For the most part, production cameras are bulky, cause people to stare when you’re shooting in public, and require time and effort to transfer the footage. The last piece of the puzzle is the editing process, which requires being in front of a computer (usually a desktop or a pretty bulky laptop). I’ve given myself tired-head just talking about it!
Well, folks the game has changed—at least it has for me. I recently bought an iPhone 3GS and am pretty happy with the video and audio quality. It doesn’t have zoom capabilities or manual controls but, hey, it fits in my pocket. And now there is video software that fits in my pocket in the form of an iPhone app from Nexvio, Inc. called ReelDirector ($7.99). The first version of this app changed the way I feel about the world, but each update adds more functionality and a more professional feel.
ReelDirector was featured as Best App on Apple’s Rewind 2009 list and is the first and only app to bring real video editing to the mobile platform. It gets my vote as most amazingly useful iPhone app.
After shooting video with the iPhone, it’s a simple process to drop video clips and photos into an iMovie-style timeline. ReelDirector allows for simple titles on the beginning and end of the video as well as a pan and zoom capability for photos. This app has transitions (although “dissolve” is all you’ll ever need), the ability to trim and split clips, and the option to add music or spoken audio after your video has been edited. Editing is not “frame accurate,” if that’s something you need, but ReelDirector is great for clipping together a quick montage without heading back to the office.
To take your production up a notch, create your own opening and closing graphics, import them into iPhoto, and sync them to your phone. Then you can be on the road at camp or a conference, turning in daily videos that take moments to create and have the potential to look very professional. Just render out the video and email it to the video guy or save it to your computer for posting to your website. ReelDirector videos can be rendered at 640×480 (regular TV size), 480×360, or 192×144, depending on how you want to use them. It’s easier to email a 192×144 movie file but the largest files will look best when projected or shared on YouTube.
Key Features:
• Import music files from computer and use as soundtracks (new!)
• Add and stitch together clips
• Drag-and-drop to rearrange clip order
• Add text watermarks to title, opening credits, and closing credits (with four styles and nine positions to choose from)
• Insert transitions between clips to smooth
• Blend the change from one scene to another
• Add photos with Ken Burns effect
• Record voiceover and mix soundtracks
• Nondestructively trim imported clips
• Split video seamlessly into two or three clips
• Share your movies by email or save to Camera Roll.