When we think of filmmakers, most of us picture Stephen Spielberg or Alfred Hitchcock sitting in the director’s chair.

We may picture movie crews with expensive film equipment moving around and using all sorts of fancy technology to get the job done.

But these days, thanks to smartphones, becoming a filmmaker for almost no money is within many people’s grasp.

Taking a look at this growing trend we can see how London, for example, is having its first worldwide film festival for smartphone-made films. The London International Smartphone Film Festival isn’t just for giggles, this is a real foot in the door for those who are handy with a smartphone and have dreams of making the next great movie. 

Camera shake and other issues have been significantly smoothed out thanks to smartphone technology, and even big name thespians like Kristen Stewart and Sir Ian McKellen have performed lead roles in smartphone-made movies. 

It doesn’t just stop at smartphones, either. Devices such as iPads can be highly useful for filming as well, as seen with various success stories. 

As Sarah Atkinson writes:

“The launch of the iPad in April 2010 opened up further possibilities for cinematic-style storytelling.

The Silver Goat (2012) was the first feature film to be created exclusively for the iPad, the first to be released as an app in the UK and several other countries, and the first in the world to have an iPad-only premiere.”

Making films with smartphones is not just limited to creative types who want to tell fictional stories in the film world. It can also be a powerful marketing tool for businesses looking to strengthen their market niche and expand. 

The fact of the matter is that smartphones present great potential for storytelling of all kinds. Furthermore, the more that people watch films and video content on their phone, the more they will naturally come to relate to and appreciate smartphone-made content. 

“There are two key advantages in smartphone filmmaking, namely cost and accessibility,” notes Dhania Sarahtika.

“Though a smartphone still needs additional lenses and editing apps to produce decent shots, the overall cost is still much lower than shooting with real cameras.”