Is it possible to make Oscar-worthy film footage using an iPhone? Actually, it’s already been done.

Last year, the wildly popular documentary Searching for Sugar Man became the first film shot partly on an iPhone to win an Academy Award. This year, Apple released the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, boasting an improved camera quality that can turn any amateur digital filmmaker into a pro.

In fact, powerful iPhone apps exist for pretty much all the stages of video shooting and editing, from manually adjusting exposure to adding text, music, and artwork to your film. It’s no longer necessary to pour massive budgets into creating quality video footage, as you’ve got all the hardware you need in your pocket. But where do you begin?

We sifted through the video apps on the iTunes Store and found six of the best to assist you throughout the shooting and editing process. Remember to thank us in your Oscar acceptance speech.

1. For that old-fashioned feel: 8mm Vintage Camera





When film director Malik Bendjelloul ran out of money while shooting Searching for Sugar Man, he turned to the $1.99 8mm Vintage Camera app. Created by Nexvio, the app realistically mimics retro-looking 8 mm film, which he used to shoot scenes of his award-winning documentary to get an authentic effect of ’70s-style footage. He even used the app to shoot video footage straight off his laptop screen.

As its name suggests, 8mm Vintage Camera will make your footage look wonderfully old and charming. There are 10 filters to choose from, as well as seven different lenses to add flickers, vignettes, light leaks, and even color fringing to your footage. Despite the iPhone 6 Plus’ efforts to stabilize images, 8mm Vintage Camera offers a feature to make your film jitter to resemble real frame shakes produced by 8 mm projectors.

8mm Vintage Camera lets you shoot offline, making it a great app to capture footage on the go and save it directly to your camera roll. The user interface resembles that of an old camera, and although it feels a little clunky, it is simple to use and offers a real-time viewfinder to let you directly control and change aesthetics.

2. For all the bells and whistles: MoviePro

MoviePro app More

MoviePro is for the film purist who values quality. Priced at $4.99, the app has been completely updated to take advantage of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus’ new camera processors. You can record footage at 3K (an impressive 3072 × 1728 pixels per frame) at up to 30 frames per second with an iPhone 5s, 6, or 6 Plus. The audio quality is excellent and adjustable as well, especially when adding a microphone, which can be connected through Bluetooth or cable.

Despite being extremely function-heavy, MoviePro’s interface is elegantly designed with many customizable options hidden behind menus. Its user-friendly design is well executed and has the same Apple software familiarity as programs like iMovie. The default settings like focus, exposure, and white balance are all automatic, making it easy to pick up and get shooting right away. It’s an app that is just as accessible to those with less film shooting and editing experience as the pros.

Almost everything within the app is adjustable, even its interface, which cleverly changes orientation for left-handed users. Surprising features include “Spymode,” which lets you shoot sneaky footage by making your screen black or displaying a static image from your photo library while you’re filming, ideal for undercover reporting or documentary fillmmaking.

When it comes to editing, MoviePro has two different options: the Mini Editor for editing individual clips and the Full Editor for editing multiple clips or managing different projects.

You can do all the usual stuff, like copy, trim, merge, split, and compress clips, insert transitions, even add images. It’s an instant solution for, say, your need to create a quick high-quality, branded pitch video for your startup on a shoestring budget.

3. For professional and on-the-go: Kinomatic

View photos Kinomatic app More

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