If you are wondering how you might be able to produce some of these project ideas in a low tech way, I think the best option has always been to use the technology the students are coming to the classroom with. You don’t need costly equipment to produce great multimodal stories. Most students have either an iPhone or an Android. Right there you have your camera, the most expensive piece of technology you need is now eliminated and production and post production apps are everywhere, available through the app store for free or a minimal cost. Now you just need a few inexpensive pieces of equipment to seal the deal. That’s why I’ve created the Going Mobile Packs for our students.
Going Mobile Packs were created with the intention of using the equipment that students come to campus with. We all know that the cameras and sound recording on smart devices these days are pretty good. The film Tangerine, was filmed using an iPhone 5s. Bently shot this short documentary style car commercial entitled Intelligent Details on the iPhone 5s as well.
What’s included in the Going Mobile Pack:
tripod, phone mount, lav mic, extension cable, dual input/output adapter, headphones.
Check out these great YouTube iPhone Video How To’s from Matthew Pearce called iPhone Filmmaking Tips.
Vengence, a short film, created by Matthew Pearce was entirely crafted on the iPhone 4s including filming, color grading, editing, and special effects.
Recommended Apps: iMovie or Pinnacle Studio, FiLMiC Pro, GarageBand. Of course the sky is the limit when it comes to apps these days.
Cheaper smarphone rigs can be found at B&H depending on the size of your phone. For a small phone you would go with this mounting system .For a larger phone, go with this mounting system.
Inexpensive tripods can be found anywhere but I highly recommend that students use one.
If you are interested in learning more about the Going Mobile Packs contact Brianna Healey Derr from Digital Pedagogy & Scholarship, bh022@bucknell.edu.