Carpenters have tool boxes stuffed with lots of little gadgets to help them get the job done. In the world of digital media, our toolbox is a phone or tablet loaded with apps. There are hundreds of apps available for both iOS or Android that can assist you with everything from writing a script, scheduling, shooting, recording audio, editing and posting to social media. You may not be aware that some of these tools are being used by professionals and there here have been award winning productions entirely created on a smart phone.
We’ve browsed the aisles of the hardware store, (also known as the App Store) and have come up with a list of great picks for church video producers and filmmakers. Unfortunately there’s not enough space to highlight every app that you might find useful for your church’s production flow, but we’ve sifted it down to a few standouts that you might want to make some space for on your device.
Some of the apps we’ll find on our journey are free, and we’ve noted that. Other apps are going to set you back a few dollars and we’ve noted that with a “$” sign. Make sure that you read the descriptions carefully and note the costs. Some apps require additional in-app purchases and, although the app is free, you'll need to pay to get all the functionality. We’ve also noted which apps are available for Android, and which are iOS. This can change, so check your app supplier for the details.
Pre-ProductionYou never know where a spark of inspiration will hit, so it’s always great to have a good writing or scriptwriting program on hand.
Scrivener (iOS - $) The basic principal of Scrivener is that everything you write can be broken down into parts. Those parts can be arranged and rearranged, then compiled into a finished product. Think of it like a high tech three-ring binder. You can create sections and subsection, then rearrange them however you need to. The sections can be in regular text or Script format. You can even drop in a PDF or an A/V file. Once you have everything set, you can export as a Doc, Txt, RTF or PDF file with only the sections you want. It’s a great way to keep your writing organized.
If you need just a script writing app and find some of them have a big price tag, you’ll want to check out CELTX (Andriod/iOS - Free). It is a full-functioned script writer and can even import documents from Final Draft (the professional’s scriptwriter tool). The basic version is free but you may want to add on a monthly membership to get some great functions like collaboration, revision tracking, storyboarding budgeting and the ability to share a link to your finished script. CELTX also has apps for script breakdown, scheduling and shot blocking.
Speaking of blocking, if you do a lot of location shooting, you may want to check out RoomScan Pro (iOS-$). It’s designed to make a complete layout of a single room or an entire house by simply touching your device to each wall. The app will quickly create a floor plane with approximate measurements. Do you need to mark doorways and windows? No problem, just touch the frame and tell the app what you’re marking.
Video Tools
Have you every found yourself in a position where you just need an additional camera? Maybe your main camera has failed or you just want one more angle. Your phone has an app built in, but there’s usually one thing lacking: control. There are a number of apps out there that will allow you to shoot on your phone with professional level control.
Filmic Pro (iOS/Android - $) is one app that will give you lots of control. This app allows for full manual control of your phone’s camera with color correction and a variable speed zoom. They recently added a remote app so you can control one device from another device. For example, you can control your iPad that’s running Filmic from your iPhone or Apple Watch. This can be a great solution when you need to get a camera in a really tight space or run it inconspicuously.
A free version that’s been getting some buzz is ProMovie Recorder Plus (iOS/Android - Free) You can select up to 4K recording depending on which device you are using and it has lots of control like shutter speed, ISO, and manual white balance. One great feature is aspect guides that help you with proper framing. ProMovie also can be controlled remotely.
Speaking of remote controlling, are you using a GoPro? Then you’ll really want to get Capture (iOS/Android -Free). They recently renamed the camera control app and added some great new features. In addition to controlling the camera, you can mark key scenes, pull stills from the recorded video and share scenes to social media right from your device.
Audio Apps
Of course no video recording is complete without good audio. There are some great audio tools for your phone. Similar to recording video, your device may have a built-in app, but control is the key.
n-Track 8 Pro Music Recorder (iOS - $) is billed as a complete music studio in your pocket. It allows for stereo and audio recording with reverb, pitch shift and compression on an unlimited number of tracks. It has a built-in keyboard and MIDI editor and sequencer. You can add a plug-in device based on your device and record high-quality audio with up to 192 kHz sampling. Files can be saved to Dropbox or Soundcloud.
If you are looking for something a little simpler, Voice Recorder Pro 7 (iOS/Android - Free) will do the job. With an old school VU meter to keep an eye on your levels, this audio recording app has tons of features. You can record in MP4, MP3 and WAV files and upload directly to Google Drive, Dropbox and Soundcloud or upload the audio life to YouTube and Facebook. You can also send the files to another device via Bluetooth or to a computer with WiFi. There are great tools like reverb, pitch and speed controls plus you can convert files to different formats with ease.
Have you ever wanted a better quality vocal mic but just can’t afford it? Try Mic Room (iOS - Free) This app is a profession mic “modeling” app. It allows you to convert the sound from the phone’s built-in mic mimic certain classic dynamic, ribbon or condenser mics. It even has some settings for an old telephone, vintage dynamic or tube microphones. IK multimedia, the app developer, offers specs about each mic on their web site. For even better sound, the company recommends their third-party plug-in mic like the iRig Studio mic.
Getting it Out
With all these great apps you’re going to need a way to share the files. WeTransfer (iOS/Android-Free) allows you to send up to 10Gb of video, audio or photos by simply selecting the thumbnail and entering the email address. There's even a place for notes, so you can label what you send.
If you want to share your latest video to social media right away, there’s number of new apps for that. One is Apple’s Clips (iOS-Free). This allows you to trim clips, add graphics, mute the audio, add music from your library or record a voiceover. You can share your finished product to social media or send a video message.
As you can see, there are a vast number of amazing apps for video production. If you have found a great app that you’ve grown to rely on, let us know. We may include it in a follow-up article later this year. Use the comments below to share your favorite tools.
