How to shoot cinematic Hollywood crane style camera moves with your smartphone

Some of us only shoot video with our smartphones. And while many of us prefer to use “real cameras”, we often find ourselves somewhere really cool but our smartphone is all we have with us. That doesn’t mean you have to settle for crappy and jerky handheld footage, though. Oh no! Many of the techniques used to create epic footage with larger cameras can also work with your phone, too.

In this video, Steve at Learn Online Video shows us a bunch of different ways we can shoot some impressive looking cinematic camera moves using your smartphone, a gimbal and a light stand (but a monopod would work, too).

Steve shows a few different techniques in the video to get some great jibs shots, as well as simulating a drone hyperlapse, and fly-throughs in dense woodland. You do need a 3-axis gimbal and something to attach it to that you can raise up high. Steve uses a light stand for that last bit, but I prefer to use a monopod.

With the amount of inexpensive hiking stick monopods out on the market these days, they’re not really a burden to take with you when exploring in the wilderness. And a lightweight gimbal and smartphone aren’t going to stress a monopod all that much at all for these kinds of camera moves.

So, the next time you find yourself heading out with just your phone to somewhere exciting, maybe consider grabbing your gimbal and something to mount it to.n Even if all you’re doing is vlogging (and I’m a big fan of smartphone vlogging), shots like these can help kick the production value up a notch or two.

[via ISO1200]