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Film & TV · MS elective · 3 credit hours · 16 sessions

Smartphone Cinema Mastery

“The best camera is the one that’s with you.” This course teaches professional filmmaking using mobile devices, proving that story supersedes gear. Students will master manual control apps (like Blackmagic/Filmic Pro), mobile-specific accessories (anamorphic lenses, gimbals), and mobile-first editing workflows to create cinematic content that rivals traditional camera systems.

§ 01 By the end you can
  1. Master manual exposure, focus, and white balance on mobile sensors
  2. Utilize mobile rigging: Anamorphic lenses, ND filters, and cages
  3. Execute smooth camera movement using smartphone gimbals
  4. Record professional audio using external mobile-compatible microphones
  5. Edit, color grade, and export 4K projects entirely on mobile devices (LumaFusion/CapCut)
§ 02 Sixteen sessions

The whole semester.

  1. 01The Mobile Sensor: Limitations & Strengths
  2. 02App Mastery: Filmic Pro / Blackmagic Cam
  3. 03Lens Attachments: Macro, Tele, & Anamorphic
  4. 04Understanding 8-bit vs. 10-bit Mobile Log
  5. 05Composition for the Small Screen
  6. 06Exposure Tools: Zebras & False Color on Phone
  7. 07Frame Rates & Mobile Slow Motion
  8. 08 · MidtermMidterm Examination
  9. 09Lighting for Small Sensors (CRI & Softness)
  10. 10Gimbal Mechanics & Operating Modes
  11. 11Handheld Techniques: The "Ninja Walk"
  12. 12Mobile Audio: Lavs & Shotguns
  13. 13Editing on iOS/Android (LumaFusion)
  14. 14Color Grading Mobile Footage
  15. 15Workflow: AirDrop & Cloud Storage
  16. 16Final Project: The Mobile Short Film

Midterm around session 8. Final project briefed at session 8 or 9 and developed in stages until the juries.

§ 03 Final project

Final Project: The Mobile Short Film

How it’s judged

Recommended reading
  1. Smartphone Movie Maker by Bryan Michael Stoller
  2. The Filmmaker’s Eye by Gustavo Mercado
  3. Mobile Journalism: A Guide to Multimedia Storytelling by Yusuf Omar
  4. How to Shoot Video that Doesn't Suck by Steve Stockman
  5. Filmic Pro User Manual (Official Documentation)
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