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Author: Jim O Brien/CEO
CEO and expert in transport and Mobile tech. A fan 20 years, mobile consultant, Nokia Mobile expert, Former Nokia/Microsoft VIP,Multiple forum tech supporter with worldwide top ranking,Working in the background on mobile technology, Weekly radio show, Featured on the RTE consumer show, Cavan TV and on TRT WORLD. Award winning Technology reviewer and blogger. Security and logisitcs Professional.
Attendees of the One-Zero conference at the Aviva Stadium on the 29th and 30th March will be treated to some fascinating insights from sports, business and technology thought leaders. The event has just confirmed several new speakers to the line-up, including Thomas Ryan, VP of Basketball Strategy and Analytics at the NBA, Will Symon, Head of Partnership Development at Tottenham Hotspur, and Keily Blair, Chief Strategy and Operations Officer at Only Fans.
Ryan’s role at the NBA is to manage the Technology and Innovation function, which focuses on advancing and growing the game through cutting-edge initiatives, products, and partnerships. Symon has over a decade of experience in Premier League and global motorsport, having previously held senior commercial roles at Formula 1 and Formula E before taking responsibility at Spurs for delivering commercial growth across a variety of partnership verticals.
Blair’s role at internet content subscription service Only Fans is to formulate, drive and communicate the company’s strategic initiatives and future goals to users, commercial partners, and other key stakeholders. She will be speaking at One-Zero about how Only Fans provides a safe and innovative platform for athletes and sports training.
Also confirmed in the speaker line-up is former professional footballer Marvin Sordell, who retired from the game aged 28 to prioritise his mental health, before co-founding film production company Oneighty Productions and influencer marketing agency SWOOP. With other guests announced today including Tobi Wakefield, the Managing Director of Jlingz Sports, one of Europe’s foremost E-Sports organisations, and Sam Jefferies, Commercial Director of Norwich City Football Club, the three-day conference is set to attract some of the biggest names from international rights-holders, sponsors, brands and agencies for learning, networking, and collaboration opportunities.
Speaking at the reveal of further exciting guests today, One-Zero Chairman and Co-Founder Ross O’Dwyer said, “It’s incredible to be able to announce such a strong calibre of guests as One-Zero makes its long anticipated return to Dublin. Each speaker offers their own unique perspective based on their own experiences in the sports, business or technology sectors, and we are confident that every attendee will leave the Aviva feeling they have learned something. Our aim is to deliver cutting edge guests and we aren’t done yet. We will be announcing further exciting speakers very soon.”
Will Symon, Head of Partnership Development at Tottenham Hotspur said, “I’m excited to attend this year’s One-Zero to talk about the increasing convergence of sports and technology. At THFC, the topic has never been more important as we roll out new technologies at our state-of-the-art stadium, increase digital touchpoints with our fans and enhance the performance of our athletes.”
Tickets for the event are available via www.one-zero.com, with an early bird offer of €249 (ex VAT) running until the 28th of February.
Storm Technology, the business technology consultancy, today announces the findings of a new survey which reveals that the biggest obstacle to productivity in Irish workplaces is people’s inability to disconnect/switch off. In fact, more than half (51%) of IT decision-makers identified it as one of the main barriers.
The other biggest obstacles cited by respondents were virtual meeting overload (49%), relying on manual processes (42%), the inability to collaborate with colleagues (35%), and a lack of effective IT solutions (33%).
The survey – conducted by Tech Central on behalf of Storm Technology and involving more than 100 IT decision-makers from the larger enterprises and businesses across Ireland – found that some 30% also view worrying about security protocols as an obstacle to productivity. Meanwhile, 22% identified a greater number of distractions when working remotely as a barrier and thesame proportion said working irregular hours.
Perhaps unsurprisingly then, Irish enterprises are set to spend an average of €1,588,720 on modernising the workplace in 2023. This marks a significant rise from the estimated average spend on modernising the workplace in 2022 which was found to be €848,765.
In terms of 2023 IT budgets, priority areas will be collaboration and productivity tools, with over two thirds (69%) of IT leaders set to focus on these. Security and compliance (64%), and cloud infrastructure (53%) rounded off the three key areas for investment this coming year.
