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SMARTPHONE STUDIO

Traditionally only those with access to large budgets or unlimited resources have been able to tell their story. We want to change that. By using the camera you already have in your pocket we can teach all ages how to make high quality video content easily, quickly and very affordably. 

 
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Learn Smartphone Studio at Home! 

Whether you're a seasoned pro looking to save money by shooting your next project with an iPhone or an actor who wants to start creating your own opportunities, we've developed  20+ free tutorials to get you shooting, editing and distributing FAST. You already have a 4K camera in your pocket, let us show you how to turn it into a studio. Check out our sister platform, SmartphoneStudio.tv for easy to follow tutorials on shooting with FilmicPro, editing with Final Cut Pro and Lumafusion and capturing second source audio with Apogee's MetaRecorder.

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DULUTH, MN AT PBS AFFILIATE WDSE

A 2-day master class on what it takes to work in independent and network television production combined with our usual hands on mobile filmmaking tutorial using iPhone Xs, Macbook Pros and Final Cut Pro X. This workshop was taught in conjunction with Cirina Catania (Co-founder of Sundance film festival, former Vice President of Worldwide Marketing at MGM-UA and United Artists) Philip Gilpin (Executive Director of the Catalyst Film Festival) and Patty Mester (President/Station Manager of WDSE-WRPT). After multiple lectures and presentations on the nuts and bolts of indie producing from industry veterans, students were paired up into six teams to develop, shoot and edit a short film by the end of the weekend. The class was made up students of all levels of experience — from complete beginners to a few experienced professionals who all were interested in learning how using mobile gear can make visual storytelling more affordable and easier yet equally as professional as anything Hollywood makes. Full a full writeup on this event check out this article on FCP.Co and also the video below by PBS.
 

Smartphone Studio teaches communities all over the country how to make professional quality video content. We believe video literacy is an essential skill for the future, and it shouldn't be out of reach to those without a lot of resources. We've taught version of this in 90 minute lectures, 2 day weekend workshops, and even in  6 week virtual classes via Zoom. Check out some of the amazing communities and stories we've heard so far! 

DULUTH, MN AT PBS AFFILIATE WDSE

A 2-day master class on what it takes to work in independent and network television production combined with our usual hands on mobile filmmaking tutorial using iPhone Xs, Macbook Pros and Final Cut Pro X. This workshop was taught in conjunction with Cirina Catania (Co-founder of Sundance film festival, former Vice President of Worldwide Marketing at MGM-UA and United Artists) Philip Gilpin (Executive Director of the Catalyst Film Festival) and Patty Mester (President/Station Manager of WDSE-WRPT). After multiple lectures and presentations on the nuts and bolts of indie producing from industry veterans, students were paired up into six teams to develop, shoot and edit a short film by the end of the weekend. The class was made up students of all levels of experience — from complete beginners to a few experienced professionals who all were interested in learning how using mobile gear can make visual storytelling more affordable and easier yet equally as professional as anything Hollywood makes. Full a full writeup on this event check out this article on FCP.Co and also the video below by PBS.

 

Chicago Summer Stories

For three summers, We Make Movies teamed up with Apple Distinguished Educator Steve Douglass to give high school students in Chicago a chance to make a professional documentary using the latest iPhones, Macbooks, editing software and mobile accessories. Each team had to navigate both the challenges of filmmaking and collaboration under intense deadlines. Both years the finished projects screened at the flagship Apple store on Michigan Ave on their enormous 6K Video Wall. Here’s a case study on the entire experience from 2018: http://www.fcp.co/final-cut-pro/articles/2113-a-modern-approach-to-video-education-with-chicago-summer-stories and a video with testimonials from the alumni below.

Chicago Summer Stories

For three summers, We Make Movies teamed up with Apple Distinguished Educator Steve Douglass to give high school students in Chicago a chance to make a professional documentary using the latest iPhones, Macbooks, editing software and mobile accessories. Each team had to navigate both the challenges of filmmaking and collaboration under intense deadlines. Both years the finished projects screened at the flagship Apple store on Michigan Ave on their enormous 6K Video Wall. Here’s a case study on the entire experience from 2018: http://www.fcp.co/final-cut-pro/articles/2113-a-modern-approach-to-video-education-with-chicago-summer-stories and a video with testimonials from the alumni below.

SAG-AFTRA Workshops 

Smartphone Studio has been presented several times at the LA SAG-AFTRA local HQ, Las Vegas SAG-AFTRA Conservatory, the Seniors Committee, and the LA SAG-AFTRA Summer Intensive amongst others. WMM takes special pride in equipping SAG-AFTRA performers with the tools and education needed to take back control of their careers by making high quality content for themselves and polishing their self-tape auditions. The workshop has also been featured in the SAG-AFTRA local LA newsletter and national magazine.

SAG-AFTRA Workshops 

Smartphone Studio has been presented several times at the LA SAG-AFTRA local HQ, Las Vegas SAG-AFTRA Conservatory, the Seniors Committee, and the LA SAG-AFTRA Summer Intensive amongst others. WMM takes special pride in equipping SAG-AFTRA performers with the tools and education needed to take back control of their careers by making high quality content for themselves and polishing their self-tape auditions. The workshop has also been featured in the SAG-AFTRA local LA newsletter and national magazine.

