iPhone X Filmmaker Aiming to be a VFX pro

We’ve been running a series of interviews with some of the most active and successful filmmakers in our Facebook group. Today, we are talking to a filmmaker who has ambitions to be a VFX pro and has been getting some brilliant results with his iPhone.

First, please introduce yourself.

My name is Oliver Richards. I am a Film maker from the UK currently living in Cork, Ireland.

When it comes to smartphone filmmaking, what are you up to and what are your goals?

Having done a few very short films last year featuring only myself, now I have been writing various short screenplays to get actors involved to make character driven work. I also have a feature screenplay I intend to finish this year and gather some interest going forward.

What is your creative background?

I studied Fine Art at university and then worked in documentary production in the UK.

Did you study film, other than teaching yourself?

No, self taught.

How did you get into making films on smartphones?

Having previously worked in the UK making documentaries, I was only using gear that belonged to the company I worked for. So when I came to Ireland I began filming on smartphones as a result of wanting to continue to make film projects with the little equipment I had.

What would be your biggest filmmaking dream come true?

Being very interested in VFX I would love to work at a pro industry level, perhaps working for a VFX company working on large scale productions. Other than that I would love to be able to make my own feature films.

I see you are working on a few different genre projects, what are your main inspirations?

I have film ideas spanning many different genres and I can’t explain where they all come from. Some ideas just pop into my head randomly. If I think of a film idea with in a certain genre I’ll go away and watch various films and shows related to that concept and then develop the idea from there.

I know you are keen to develop your VFX skills, what are the main challenges when doing VFX on smartphone-shot footage?

I think doing VFX on smartphones is similar to doing VFX on other types of cameras. Firstly, it helps to know more or less what you want in the shot prior to shooting. From then on you need to make your footage is well filmed and your VFX setups are done right, no matter what camera you are shooting on, to make your post-production as smooth as possible.

Modern audiences seem quite tough on any VFX work they deem below par, how do you intend to overcome this working on a limited budget?

All I can do is the best I can. I’m self-taught in VFX and still have a very long way to go before I could be considered pro. But when I have an idea I will practise the VFX shots before filming anything so I can be confident I can pull it off when it comes to filming.

What are your favourite projects you have worked on, paid or unpaid?

I directed a short film (not on smartphone) several years ago called Wake-Up Call. It was a slapstick comedy about a guy waking up from a hangover and realising he was late for an appointment. It was filmed in my apartment and we trashed the place haha. A great day of filming.

What do you like or dislike about smartphone filmmaking?

I love the fact that smartphone filmmaking is available to everyone. Most people carry smartphones now with good cameras so anyone can tell a story so much easier than before. I think the lack of visual options, like depth of field, is something I dislike. I think also phone lenses still have a restrictions with things like low-light etc. and if the inbuilt camera lens could improve these restrictions that would be very cool. I’m sure some phones will do this at some point in the near future, if not already.

What equipment do you use? Which smartphone do you use?

I use an iPhone X right now. Also I use a Beastgrip Pro cage and I have a few external lenses from them too. I own a Zhiyun Smooth-4, too, which I don’t use enough.

How useful are the MoMo Facebook group and filmmaking posts?

The MoMo Facebook group is great. Every day people are posting their movies and engaging in discussions about smartphones and filmmaking. So I like that it’s a very active group and there is a good community there.

How do you find filming with an iPhone X?

I think it’s a very good camera. The quality is nice a crisp and it’s serves my needs very well right now. I don’t upgrade phones regularly so I can see myself using this model for a while longer.

What do you see for yourself regarding filmmaking in the future?

Very difficult to say. I would love to find a balance between working in the film industry and making my own films. But that’s a very difficult balance to get right. But in terms of filming with smartphones, yes, I have every intention to carry on filming with them, and whatever they evolve into.

Is there is anything else you want to add?

I recently created a website to showcase my films, which is https://www.olsburgerfilms.com or you can find me on Twitter https://twitter.com/OliverJR88

Finally, many thanks to Mobile Motion Film Festival for offering me this interview!