Supporting hybrid working is the leading driver of workplace modernisation for 78% of organisations, with more than half (52%) of respondents viewing Microsoft as the most comprehensive solution suite to support the needs of hybrid/remote working. The other top drivers of workplace modernisation are enabling people to be more productive (71%) and delivering a better employee experience (55%).
Aiding communication and collaboration is a driver for 53%, as is enhancing service delivery for 51%. Meanwhile, some 27% of IT leaders said that creating a 100% remote working environment is a top reason for workplace modernisation, while almost a fifth (18%) said instilling better company culture was a key driver.
It seems that data governance is another area that requires improvement with the study showing that 61% of respondents find it challenging to uphold standards of data governance in their organisation. Furthermore, a quarter (25%) don’t think their company manages data effectively and more than one in ten (12%) businesses don’t have a strategy in place for data loss incidents.
Speaking about the findings, Mick McKay, Chief Operating Officer, Storm Technology, said: “Irish enterprises are still getting to grips with the workplace as we know it today and many issues remain, not only in terms of supporting productivity and collaboration but also company culture, customer service and data governance.
“As well as implementing technologies and automating processes which allow people to be productive and collaborative, business leaders must establish an environment which aids work/life balance. That means allowing them to focus on core tasks, rather than filling up diaries with virtual meetings. It also means being mindful of their time, both in and out of the workplace. For example, emails might suffice for some virtual meetings and communication with staff out of hours could be easily avoided.
“Technology should be deployed to support and enable work/life balance. Allowing people to switch off also benefits business. By modernising the workplace with effective technologies and strategies which uphold employee experience, strengthen company values and reinforce governance, you can deliver more value for your customers, drive business growth and maximise your return on investment.”
Loewe, the audio-visual pioneer founded in 1923, has announced a commercial partnership with Select Tech Group to stock the prestigious brand’s We.HEAR range and klang mr series of high-quality speakers. With 28 stores across UK and Ireland, Loewe’s premium audio products are now available both in-store and online at the region’s largest reseller of Apple products.
Expanding Loewe’s platform in the region, the partnership continues the heritage AV brand’s growth after re-entering the UK market in 2021. The Loewe product range has similarly increased, introducing the We by Loewe range and additional bild and klang products as well as the high-end Loewe iconic TV, set for sale later in 2023.
The partnership connects two reputable organisations whose values of innovation and long-lasting quality are closely aligned. Select aims to inspire a wider community to discover the power of Apple products by working closely with customers, educational institutions and businesses to reach the most cost-effective solutions.
Alan Whyte, Managing Director at Loewe UK, commented: “Apple is synonymous with aspirational luxury, and high performance. As the biggest Apple Premium Reseller in Western Europe with 28 stores across UK and Ireland, we’re extremely proud to be partnering with Select Tech Group.“
“They are providing Loewe with a unique platform to get our brand in front of a huge group of discerning consumers. At store level, their teams are extremely knowledgeable, and focus on giving exemplary customer service. Couple that with beautiful store environments in keeping with the Apple brand, our audio products are given the best possible chance to shine.”
Dedicated to providing an unparalleled in-store and online customer experience, Select invests over 10,000 training hours per year.
Jason Smith, Group Retail Director at Select Tech Group, added: “I have always held luxury heritage brands in high regard. With 100 years of history, their handmade in Germany ethos, and emphasis on sustainable, high-quality materials, Loewe hits all the markers of the ideal companion brand for the Select customer.
The We.Hear speaker range, in particular, makes Loewe more accessible than ever, and reflects the true essence of the curated audio line up at Select; innovative, unparalleled and unique. We look forward to continued growth in this exciting partnership.”
Loewe We.HEAR 1 is currently available at Select in-store and online for £99 while the We.HEAR 2 is priced at £159. The Loewe klang mr1 is on sale for £349 while the mr3 and mr5 are listed for £549 and £649.