Showdown Camp, Jefferson City, MO

We Make Movies brought a two-week long version of Smartphone Studio to the Showdown Film Academy Camp for ages 13-18 in Jefferson City in 2019. Thanks to gear loaned by Apple the students were editing short films they shot on iPhones in Final Cut Pro X at the end of day 1! They also learned how to shoot documentary style interviews, create a suspenseful 5-shot dramatic exit, and then wrote, directed, produced and edited their own 5 minute short film. Over the course of two weeks the camp produced over 25 short films and celebrated with a standing room only screening open to all! More information on the camp here: http://www.newstribune.com/news/news/story/2019/jun/04/local-film-camp-teach-students-they-work-create-shorts-feature-and-documentary/781434/

Showdown Camp, Jefferson City, MO

We Make Movies brought a two-week long version of Smartphone Studio to the Showdown Film Academy Camp for ages 13-18 in Jefferson City in 2019. Thanks to gear loaned by Apple the students were editing short films they shot on iPhones in Final Cut Pro X at the end of day 1! They also learned how to shoot documentary style interviews, create a suspenseful 5-shot dramatic exit, and then wrote, directed, produced and edited their own 5 minute short film. Over the course of two weeks the camp produced over 25 short films and celebrated with a standing room only screening open to all! More information on the camp here: http://www.newstribune.com/news/news/story/2019/jun/04/local-film-camp-teach-students-they-work-create-shorts-feature-and-documentary/781434/

POWAY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT, SAN DIEGO, CA

We brought our signature 2 day workshop to the PUSD and worked with 6 groups of students selected from different elementary and middle schools in the area. The amazing tech evangelist Cirina Catania was on hand to help inspire and guide these students in their 5-shot challenge. Most of these students were already very comfortable working iPhones and shooting video in the native app, but we were able to give them a deeper dive into advanced gear like gimbals and focus more on polishing their edits in FinalCutProX! The teams were able to shoot their 5-shot projects in gorgeous Balboa Park and screen them for their friends and family at the end of day two at Rancho Bernardo’s state of the art, 400 seat Performing Arts Center.  PUSD high school interns were on hand to shoot and edit behind the scenes footage of the event —- also using iPhones and mobile gear. Check out the media interns recap of the inspiring weekend in their video below: 

POWAY UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT, SAN DIEGO, CA

We brought our signature 2 day workshop to the PUSD and worked with 6 groups of students selected from different elementary and middle schools in the area. The amazing tech evangelist Cirina Catania was on hand to help inspire and guide these students in their 5-shot challenge. Most of these students were already very comfortable working iPhones and shooting video in the native app, but we were able to give them a deeper dive into advanced gear like gimbals and focus more on polishing their edits in FinalCutProX! The teams were able to shoot their 5-shot projects in gorgeous Balboa Park and screen them for their friends and family at the end of day two at Rancho Bernardo’s state of the art, 400 seat Performing Arts Center.  PUSD high school interns were on hand to shoot and edit behind the scenes footage of the event —- also using iPhones and mobile gear. Check out the media interns recap of the inspiring weekend in their video below: 

NEW MEXICO — ACOMA, LOS LUNAS, TAOS AND DULCE

We were able to outreach to 4 different communities in 6 days across the state in an epic deep dive into a new model for media education.  Something really unique and meaningful was established in these native communities, and we are already planning a return in 2020 to expand on the principles we touched on. In Los Lunas we did our regular 2-day workshop at the diverse School of Dreams Academy. They are in the process of asking for funding to start creating a media program around the 2 day workshop that would extend into a long term curriculum there. Next stop was Taos, NM and we partnered with Rosey Hayett of media non-profit True Kids 1 who pulled in the entire Taos community for this epic workshop. Through personal connections, the students were able to get full access to the town for their shoots, including the Sheriff’s office, Judge’s chambers, and the Taos Pueblo which was truly unprecedented. The students were broken into 6 teams and after our gear tutorial were led in brainstorming exercises to create films that were required to have a positive social impact on the community. The event culminated in a standing room only screening in a theatre at the local museum. We also were able to do brief presentations at schools in Dulce, NM and Acoma, NM. While we didn’t have the time for the students to shoot projects, we at least were able to get the students hands on with the gear and sparked meaningful conversations about how to help each other tell their stories. 

NEW MEXICO — ACOMA, LOS LUNAS, TAOS AND DULCE

We were able to outreach to 4 different communities in 6 days across the state in an epic deep dive into a new model for media education.  Something really unique and meaningful was established in these native communities, and we are already planning a return in 2020 to expand on the principles we touched on. In Los Lunas we did our regular 2-day workshop at the diverse School of Dreams Academy. They are in the process of asking for funding to start creating a media program around the 2 day workshop that would extend into a long term curriculum there. Next stop was Taos, NM and we partnered with Rosey Hayett of media non-profit True Kids 1 who pulled in the entire Taos community for this epic workshop. Through personal connections, the students were able to get full access to the town for their shoots, including the Sheriff’s office, Judge’s chambers, and the Taos Pueblo which was truly unprecedented. The students were broken into 6 teams and after our gear tutorial were led in brainstorming exercises to create films that were required to have a positive social impact on the community. The event culminated in a standing room only screening in a theatre at the local museum. We also were able to do brief presentations at schools in Dulce, NM and Acoma, NM. While we didn’t have the time for the students to shoot projects, we at least were able to get the students hands on with the gear and sparked meaningful conversations about how to help each other tell their stories. 

Bring Smartphone Studio To Your Community 

Contact us now to talk about in-person and virtual workshops