Photo property of BBC
Last week we got excited to learn that iOgrapher was featured on the British news and journalism site, Journalism.co.uk, discussing how two journalists used the iOgrapher to film a news segment for the BBC London’s news bulletins.
The segment was put together by Dougal Shaw, innovation journalist at BBC, and business correspondent Joe Lynam, who were dedicated to proving that mobile journalism can be successful with a mobile setup, rather than the typical larger and more traditional filming equipment.
“The two went out to cover the new hub for technology companies at the Olympics site in East London.” Shaw and Lynam used an iPhone 6S Plus, tripod, our wide angle lens, and a Rode iXLR adapter with a lavalier microphone. The two mentioned using FilMic Pro app to film the story, commenting on how the app lets you control the aperture and focusing. Shaw also mentions how easy it is to do voice over recording on the iPhone.
The result? BBC viewers were not able to notice a difference in the quality of video, and it resulted in further curiosity from the BBC staff about how to accomplish filming with a smartphone.
Shaw explained his reasons for taking advantage of the rise mobile journalism, or as they like to call it, mojo. Shaw states, “there are so many extra things that you can do with a phone that you can't do with a normal camera.”
"Smartphones are light and small, so get interesting shots from high and low angles, tuck the camera in inaccessible places, put it on a tripod and lift it above you to get a birds-eye view, or use its camera features to shoot in slow-mo and add different effects." Shaw also explained the importance of simplicity in your equipment setup and not adding excessive gear. The whole point is to keep it lightweight and easy to carry.
Our smartphones are only becoming more advanced and ubiquitous, so why not take advantage of that technology and the mobility and ease they provide. Shaw explains, “overall, it is remarkably easy when you are used to it, but everyone has a lack of confidence at the beginning because they have this old-school way of thinking that TV is too complicated and technical to produce content for.”
The confidence factor is really the biggest challenge we see with our users. Sometimes all the accessories and gear can seem a bit intimidating, especially when you aren’t already versed in the world of filming equipment. However, all it takes is a bit of patience and desire to be creative.
This is a continuing shift in the world of mojo, as organizations no longer need to provide large budgets for equipment and crews. The ability to get out and create is in the hands of practically anyone. It’s easy to learn the skill set of mobile filming, and it’s a skill set that acts as a competitive advantage.
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