Sennheiser’s updated HD 660S2 expands the capabilities of the 600-series family, the longstanding benchmark for high-performance audiophile headphones. Sennheiser responded to the hi-fi community’s feedback, crafting a headphone that skillfully balances reference-level detail with engaging frequency response. The headphones features a more dramatic listen with greater intensity from enhanced sub-bass tuning, extracting dynamic impact and emotion from audio enthusiasts’ favourite recordings. The updated acoustics offer a delightful new way to experience music all over again.
“Our new Sennheiser HD 660S2 offers listeners what they requested most from the headphones’ predecessor,” says Jermo Koehnke, Sennheiser Audiophile Product Manager. “With precision and power like no other and new sensitivity across all frequencies, listeners will hear details they’ve never heard before, especially at the lower end of the spectrum.”
The depth and drama audiophiles crave
Improving on a beloved classic while retaining its best traits was a challenging task, starting with the lowest end of the frequency plot. The HD 660S2’s warm bass characteristics pair perfectly with its silky-smooth treble performance and trademark vocal presence, allowing the timbre and uniqueness of any instrument part to stand out.
Across the entire frequency spectrum, the HD 660S2 delivers a refined listening experience thanks to improved transducer airflow and a refined voice coil. From thunderous timpani crescendos to pulsating EDM rises, even the most discerning audiophiles will notice the depth and nuance of low-frequency passages, adding dramatic flair to any type of music. Ultimately, listeners are treated to deeper, clearer bass without sacrificing the expansive detail the series is known for. By reducing the voice coil’s weight, impulse response improves, bringing hyper-realistic textures to the forefront of any performance reproduction. The overall experience is smoother and warmer than the original HD 660S, thanks to that reduces the distances between select peaks and troughs. The overall impedance matches that of the HD 600 and HD 650, at an audiophile-friendly 300 ohms, for punchy dynamics and impressively low distortion.
A fit for the long haul
Designed in Germany and manufactured at Sennheiser’s state-of-the-art Ireland production facility, the HD 660S2 continues the series’ emphasis on quality, functional design using materials that contribute to the hi-fi experience. Plush earpads and cushy headband padding place the revised 300-ohm transducers at the optimal distance from the ear resulting in a spacious soundstage with an abundance of detail – even for extended musical exploration. The transducer surround drops the resonant frequency from 110 Hz (original HD 660S) down to 70 Hz for hefty kick drums that move with ease. Even the outer mesh grilles are crafted to manage airflow at the ideal impedance for exquisite open-back listening sessions.
Versatile enough to connect to vintage classics and modern solutions alike, the HD 660S2 ships with two 1.8 meter (5.8 ft) user-detachable cables that terminate to 6.3 mm (1/4-inch) single-ended stereo and 4.4 mm balanced stereo jack plugs, respectively. A 6.3 mm to 3.5 mm (1/8-inch) adapter is also included, for use with popular hi-fi gear from DAC-amps, DAPs, and dedicated amplifiers such as the Sennheiser HDV 820. Distinguishing bronze accents complement the elegant jet-black finish, all of which is protected by a storage pouch.
Pricing and availability
The Sennheiser HD 660S2 will be available for pre-order globally from 8th February 2023 and will go on sale 21st February 2023, with an RRP of £499 / €599.
Almost four in ten (39pc) workers would choose a higher-paid job over a job which allowed them to work from home, while more than one in three (35pc) would choose the job that allowed them to work from home. Furthermore, remote working is more important to female workers in Ireland than their male counterparts.
These are some of the findings of a nationwide survey commissioned by employee benefit and pension specialists Lockton Ireland.
The survey, which polled more than 700 workers in Ireland’s labourforce, found that most people (69pc) believe that workers should be entitled to work from home – if their duties can be performed remotely. Less than one in three (31pc) believe it should be up to an employer to decide whether or not an employee can work from home. Women in particular believe workers should have the right to work from home, with more than three in four (76pc) stating this – compared to just over six in ten (63pc) men.
Three in four survey respondents (74pc) said they would not be comfortable turning on their webcam while working from home if requested by their employer to do so – with almost half saying they would refuse to turn such a device on as they would consider it a ‘huge invasion of privacy’.
