Here’s an interesting new app. ShotPro for the iPad is a ‘previz’ tool. It lets you build a ‘virtual’ set or location onscreen, populate it with characters, and experiment with different camera positions, lenses and lighting. You can then export your film (see second example above).
Most of these tools are really expensive but ShotPro is a $30/£22 iPad and iPhone app.
The interface is a little clunky and it takes a while to work out how to use it, but it has loads of potential. It could be a really useful tool not just for indie filmmakers, but for learning about the effects of different focal lengths and camera positions on Film and Media Studies courses.
It’s supposed to run on iPad 2 (with some limitations), iPhone 5 and later. There’s a lot to fit on the screen and the controls are quite small, so I think you need a full-size iPad rather than an iPhone. It really doesn’t run well at all on an iPad 2, but on an iPad Air with plenty of memory it’s a much slicker experience. I’ll write a more detailed review shortly.
The price is a bargain compared with desktop alternatives, and if you’re in the UK or EU you can always use Apple’s 14-day returns policy on apps if you don’t like it.
The video review is from https://www.cinematographydb.com
