We Make Movies and Apple have banded together once more to launch the new educational platform SMARTPHONESTUDIO.TV, dedicated to teaching you how to shoot, edit and upload professional content using the camera you already have in your pocket. Content creators and filmmakers anywhere in the world can now access 20 free tutorials on shooting with FilmicPro, capturing second source audio with Apogee's MetaRecorder, and editing with Apple’s Final Cut Pro and LumaFusion (by LumaTouch).

What Level of...

Most people realize that the magical devices in our pockets can be harnessed to capture stunning photography and video content, but there is a world beyond the capabilities of our phones. There are apps for almost anything you want to do these days, but We Make Movies did the research and removed the hassle of weeding through all the clutter, by selecting a few high quality apps to accompany your phone in creating cinematic content on a budget.

Our Smartphone Studio program tours the nation and has also been virtually accessible for the past year, teaching content creators of all ages and walks of life how to make the highest quality films and tell the stories they want to tell. But... did you know we also have a slew of free tutorials that also walk you through the process of filming? We recently covered the use of FilmicPro to achieve professional grade cinematography. Today, we share the tips and tricks behind using ...

Coming to us from across the pond, Marcus J. Freed has delivered many comedic gems through his intellectual, musical parodies. A seasoned actor, prolific author, and ardent filmmaker, he has leveraged a career out of tapping into the zeitgeist and crafting stories around Jewish culture and traditions. In celebration of his latest lyrical venture, The Hebrew Hamilton, we took a peek inside the mind of the entertaining educator.       

WMM: Where are you from, what is your background, and how do you think that informs what you do as a filmmaker?  

MJF: I’m from Watford in England (where the Warner Bros studios are located, and where they shot Harry Potter). I'm a conservatoire-trained actor (Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art in London), and a grad of English Literature & Drama/Theatre Studies. I think it informs me as a filmmaker in many ways. Really depends on the film in question. For ...

Most people realize that the magical devices in our pockets can be harnessed to capture stunning photography and video content, but there is a world beyond the capabilities of our phones. There are apps for almost anything you want to do these days, but We Make Movies did the research and removed the hassle of weeding through all the clutter, by selecting a few high quality apps to accompany your phone in creating cinematic content on a budget.

Our Smartphone Studio program tours the nation and has also been virtually accessible for the past year, teaching content creators of all ages and walks of life how to make the highest quality films and tell the stories they want to tell.

But... did you know we also have a slew of free tutorials that also walk you through the process of filming? One of the apps WMM has taken the time to outline for budding phone filmmakers is that of FilmicPro. The super short series of tutorials below can help anyone get started...

Meet Robert Philipson of Shoga Films, a former professor of African-American studies, published author, and Harlem Renaissance historian. His work encompasses the intersectionality of race, music, & sexuality, through the unique lens of a queer Jewish man. An accomplished filmmaker of multiple award-winning films, Philipson has carved out a niche space for himself and his collaborators. WMM had a chance to catch up with him, in anticipation of his latest short film, Smoke, Lilies, and Jade.

WMM: Where are you from, what is your background, and how do you think that informs what you do as a filmmaker?  

RP: I grew up in Pasadena and pretty much lived in California (undergrad at UC Santa Cruz) until I went to Africa as a Peace Corps Volunteer from 1974-77. As a result of that experience, I worked towards a degree in Comparative Literature with a specialty in Black and African literature. Unable to get a tenure-track position, I left academia in the early 90s...

In anticipation of the We Make Movies Creative Services launch, we thought we would chat with its Creative Director, Steven LaMorte. A director at heart, who enjoys empowering other people, and producer by trade, who produces like a director, Steven has made a name for himself as a special effects artist through his company Sleight of Hand Productions. He teamed up with WMM to teach mobile filmmaking to students of all ages all over the globe, and discovered the culture and values around filmmaking we embrace match his own sensibilities. He wishes to be the producer that he wishes he had while learning to make films, and considers himself to be "like mom and dad - I want you to have the sun, the moon, and the stars, but also be aware of budget." Welcome aboard, Steve!

SL: I'm originally from Staten Island, New York. Growing up as an only child,...