The Privacy Issue
Commenting on the findings, Ray McKenna, partner with Lockton Ireland, said:
“Our research shows just how important working-from-home (WFH) has become to so many people – and within such a short timeframe too. The WFH trend was the biggest change to hit the world of work in decades, perhaps centuries. It has completely transformed how people work. It allows people to organise their work around their life and work when they’re at their most productive. This in turn should allow people to work alongside the challenges which life throws their way, to work for longer, and to pursue multiple careers if they wish. It will also open up opportunities for people who may have struggled to participate in the workforce before.”
“Despite the strong support for the WFH option, less than one in seven (16pc) people would be prepared to turn on a webcam at the request of their employer – even if failure to do so would prevent them from being able to work from home. It shows just how uncomfortable the thought makes Irish workers. Any employer considering going down this path should be very careful. The issue of webcams has proved to be a contentious one of late – last October, a Dutch court awarded a man €75,000 in compensation after his American employers insisted he kept his webcam turned on throughout the working day.”
Women and Working From Home
The Lockton survey also found that men were more likely to choose a higher-paid office-based job than a lower-paid WFH job – with 44pc of men saying they would opt for the job that paid the higher salary. Just over one in three women (35pc) said they would choose the higher-paid job.
“Almost four in ten female respondents said they would choose workplace flexibility over a higher salary. This is a clear indication of just how instrumental that option could be when it comes to keeping women in the workplace,” said McKenna. “More needs to be done to encourage and facilitate female participation in the labour force. Currently about 60pc of females are in the workplace – compared to 71pc of males.The barriers for female participation in the workplace are well documented. The cost of early childhood education and childcare in Ireland is one of the highest in the EU.
“Traditionally, much of the responsibility for childcare in this country has fallen on women – and while men are playing a more active role today than previous generations did, women still take on much of the childcare. It’s no surprise then that many women take a step back in their careers when they have children and that options such as part-time work are often pursued by females.
Lockton referred to a recent report by the European Commission which found that the number of women participating in the labour force in Ireland has reached a record high due to a shift to remote working during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Mr. McKenna advised,
“To ensure women have equal opportunities in the workplace, it is crucial that employers at least consider the WFH option for all employees, where those jobs can be completed from home. This would also give more men the opportunity to work from home too, should they wish to – which will also help level the gender playing field around childcare and work opportunities”.
Other highlights from the Lockton Ireland’s Workers survey include:
More women than men would have no problem with a request to turn on a webcam (30pc versus 21pc) – with those aged 55 and older the more likely age cohort to have no problem with this term of employment (47pc versus 20pc of those aged between 35 and 44).
44pc of people aged 25-34 would opt for the higher salary if they had a choice between a job with a higher salary and a lower-paid WFH job. This compares to 22pc of those in the 35-44 age bracket – perhaps a suggestion that people of this age have young families, so their priorities have changed in terms of what they need from their job, making them more likely to choose the WFH option.
Looking for a small pocketable light for the house or travel look no further than one the latest products from ZHIYUN which is the FIVERAY M40 pocket fill light is all you will need, this can be anywhere be it at home in the office or like me who stays in hotels quite often and does reviews there where the lighting in general is terrible in rooms most of the time with dim lights to give you some kind of brightness which to be fair I understand.
This is well built and robust and simple to use to which makes even more a product that should be on your radar if you are in the market for such, there is a port to charge via USB-C and this is covered by a swivel type cover that also protects the two wheels to control the brightness and colour temperature and there is 4 LED lights on one side to give you a status of the charge.
This is about the size of an old styled camera and looks like one in some instances and has fans all round to let the heat out and you can see the vents throughout the product and has a nice bit of heft to it too but again will fit in a pocket or travel tech bag which is what I tend to use not taking up much space. As I do travel a lot I keep things to a minimal and this certainly will be a perfect edition to my bag now filling a void that was always an issue but not only that this makes any working space super bright and you can control it to your needs without the need for additional stands and so on and this also can be mounted on a tripod or existing bar or light stand that suits. Check out the video below for more.
The palm-sized ZHIYUN M40 360° fill light epitomises simplicity and utility. Based on the attitude-control algorithm applied on gimbals, DynaVort technology enables better heat dispersion, allows for smaller fans, and therefore, a compact device without compromising on its 40W power. Products of a similar size currently only give 5-13W of power. Weighing only 320g, it fits neatly in pockets, looks stylish and is the ultra portable illumination companion for videographers, whether amateur or professional.
