Envisage, Ireland’s largest Sage partner, a division of the Noledge Group, today announces that it has been recognised as ‘Sage Partner of the Year for Ireland’, as revealed at Sage’s 2023 Partner Kickoff event.
Sage – the leader in accounting, financial, HR and payroll technology for small and mid-sized businesses – awarded Envisage the accolade for its success in generating strong revenue and in boosting the industry standard for software implementation.
By implementing Sage accounting and ERP solutions for its customers, Envisage focuses on automating and streamlining processes, reducing time, and making it easier for them to do business. For more than twenty years, the team at Envisage has served customers such as Tour America and Mr. Price, while more recent customer additions include Jump Juice Bars and The Institute of Education.
Ray Ryan, CEO of Envisage, said, “Envisage has had a successful few years, so it’s wonderful to see Sage recognise the effort of our growing team and our dedication to offering the best accounting and ERP solutions and services to our customers. This accolade acknowledges our amazing team, so we are thrilled to receive this prestigious award.
“From sales and marketing to project execution, development, customer support and accounts, we have a remarkable group of talented individuals. We pride ourselves in delivering quality projects and ongoing services to our customers to make their businesses more profitable.
“Supporting our clients in a friendly and helpful way is at the core of what we do. Our business model depends on establishing sincere, honest connections with our customers and demonstrating that we care. We greatly look forward to the year ahead and the opportunities it may bring.”
Photo – (L-R) Paul Struthers; EVP & Managing Director UK and Ireland, Sage; Steve Boyes, Customer Care Director, Envisage; Amy Hughes, Sales Manager, Envisage; Sinead Galligani, Marketing Director, Envisage; Roger Gribbin, Sales Director, Envisage; and Brian Habanna, Former South African Rugby Player. Envisage received the award at Sage’s 2023 Partner Kickoff event for its success in generating strong revenue and in boosting the industry standard for software implementation.
PSB Speakers, long renowned for affordable excellence in loudspeaker and headphone design, announces a new Espresso Brown colourway for the M4U 8 MKII wireless ANC headphones at the CanJam premier headphone and audio show in New York City, New York, ahead of the public release. The advanced, wireless active noise cancelling headphones are the company’s leading headphone product and the new finish option will be made available across PSB sales channels in the spring of 2023.
New Colour, Same Great Sound
PSB has a long-held reputation since 2011 of creating award-winning headphones. The M4U 8 MKII implements advanced personalization technology by Audiodo Personal Sound™ along with a comprehensive set of features. The new Espresso Brown colourway continues this legacy while bringing added luxury to the mobile listening experience.
Personalised Sound with Audiodo™
Using breakthrough technology and a non-replicable set of algorithms, Audiodo Personal Sound™ calibrates the headphones to adjust to the unique hearing of every listener, revealing the “True to Nature” sound signature which PSB Speakers is known for. Through a quick and easy hearing assessment, Audiodo Personal Sound™ maps out a precise and thorough understanding of the listeners hearing, calculates what changes need to be made based on personal sound perception and hearing abilities, and creates a unique profile for every user. All customisation options, including Audiodo Personal Sound™ profiles, are accessed through the PSB Headphones app, a full-featured app that regularly keeps the headphones up-to-date with the latest firmware updates and codes.
M4U 8 MKII in Espresso Brown
Feature and Comfort Rich
Enhanced battery life, aptX™ HD Bluetooth, the latest active noise cancelling technologies and more highlight the M4U 8 MKII listening experience, while PSB’s immersive RoomFeel™ technology delivers the clear, natural sound of a live performance and stunning musicality overall. To ensure fatigue-free listening over long periods, the two-way adjustable ear pads are gyro-suspended for optimal ergonomics and supreme comfort. Soft foam ear pads, an adjustable, expandable headband and a lightweight design provide a customised, unrestrained fit so that nothing stands between users and what they want to listen to. Whether for work or play, the M4U 8 MKII headphones bring comfortable and noise-free extended listening to any hi-fi lover on-the-go.
Key Features of the M4U 8 MKII
Bluetooth HD wireless connection with aptX™ HD and Qualcomm® cVc™ technology
Separate Active Noise Cancelling (ANC), Active, and Passive Modes
All-digital ANC with digital MEMS microphones decreases audio conversion error
PSB’s latest RoomFeel™ technology with greater detail and better imaging
Personal Sound by Audiodo™ through the PSB Headphones app
Access additional features, settings, and over-the-air updates using the PSB Headphones app
NFC pairing for supported devices
Over-ear, amplified, closed back design
Physical controls for volume, playback, and mode selection
Unique dual 3.5mm input connections (left or right side)
Tangle-free cords for analogue wired and USB-C connection
1/4” stereo and dual-input flight adapters
Runs on included rechargeable battery power
Up to 25 hrs battery playtime in Active Mode
Gyro-suspended ear pads
Carry case and easy folding for travel and storage
IMSCAD adds HP Anyware, the enterprise software that provides secured access to digital workspaces, to their portfolio of Remote Work Solutions for Graphics-Intensive Applications. HP Anyware allows users and teams to be flexible and access their digital workspaces from virtually any device, in any location with a network connection.
IMSCAD is excited to announce a new global collaboration with HP via the HP Anyware* solution, a move that reinforces their place at the forefront of remote work solutions for graphics- intensive applications. The collaboration combines IMSCAD’s world leading expertise for deploying and supporting graphical applications and workflows, to facilitate User and Enterprise Mobility with HP Anyware’s technology, which leverages the PC-over-IP (PColP®) protocol to stream highly interactive desktop displays between almost any host (cloud, data center, edge, workstation) and end-user device (PC, Mac®, laptop or tablet) without any data ever leaving the safety of the customer’s network.
