbal due to its low over-all weight (260g) but good payload capacity (280g). | Hohem iSteady X Other Options: Hohem iSteady V2 Zhiyun Smooth-Q3 DJI OSMO 5 MOZA MINI MX FEIYUTECH VLog |
| Cold Shoe Extension Bracket | Most compact gimbals have payloads too small to have add’l accessories mounted directly onto a mobile device. This extension bracket allows me to the mount the accessories onto gimbal itself. | Ulanzi Other Options: Plenty of other options |
| Wired Lav Microphone | I find that a Lavalier microphone the simplest way to capture dialogue. I have owned this mic for now many years now and it’s great! Never failed me. In the future I would like to add a compact, 2.4Gz wireless lavalier system, to my kit. | Audio-Technica ATR3350 Wireless Options: RODE WIRLESS GO 2 Comica Boom XD Pro Saramonic Blink 500 Pro Hollyland 150 Synco G2 LENSGO 348C |
| Anamorphic Lens | I’ve always been a fan of anamorphic photography, see my post on all things anamorphic, so it was a no-brainer to add an anamorphic lens to my mobile kit. | Ulanzi 1.55x Other Options: MoonDog Labs Moment Sandmarc Sirui VD-01 |
| Lighting-to-USB Adapter/Dongle | If you’re serious about using your mobile device for video, you will quickly find it takes up a lot of memory storage. I use a Lighting-to-USB Adapter to offload media from my device onto an external drive. | Generic/Amazon |
| External Storage | The cost of SSD’s continue to decrease. Their low-weight yet high-capacity, make them a good addition for a mobile kit. | ScanDisk Extreme Other Options: Samsung T5/T7 ‘Standard’ SD Card |
| Tablet | You could totally edit on a smartphone, but I personally still like the larger screen of a tablet. Alternatively, you could use a second monitor to increase screen space. | iPad Other Options: Screen for Mobile Phone |
| Misc | The beauty of mobile devices is that they function as a ‘multi-tool’ of sorts. It seems that companies and developers continue to push what we thought could be done with a mobile device. | Mobile Filmmaking Specific: Filmic Remote App Brusfri App Other: Cine Meter ll App + Luxi Dome Infra-Red Filter (Hoya 72R) |
SUMMARY
I have been able to use my kit now over the course of the past few months and I feel pretty happy with it.
In future posts, I’d like to share some of my experiences and insights on some of the gear in my kit and mobile filmmaking in general.
In the mean time, here are some frame grabs from a recent vacation/travel video I put together, using only my Mobile Filmmaking Kit!
Post No.21
A CINEMATOGRAPHER'S JOURNAL 