Features
【Tiny but Professional】With a palm size and only 320g that fits well in pockets and looks chic on your desk, providing 360° fill light with 40W peak illuminance.
【14000 Lux, Ultra-Bright】Embedded with 176 LED chips that bring an incredible peak illuminance of 14000 lux, M40 rivals the key light provided by bigger equipment.
【Dual Wheels Design】Precise dimming of color temperature and brightness is available via two separate wheels. Offer adjustable dual color temperature ranging from 2700 to 6200k that enables power output peaks at 40W with no strobes.
【Simplified Setup】The adjustable stand of M40 extends possibilities for various occasions, while two 1/4″ screw holes allow the M40 to be mounted on a tripod or light stand.
【Adaptive Charging Technology】M40 supports a 50W PD fast charge protocol that allows real-time charging.
Overall this is a powerful simple to use effective product which is now part of one of my home set-ups..
In time for this Valentine’s Day, HMD Global, the home of Nokia phones, shares new research[1] revealing that food and tech are the items we are most willing to share with a romantic partner, with food topping the list at 58% (Joey Tribbiani should take notes) followed by a phone charger at 48%.
It comes as no surprise that the majority of people (65%) are more likely to share essential and everyday items with loved ones due to the cost-of-living crisis. This rises to 74% for millennials who are the most likely to share overall and drops to 45% for baby boomers who are the least likely to share. Even 9% of millennials would share their toothbrush. Baby boomers would also sooner share with their family, with 60% saying so.
It looks like hogging the covers is a bigger bugbear between couples than taking a charger, as people are more willing to share a phone charger than their duvet, at 48% and 35% respectively. Interestingly, tablets enter the top three items people are most willing to share with their children (26%), before sharing a tablet with family (25%) and a romantic partner (22%).
Adam Ferguson, Head of Product Marketing at HMD Global, the home of Nokia phones, said: “It’s unsurprising that tech such as phones chargers are commonly shared items given their everyday use. Tablets in particular are made with shareability in mind, just like the Nokia T21, ideal for the whole family – whether it’s for work, learning or play, it’s made to adapt. Multiple years of software upgrades on smart devices also means that they can be shared for longer or passed down when you are looking to upgrade.”
A new name is aiming to shake up the video conferencing sector with plans to enter the UK market as part of a major global expansion programme.
Boom Collaboration was born in 2020 by founders Fredrik Hörnkvist and Holli Hulett, in a bid to disrupt the sector and stand out from the crowd – creating high performance, high value advanced products.
The ambitious Texas-based business has quickly developed an extensive conferencing portfolio and operates in 20 countries, with plans to extend to 30 more, as well as the UK. Many new product innovations are in the pipeline too, along with the development of a Boom training academy.
“Through these interesting, challenging and evolving times, from lockdowns to hybrid working, conferencing has been at the fulcrum of dramatic changes in daily and working life; how people interact and communicate, almost from anywhere,” Hörnkvist explained.
“We might still be a relatively new kid on the block but we’ve already made big strides forward with much more to come. Over the last few years we’ve been laying strong foundations for sustained growth so that Boom can really start to boom in the UK and beyond!”
Missing piece of the puzzle
Boom Collaboration aims to help plug a knowledge gap in certain areas of the market, from audio and video technology to meeting etiquette.
“We work across all sectors of the industry from AV integrators to traditional telephony resellers and accredited partners such as Zoom and Barco. We’re completely agnostic though and sales continue to rise by around 45% year-on-year.
“There’s definitely a knowledge gap due to the fast transition of people working from home and an explosion in software-based solutions such as Teams and Zoom. We aim to be the piece that’s missing in the sector.”
Hörnkvist added: “Our goal is to emphasise the vital role hardware plays to improve the meeting experience. We are a trusted advisor about the best end points to drive the end user experience. It’s about matching the right equipment to the right rooms and helping organisations to transition at whatever stage of the journey they are on.
