Ever since the release of the iPhone and later the iPad, there has been a continual roll out of applications or apps aimed at the video production market. Some have come and gone but many have now become an indispensable part of our kit, providing convenience and in some cases replacing high priced production equipment.
Pre Production
Some of the most useful apps have been designed for use in pre production and planning. Often taking the place of expensive desktop software and in some cases adding additional usability.
Scripting apps such as script pro allow users to write scripts with the aid of pop up menus and short cuts straight onto your iPad.
It is also compatible with industry standard software such as final draft. It also senses when an external keyboard is plugged into the iPad and eliminates the onscreen keyboard for an even larger view.
Another extremely useful app is Hitchcock storyboard composer. This is a very well thought out storyboard app which allows the user to upload multiple images from your libraries, add music, notes and of course shot descriptions. It also emulates camera moves such as pans, tilts and dolly movements. Your storyboard can then be exported as a PDF or even played back as a movie.
Production
Perhaps some of the most popular apps are those used for production, such as movie slate or DSLR slate which replace the need for costly clapper boards.
The movie slate app does everything you need a clapper to do and then some. You can make comprehensive voice and image notes, export reports and ingest shot data in editing platforms such as final cut pro. You can also sync timecode between cameras, between other iPads or iPhones, with a clock time and even sync with an iTunes song, if you’re shooting a music video.
Telepromptor apps are also gaining in popularity too. The pro promtor app lets you edit the presentation text and has a customizable scrolling screen of text where you can adjust size and speed. Another handy feature is the ability to sync between iPads so your presenter can talk to numerous cameras displaying the same text.
There are also several editing packages available such as iMovie, a portable version of the popular desktop software for Mac. It’s surprisingly flexible with many of the usual features. Users are able to edit existing footage or shoot more with the built in 1080p HD capability of the iPad camera. This is of course not going to be as good as a professional camcorder but is very useful for shot planning, location scouting and story boarding.
And when you’re finished, the sharing possibilities are endless. Upload to YouTube or Vimeo, to a cloud or website or even play it on a big screen TV using airplay.
The iPhone and iPad have brought lots of new possibilities to the world of video production and i for one think video production is the better for it.
John Hubbard
