As a filmmaker, you know better than anyone that the right equipment can make or break you. While your camera and lenses will always be the foundation of your work, the right software can make all the difference in post-production.
These are some of our favorite apps for filmmakers—and no matter what kind of work you do, we’re sure some of them will become your favorites too.
Table of Contents
Best apps for filmmakers 2019
6 Best Apps for Filmmakers: Cinematography
- FiLMiC Pro (for all iOS devices – $7.99) …
- Switcher Studio (for iPhone, iPad – free to $500)
- Shotlister (for iPhone, iPad – $13.99) …
- Sun Surveyor (for iPhone, iPad, Android – $6.99)
- Cine Meter II (for iPhone, iPad, Android – $19.99)
Below we’ve gathered handful of apps that cinematographers can’t seem to get enough of. Though our first piece in this series had a few on there already, this round is specifically dedicated to our dear camera crews.
READ MORE: 7 Mobile Apps Every Filmmaker Should Have in Their Toolkit
FiLMiC Pro (for all iOS devices – $7.99)
In a nutshell, this app gives your iPhone better zoom, better control over frame rates and better audio recording options, like line level audio input through disabling the AGC (automatic gain control) and stereo microphone support. You can actually record footage at up to 50mbps. And like an actual DSLR, FiLMic Pro has many presets that are customizable, like adjustable frame rate and resolutions, framing options, image stabilization and audio and video encoding levels. In the iOS 8 version, you not only get control over exposure, focus and white balance, but additional manual control over exposure compensation, shutter speed, color temperature and ISO. You can even pull focus. Using the Extreme encoding option, FiLMiC Pro beat the $5,000 Sony FS100 and tied the $13,000 Canon C300 in blind audience testing at the 2012 Zacuto: Revenge of the Great Camera Shoot Out. Granted, it was the iOS6 version of FiLMiC Pro on an iPhone 4S that was featured in the Zacuto shootout, but the same 50mbps FiLMiC Extreme encoding that was used in that test is in the app today.
Switcher Studio (for iPhone, iPad – free to $500)
This app might be best for the young buck who is making a living wherever s/he can, trying to build up a reel while making rent in Los Angeles. Or if you’re shooting a super low-budget indie and need some easy footage for your social media campaign, Switcher Studio would work for that too. They’ve had a radio station use it to stream live video of their Saturday morning talk show, too. The point is, this app – which debuted only six months ago – is for anyone/everyone. It functions as a video “switching” tool that allows users to sync up to four iOS devices, switching between each unit’s built-in camera, and allowing users to record the final mixed video and stream a live video feed to services like Ustream and YouTube Live. A subscription of $20/month for unlimited streaming allows you to work across the devices on the same WiFi network (yes, you need WiFi to use it) within 1,000 feet of each other. One device acts as the master controller and that device operator serves as the video “producer.” For $500 a year you get access to all the Switcher Studio Pro features, like being able to pull stills from your photo library to add to the final product.
Switcher Studio BasicShotlister (for iPhone, iPad – $13.99)
While this app won’t eliminate the need for an assistant director, it will certainly reduce your paper waste on set. Shotlister, which does exactly as its title suggests, does a few other cool things too: the ability to update/change the shots in real time and share with everyone immediately, storyboards images corresponding with each shot, tells you if you’re ahead, behind or on schedule, exports the project and much more. At two-and-a-half years old, it’s certainly not the only shot list app on the market – as it boldly claims – but it’s one of the most popular and highest rated.
Sun Surveyor (for iPhone, iPad, Android – $6.99)
This is one of those things that will make us stupider (think: calculator), but it sure is handy. While solar panel installers are using it at the same time the gardener next door is too, it’s still a must-have for filmmakers. Sun Surveyor predicts the position of the sun and the moon (azimuth, altitude, time) for any given time and place. Planning shots with that perfect shadow has never been easier, and with a 3D compass, interactive map and street view, augmented reality and a detailed ephemeris, it all just got really fun as well. There are a host of other sun positioning apps available as well, including Sun Seeker, which is only one star below Sun Surveyor in overall ratings, and also costs $6.99.