PCoIP transmits AES256-encrypted image pixels to the client device, thus keeping business information safe in the data center. Users can enjoy lossless image quality and near-perfect text clarity from the PCoIP, which almost mirrors the user experience of working at a desktop or workstation under your desk.
IMSCAD CEO Adam Jull states, ‘’We are excited about HP Anyware as it provides customers with a secured, high performance solution running on their existing workstations. One step before VDI and easy to use. Remote working done!’’
About HP Anyware
HP Anyware is the enterprise software that IT needs to keep people and teams productive with secure access to their digital workspaces from any mix of infrastructure (cloud, data center, edge, workstation) and end-user device (PC, Mac, laptop, tablet, thin and zero client), anywhere. Built on the same technology that won both Teradici and HP Engineering Emmys in 2020, HP Anyware future-proofs deployments for ever-evolving infrastructure, network, and hybrid workforce demands. HP Anyware also includes Anyware Manager, a connection management plane for IT Administrators to simplify the management of secure user access to desktops. For more information, visit: www.hp.com/anyware.
IMSCAD are a UK business with a global customer base, working to assist Resellers and their Customers when deploying remote solutions for graphics-intensive applications utilising NVIDIA vGPU, with over 700 successful deployments, IMSDCAD have the experience and knowledge base to ensure better than local workstation performance and ultimate user experience
IMSCAD are the global leader in deploying and supporting remote work solutions for graphics-intensive applications. IMSCAD ‘s team of specialist’s guides customers through an end-to-end solution, including Pre Sales, Scoping, Deployment, Optimisation and Ongoing Support to ensure HP Anyware remote solutions deliver on productivity and business continuity objectives, while also achieving performance at scale.
IMSCAD offer the following:
’48 hours demo for free’ – IMSCAD host and support customers that want to test drive the technology. Your data, your users and the Applications you require.
Specialist Resources – leverage our expertise and years of experience for delivering remote solutions for graphics intensive applications
Realise the Benefits – help firms realise the benefits of an HP Anyware, Remote Solution, such as, IP security, flexibility, anywhere access and robust home-working solutions to increase your teams productivity.
User Acceptance – IMSCAD specialises in delivering the performance designers need, understanding their workflows and application usage.
Comprehensive Support – from pre-sales, project scoping and advice on infrastructure through to deployment, optimization, and ongoing support for HP Anyware solutions.
New research by HelloFresh Ireland has found 42% of Irish women between the ages of 16 and 27 are unlikely to pursue a career in tech, citing too many barriers to entering a career in the industry. The world’s leading meal kit company and integrated food solutions group conducted a survey of 1,000 young people, in partnership with Kantar*, to understand how young people in Ireland perceive a career in the tech industry. HelloFresh recently launched in Ireland, marking the company’s 18th market launch as part of its global growth strategy.
The survey found one in five (19%) of young women felt discouraged from entering the tech sector because their gender put them at a disadvantage. Three in four women (76%) said the tech sector is dominated by men, and only 61% of men think the same way.
The women surveyed said there is a sense of prestige that comes from working in the tech industry thanks to its associated perks and benefits (61%), job prospects (65%) and opportunity to have a positive impact on society (27%). However, HelloFresh found that the majority of women (54%) don’t think their current skillset is suitable for the industry. In total, one in three (34%) women admitted that they didn’t know how to enter the field.
Role models were identified as an important factor in encouraging more women into the tech sector with 58% of respondents saying they would like to see better representation of women in tech leadership positions. Respondents also mentioned that access to training and scholarships (50%) and support to build skills (37%) would help them enter the sector. HelloFresh is in its second year of running a Women in Tech scholarship programme, which includes mentoring and financial support.
Annie Meininghaus, Senior Vice President of Product at HelloFresh, commented: “I’m not hugely surprised by the findings of this survey, with many women who have pursued tech having already faced these challenges. I enjoy being part of a company that recognises these struggles and actively supports women pursuing careers in technology. I’m looking forward to welcoming our next cohort of Women in Tech scholarship recipients, and further increasing the diversity in the tech sector.”
HelloFresh will re-launch the Women in Tech program this year and double the number of participants, offering more women the chance to step into a tech career from a non-tech background. The company has hired six women from different tech and coding bootcamps, who will work in Frontend and as Data Analyst interns in Berlin. In addition to the paid internship, the women are provided with a scholarship of 10,000 Euros each to support their educational and living costs. Each intern is assigned a woman mentor from HelloFresh’s tech team.
Suzi Filipowska, former Women in Tech scholarship participant and Frontend Engineer at HelloFresh: “Coming from a non tech background, it was daunting to change my career path, however through the Women in Tech scholarship at HelloFresh I was able to do so. Now, I’m continuing my career in tech as a junior engineer at HelloFresh, and I couldn’t be more happy to do so.”
With its Employee Resource Groups, including the Gender Equality Team, HelloFresh fosters a diverse and empowering working environment among their 21.000+ employees from 90+ nationalities. With a third of HelloFresh’s Germany-based technology team identifying as women, HelloFresh is far above the national average of only 17% of women working in tech. The company committed to the Women Empowerment Principles (WEP) established by the UN Global Compact and UN Women.
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.
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.
