Apple's iPhone features one of the world's top smartphone cameras, empowering hobbyist filmmakers globally to create captivating short films with this pocket-sized powerhouse. The results are often stunning.
Several years ago, we spotlighted six impressive shorts filmed on the iPhone 6: 6 Short Movies Shot on an iPhone [Things to Watch]. The iPhone 6s elevated capabilities further with its groundbreaking camera: iPhone 6s Review and Giveaway.
Editing apps have democratized filmmaking, letting anyone start with the built-in Camera app: A quick start guide for the iPhone camera. While feature-length epics remain challenging, pros recommend apps for shooting, processing, and editing: Best Video for iPhone: Shoot, Process, and Edit Videos Like a Pro With These Apps [iPhone]. Master techniques for pro results: Spielberg: How to Shoot Shocking Videos on Your Mobile Phone and Ten Years: These Are Your Best Options.
To inspire your own iPhone projects, dive into these five standout short films (plus bonuses) showcasing what's possible with iDevices.
Filmmaker Mael Sevestre used the modest iPhone 4 to craft a mystical tale. A photographer with a vintage twin-lens reflex camera wanders a field, only for his viewfinder to reveal a ethereal woman absent from reality. Framed proves storytelling triumphs over gear—its stunning visuals and twist ending highlight imagination's power.
Sci-fi fans rejoice: Acim Vasic's award-winning Dark Side of the Earth delivers tense, first-person thrills on a shoestring budget. A scientist flees captors to expose a solar crisis cover-up. Like the Witch films, its style grips; add it to your geek must-sees: 42 of the best Geek movies of all time: How many have you seen?.
iPhones excel in docs due to their discreet size. The Jalouzi Painter, a poignant short by David Darg and Bryn Mooser, follows Duval Pierre painting Haiti's largest slum with local kids. "Color gives us dignity, identity, hope," he says. This five-minute gem inspires: 8 Thought Provoking Free Documentaries To Watch On YouTube [Stuff To Watch].
This hilarious romp had me laughing out loud. Shot and edited entirely on iPhone 5s, it demos features like slow-mo: How to Record Slow Motion Video: 3 Tips to Get Started. Matt Morris and his buddy hilariously botch skate and parkour tricks—pure fun exploring iPhone potential.
Matthew Pearce's Dragonborne pits a warrior against a dragon using only iPhone tools, including stabilization and VFX apps: Review VFX Studio, the most fun photo editor I've ever used [iOS]. Cartoonish up close but impressive for DIY, it shows entry-level magic.
Beyond shorts, iPhones power series with 4K prowess: Live Photos of low-storage iPhones and 4K: Why You Shouldn't Buy an iPhone 6s 16GB. Michael Koerbel and Anna Elizabeth James's pioneering Goldilocks blends action stunts and chases across nine episodes:
Episode 1 “Meet the Locks”
Episode 2 “Hide and Seek”
Episode 3 “A little trip”
Episode 4 “A Secret Message”
Episode 5 “The Supermom Diaries”
Episode 6 “Back to Work”
Episode 7 “Come to an agreement”
Episode 8 “An Old Friend”
Episode 9 “Lock Key”
Unclear if fully iPhone-shot, but Ronen's Adventure Trapped on an iPhone's flawless choreography sparks creativity.
Share your iPhone masterpieces or inspirations in the comments—upload to Vimeo first: 5 Reasons to Host Videos on Vimeo Instead of YouTube. Explore the iPhone Cinema channel and tell us what we'd missed!