Cine Meter II (for iPhone, iPad, Android – $19.99)
The original Cine Meter app was only five bucks, but it also wasn’t nearly as good as the second version is. I think it will take a lot to completely do away with light meters, and people like Wally Pfister, ASC will never entirely do away with them, but Cine Meter II is allegedly giving the 100-year-old contraption a run for its legacy. In its infancy, it already offered more than a traditional light meter – waveform monitor and false color display – and now it’s giving cinematographers lots more. Now you can set shutter angle, ND filter compensation, and arbitrary filter factors, use the front-facing camera for “light meter selfies,” the spot meter zooms in up to 15x, and there’s the option to add a Luxi photosphere for incident-light readings for $30. Best of all, Cine Meter II doesn’t require a WiFi connection, nor does it use any of your phone’s data.
Artemis (for iPhone, iPad, Android – $29.99)
Yet another option for replacing a brick-and-mortar version of on-set relics – (Anyone else getting nostalgic yet?) – is Artemis, a director’s viewfinder app. Having been among the first viewfinder apps out there back in 2009, Artemis is bound to be on most directors’ and cinematographers’ mobile devices. The app gives the user frame lines according to the lens size and aspect ratio you enter. Version 6 debuted in 2012, and included a redesigned UI, support for AirPlay and the ability to store snapshots a la metadata into a gallery.
free cinematography apps
- Cinema Forms
Cinema forms is designed to help you go paperless on-set. The app has a number of commonly used filmmaking forms that can be saved on the device, so you can focus on the film, not keeping up with papers. This app is only available for iPad, but if you are looking for a way to have all your forms in one place, it’s a great option. There is an additional “Pro” version for $30 that gives you access to all the forms beyond the initial 13 you are given in the free version.
- Gobo
Gobo is a digital directory with commonly used filmmaking terms. It is meant to be a resource for filmmakers who may be new to the film industry. From video formats to color temperature charts you’ll find lots of good information here.
- LVRUSA
LVRUSA is designed as a pocket manual for some commonly used cameras in the industry. Here you’ll find various useful information like how long you can record on a certain card and the crop factor for an APS-C sensor. LVRUSA also has dozens of camera manuals on file making it incredibly easy to reference. Our friends over at the BlackandBlue.com also have a set of camera pocket guides for nearly every professional camera – definitely worth checking out.
- AJA Data Calculator
The AJA Data Calculator does exactly what you might imagine a data calculator should do, it calculates how large your file sizes will be for various shooting scenarios. In the app users can select a variety of codecs and file formats for both video and audio. You don’t have to be shooting on an AJA camera for this app to be useful to you.
- Kodak Cinema Tools
The Kodak Cinema Tools app is designed as a resource for filmmakers and photographers alike. In the app users have access to a sunrise/sunset calculator, depth of field calculator, & film run time calculator, along with various other useful apps. This app may have been designed for those shooting on actual film, but it is definitely useful for digital shooters as well.
- Panascout Lite
Unfortunately Panascout doesn’t turn your iPhone into a Panavision camera, but it is a location scouting app that allows users to take pictures of potential locations with GPS data attached. The app also allows users to account for varying aspect ratios and crop factors so you can get a good idea as to what the framing will be once your get your camera there. Panavision Lite also comes equipped with a sunrise/sunset indicator
- Magic Hour
Magic Hour is less about pre-production and more about incorporating filmmaking/photography into you everyday life. As you probably already know magic hour is the special time of day where lighting and colors are perfect for capturing photos and video. This app gives you a push notification every day when magic hour begins.
- Celtex Shots
Celtex Shots is an app designed to assist users in creating storyboards and on-set blocking. Using the available icons, users can drag and drop lights, subjects and props into the scene, making it easy to share blocking ideas with crew members. The app also allows users to share storyboards with other crew members by sending stills via email in a variety of formats. Users can also save stills to their photo roll for easy sharing and access on-set.
- SMAPP
SMAPP has a useful lens selection tool that helps determine what lenses you’ll need for certain shooting situations. It also has a packing tool that provides a list of recommended equipment to pack for different scenarios. One of the best features is the stabilization recommendation tool – which will tell you if you should use a monopod, tripod, slider, glidecam, etc, based on the type of shooting you’re doing. These features, plus built-in tutorials, make this a must-have filmmaking app.
- Focus Chart
Trying to check the focus of your lens? With the free Focus Chart app you can easily test and focus your lens. There aren’t a lot of bells-and-whistles here, but if you do a lot of lens calibration you might want check out this free app.
Conclusion
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