“Many resellers used to sell traditional telephone systems then IP handsets but now cloud-based full unified comms systems are taking over with video at their heart. So resellers have to adapt to maintain their revenue streams and that’s where we come in with our knowledge and expertise.
“Our forthcoming Boom Academy will teach not just how to connect multiple cameras and different systems but showcase our domain overarching knowledge. It’s about giving something back. We recognise some resellers will have to learn quickly or they are out of the game. This is where we can help a lot who have come from the traditional ‘voice’ space. Live demos, meeting room design overviews and how to embrace the latest trends, for example.”
Disruptive force
Co-founder Hulett agrees with the importance of building long term relationships. “We are young and fresh with new ideas, backed by years of personal experience that already makes us experts in this field. We are not afraid to stand out, be bold, brave and loud and do things a little differently.
A disrupter to take on the field.” Hulett concluded: “The Boom support team offers both pre and post sales support, available for the life of a product. All Boom products come with a standard three-year warranty with an optional five-year Boom care plan for complete peace of mind.
“We recognise quality makes a huge difference. It really matters. That’s why we went straight into 4K picture resolution for example. 4K is the future. It’s about continually raising the game and raising the bar.
“Equally we want to show personality, fun and passion. It’s not just about making money but helping our customers, building a good organisation and enjoying what we do. We are continually learning and evolving.
“We are young with lots of ambition to grow. We have agility, like to be different and the future is bright. We want to bring in dedicated in-house R&D and product teams and continue to build our distribution network all over the world. I’d say we are at a tipping point to accelerate much further forward, based on sustained, controlled growth. 2023 will be a big and exciting year for us in the UK and around the world.”
11 February 2023 marks Global Movie Day, which was established to celebrate our favourite films, and sits alongside the Oscars. With smartphones driving the digital world, the film industry is also taking notice of how phones can capture award-winning videos.
As early as 2011, movies like “Olive” which was created on a Nokia N8 smartphone were Oscar contenders; while BAFTA recognised a short film Missed Call shot on iPhone X. More recently oscar-winning filmmaker, Charlie Kaufman shot a short film called Jackals and Fireflies, using Samsung’s Galaxy S22 Ultra smartphone.
Every year on the second Saturday of February, people share their excitement over movies with the hashtag #GlobalMovieDay and you can join in too, with inspiration from gimbal and lighting manufacturer Zhiyun. The firm recently launched its Make It Real short film collection and here outlines 10 must-try tips on taking better smartphone films.
Bring subject and scene to life with natural lighting
Lighting the subject and the scene is everything. This does several things, like drawing the viewer’s attention, establishing the mood, and also ensuring the audience can see what you want them to see. You can do that either using natural light or by creating a basic lighting setup that illuminates your subject sufficiently. Take a test shot after your frame is set to determine how it looks on camera.
The easiest lighting option is to use the sun; both powerful and free. Letting the sun illuminate your subjects provides a beautiful, even light that helps hide blemishes and brings out the colours in their eyes. However, the sun isn’t always available, whether hidden behind a cloud or shooting in the dark, so film makers should use whatever light is accessible to capture the most flattering shots. Shooting on cloudy days or in the shade or using a very sheer white curtain can help soften sunlight if it’s too harsh.
Use LED lighting in indoor and low light set ups
There are key lighting don’ts to avoid if you want the best possible shot of subject and backdrop. While the sun is an awesome tool to illuminate your subject, it can cause unwanted shadows. Ensure your back is to the sun to avoid your subject ending up as a silhouette. On the topic of lighting your subject, avoid heavily backlit-settings. Smartphone cameras without advanced HDR capabilities usually can’t see the same detail that the naked eye can and in playback, will output footage with a bright light haloing a dark figure with often no discernable features. To avoid this situation, try configuring a basic light setup.
If you don’t have access to natural light, it may be tempting to use bright LED flash from a phone. However, this can result in overexposed images and washed-out colours and should be avoided. As an alternative, use some fill lights that are designed to render colours faithfully.
Finally, avoid mixing all your light sources. When setting up video lighting, fight the urge to use everything you have. Using competing colour temperatures (think: warm light from a lamp combined with cool sunlight) isn’t ideal as your camera will try to adjust to the new white balances. As a solution, daylight colour bulbs (5,000-6,000K) are available but when in doubt, stick with natural lighting.
