Here are some handy tips to think about before and while you make your cellphilm!

Brainstorm

• Don’t hold back, anything goes at this point!
• Write/sketch/record all your ideas down
• When you feel that you have exhausted every option, go back and pick one or two ideas to make your cellphilm about.

Length

• Cellphilms are generally pretty short (for this festival the limit is 90 seconds) and to the point.
• Shorter films can be tough to make, because you have to make sure to use the time wisely.
• Shorter films are easier to show because the are smaller files that people can send phone-phone, phone-computer quickly and because if people are busy, the short film will not disrupt their day too much.

Storyboard

• Sketch out the different ‘scenes’ your cellphilm will have. There is a storyboard template you can use here.
• Make a note of any props, costumes, ideas for dialogue, music, or sounds that you need in each scene.
• You can even make a note of the type of filming you will do to capture this scene (e.g. close up, panorama, holding phone above looking down).

Sound

• If you have people speaking in your cellphilm be sure to film with the phone’s microphone as close as possible to the person.
• If you are trying to capture someone speaking or a particular noise in your cellphilm, try and cut out all background noise.
• You do not have to include any sound or music in your cellphilm.
• You can use movie-making software (e.g. iMovie) to include music after you have finished filming.

One-Shot Shoot Method

• A one-shot shoot cellphilm is when you film everything in one take.
• Press record. Record all your video in one go. Press stop. Your done!
• This is a great way to make a cellphilm if you have limited access to other editing software or if it is your first time making a cellphilm.
• Don’t be fooled by the simplicity of this technique. One-shot shoots can make very powerful cellphilms.

Record-Pause-Record Method (‘No Editing Required’ approach)

• Many cellphones let you pause mid-record. This lets you stop and start the cellphilm without making a separate video file. In the end, the pause acts like a scene change in your cellphilm.
• If you have this function on your phone, this is a great way to make a multi-scene cellphilm without having to use any movie editing software.
• Of course, if you make a mistake in the middle of your movie that you want to fix remember you have to start at filming from the very beginning again.