All You Need is Your Smartphone

Great filmmaking starts with a compelling story, not expensive equipment.

Welcome to The Underground Film School. In this article we are discussing how anyone can get into filmmaking with nothing more than what they probably already have on them right now… a smartphone. Filmmakers and storytellers are using smartphones to create award-winning films and documentaries—and you can, too.

The Myth of Gear—Why Story Comes First

Great films aren’t made by the gear—they’re made by storytellers who are driven by creativity, resourcefulness, and the desire to share a powerful story. Your ideas matter more than your equipment, and some of the most groundbreaking films in recent years prove this.

Take Sean Baker’s Tangerine (2015), for example. This critically acclaimed feature film was shot entirely on an iPhone 5S, a smartphone that’s now several generations old. Baker didn’t have a Hollywood budget, but he had a compelling story to tell, and his use of simple tools led to raw, energetic visuals that earned the film a place at Sundance and worldwide recognition. Baker described the experience as liberating, saying, “We used the iPhone because it was practical, affordable, and it gave us a look that perfectly suited the story.”

Similarly, BBC’s Secrets of the Super Elements (2017) broke new ground by shooting a 60-minute science documentary on an iPhone 7 Plus. The production team faced tough challenges, such as filming in the harsh UK winter and meeting the BBC’s demanding broadcast standards. But through innovative thinking, clever use of tools like the DJI Osmo stabilizer and apps like FiLMiC Pro, they created a documentary that looked just as polished as a traditional broadcast production.

And let’s not forget Michel Gondry, the acclaimed director behind Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind. In his short film Détour (2017), Gondry used an iPhone 7 Plus to craft a whimsical, visually stunning narrative about a tricycle’s journey. Gondry’s film is proof that artistry and imagination don’t depend on gear; they depend on vision.

These filmmakers didn’t wait for the “perfect” equipment—they started with what they had and used it to its fullest potential. If a smartphone is all you’ve got, you already have everything you need to start telling your story. As Sean Baker showed the world, “If you’re passionate, resourceful, and focused on storytelling, the tools in your pocket can do incredible things.”

Limitations and Additional Gear for Smartphone Filmmaking

I don’t want to make it sound like I am suggesting there’s no point to more expensive cameras and gear. They have their conventions. Going into making a film with a smartphone takes some planning and probably some additional gear. Still, even there we can utilize many budget and DIY options. Let’s go over some of the limitations and gear to consider.

Low Light

The most significant challenge lies in low-light performance. Smartphones have small sensors, which struggle to capture clear footage in dim conditions, often resulting in grainy, noisy images. To combat this, filmmakers should prioritize shooting in good lighting—natural light during the day or creatively using lamps and LED panels indoors. Noise can also be reduced in editing software.

Depth of Field

Another common issue is the lack of depth of field and lens variety. Unlike professional cameras with interchangeable lenses, smartphones have built-in wide-angle lenses, making it difficult to achieve the shallow focus and cinematic look seen in high-end productions. However, filmmakers can work around this by moving physically closer to their subjects, using ND filters, using add-on clip lenses like those from Moment or Olloclip, and creatively experimenting with angles and framing.

Stabilization

Stabilization is another critical consideration. Handheld smartphone footage can look shaky and unprofessional, as the lightweight nature of phones makes them harder to keep steady. Although many of the new phones have made amazing advancements on this front. Investing in an affordable stabilizer like the DJI Osmo Mobile can make a huge difference, allowing for smooth, dynamic movement.

Tripods with clip adapters can be an affordable option for use when the camera is static. Or, try resting the phone on a surface or bracing it against the body, which can help improve stability. I made the following sequence entirely with an iPhone 10, either handheld or leaned up against something. No tripods or gimbals.

Storage and Battery

Additionally, storage and battery life can pose issues when shooting video—especially in high resolution. Filmmakers need to clear their phones before shooting, bring a backup device, and carry portable power banks or cases to avoid interruptions during production. You might even need to have a laptop to dump footage. I find that is rarely the case for me.

Audio

Recording clean audio can also be challenging, as smartphone microphones pick up significant background noise. The newer models are getting better at audio every year though. Still, this can be addressed by using external microphones like lavaliers or shotgun mics, or by recording audio separately with a portable device and syncing it later in post-production.

Content Coming to Address These Areas

Wether it’s making the story work on screen, getting good audio, lighting or even editing, The Underground Film School will have tutorials to help you accomplish your video/film goals with a smartphone or whatever camera you have. All of this applies to DSLRs, mirrorless, and action cameras like GoPros as well.

Coming up next will be a review of options for creating a simple smartphone filmmaker’s kit to get you started.