Focus on the detail
Think about your story telling. What do you want to portray and how could that be done through imagery that adds interest and depth to your narrative?
For instance, as well as light, our eyes are drawn to reflections. Look for opportunities to play with them in videos such as puddles, larger bodies of water, mirrors, sunglasses, drinking glasses, and metallic surfaces are just a few. Elsewhere, close-up images that capture small, intricate, and delicate details can add interest to scenes. Explore textures and patterns like peeling paint, rough tree bark, a serrated rooftop or a dirt road.
4. Change up how you frame each shot
Placement of your subject in a film is important. Completely fill the frame with your subject or for added interest film them slightly off-centre to create a more visually interesting scene. Play around and see what looks best. Let’s look at one of the most basic principles of film composition; the rule of thirds.
Picture a 3-by-3 grid laid over the field you’re filming. Instead of placing your subject right in the middle of the shot, you should place your subject along one of the lines of the grid. The points where the lines cross are particularly strong areas of visual focus, so if you can, do place important elements of the video there.
5. Unleash creativity with smart editing
You can edit footage directly on your phone if it already has editing software built in or by downloading an editing app. For those of you using a gimbal, there are plenty of apps with a bunch of clever effects that come with them.
The ZY Cami app for example can provide an intuitive solution for the creation and editing of video content. Why not let your imagination run wild with a 4K video recording at 60 frames per second? Alternatively, explore panorama mode to capture the beauty of landscapes. Timelapse, hyperlapse, and motion lapse modes add dimensions and perspectives to your movie.
6. Accessorise with add-on lenses
There are so many great accessories available now in smartphone video kits which can enhance your footage with new effects.
Add-on lenses are a great place to start. A filtered lens will give a tint to the scene, and incite a certain emotional response from your audience. Certain add-on lenses can bring cinematic depth of field to your shooting, others can create a fishbowl effect, which is often used in action sport filming like skateboard videos.
7. Stabilise your shots
A gimbal is essential for smartphone filmmaking and essential to avoiding shaky footage that looks amateurish and disorienting and will take hours to correct in post-production.
The gimbal head is an accessory you can purchase to add to your tripod, giving you the ability to move the camera around the scene while maintaining that necessary stability. The grip rig is slightly different as it is a handheld accessory with a similar purpose—stabilise the image. This type of device may be better suited for videos that require a lot of movement or action.
For example the SMOOTH 5S gimbal has helped filmmakers simplify their shooting and unleash their creativity, especially for small teams with limited budget. You can also find more film inspiration to help you create here.
8. Create cinematic sound
Sound is crucial if you want to keep your audience engaged. There are many options allowing you to capture quality audio externally for your smartphone footage. The simple addition of an audio recorder, boom mic, and even wireless microphones can make a huge difference to sound quality.
Audio recording devices can pick up every little sound, even an air conditioning unit or a train in the distance. With this in mind, as well as audio enhancing tools, pay attention to the locations where you are shooting. Locations with high background noise such as train stations will mean you have to deal with train and announcements noise. When indoors, check for echo and reverberation from the hard surfaces or other distracting sounds.
9. Bring extra charging power
Be aware that your smartphone battery is not going to last for a full feature film– especially if you’re spending hours shooting footage. The last thing that you want is your phone dying in the middle of a crucial scene.
Before filming, ensure that your phone is fully charged. Pack a backup charger, preferably a wireless one to allow yourself to continue filming even if your battery starts to get low.
10. Back it up
Always back up your footage onto an external device just in case you lose the movie saved to your smartphone. Simply use an external memory card or upload your film to your computer and create a copy of everything for extra assurance. An external memory card will also give you extra storage space if your phone is short on it.
The contest was hosted by Zhiyun, with Nikon as the title sponsor and partners including RØDE, Aputure, YC onion, Desview, SmallRig, iFootage, and Lexar, among others. The 2022 version attracted 1,429 entries, and 25 groups of entries awarded prizes and now we are excited to see what 2023 will bring.
