With a huge range of video apps at our fingertips, filmmaking has never been easier. Smart technology means a wealth of different video apps and software can be found inside our pockets, allowing us to create video masterpieces from anywhere in the world.
Many video apps are either free or already installed on our phones or tablets.
From video editing tools to screenwriting software; special effects video apps to pre-production wizardry, here are eight free video apps to supercharge your filmmaking.
Explore Free Video Apps For Filmmaking
Most video apps listed here are available from Apple’s main App Store, or for Android devices, you can find them on Google Play or using alternative stores or websites.
Try out our suggested video apps and explore new ways to use them in your filmmaking projects.
1· iMovie
For simplicity and speed, this editing tool is one of our favourite video apps. It’s easy to learn and is powerful and flexible enough to create quality looking videos with speed and ease.
Footage can be shot directly on the iPhone or iPad and then easily edited within the iMovie app. You can edit, move and trim footage to create trailers, music videos and longer-length movies. You can add in sound, music and visual effects. You can adjust the visuals and create titles and credits too. With the green screen function, you can also change the background.
iMovie comes as standard on most modern iPhones and iPads, as well as Mac desktops and laptops.
2· Adobe Premiere Rush
This is another choice of editing apps for young filmmakers, ideal for editing on the move. You can shoot, cut and share film projects super fast, so it’s great for vloggers or content creators working on social media.
The editing features cover all the essentials, including transitions, titles and colour corrections. You can share your projects instantly – to any social media channel or to friends and collaborators.
Premiere Rush works on Apple and Android devices, including mobile and desktop devices too. This version can be downloaded for free, but there is a fuller version available with more features for a monthly subscription.
3· StudioBinder
StudioBinder takes all the pain out of pre-production and helps you assemble and share clear communications to make sure your shoots go perfectly to plan (or as much to plan as film shoots possibly can, anyway).
Create shooting scripts, call sheets, schedules and more. Share all your pre-production essentials with your contact list, collaborate online and get things happening on time and on budget.
Try it out for free, or consider upgrading to a paid version for your next production.
4· Causality
As filmmakers, we know that inspiration can strike at any time and scripts aren’t necessarily thought up or written in any kind of chronological order. The Causality scriptwriting app is a great tool to capture ideas in the moment and to focus in on your storytelling.
Unlike other screenwriting video apps, this one helps you write as you think, inspiring new creative links between beats and character arcs. There is a free version available, which is ideal for makers of short films. As paid video apps go, this one comes highly recommended.
5. Video FX Live
One of our favourite effects videos apps, Video FX Live has tools to help you grade your footage, just like in a professional studio.
Grading can give film or video it’s own distinct visual quality, whether it’s to add a particular colour palette, or to brighten or darken the footage, or to give it a custom filter effect.
If you’re looking to adjust the colour of your work and give it some visual personality, then this is a fantastic video effects app to try out.
6. Effects Cam – Visual Effects
There are a lot of video apps out there to add special fx like explosions or spaceships. But, being honest, most of them aren’t very convincing and often look completely detached from the video.
Effects Cam is one of the best effects video apps we’ve found and offers a bit more flexibility to integrate the effects with your work. There are plenty of action effects to work with and with a bit of precision editing, these ones can look quite good. If you’re looking for special fx, then we recommend giving this one a try.
7. DigiSlate
DigiSlate is the handiest of all clapperboards – a digital clapperboard app to log and mark every take. It’s easy to use and has a wide range of features to match up to your needs. It will track every frame, can sync to an existing sound track and monitor volume. You can even choose between a digital clapperboard appearance or a traditional one.
8. Shot Designer
Block your shots with ease using Shot Designer for iOS.
Create camera diagrams and animations to map out camera placement and staging. You can even import your storyboards straight to the app, it brings storyboards, shot lists and floor plans together.
As video apps for directors go, is a huge time-saver, great for finessing angles and focal lengths and produces professional floor plans in seconds.
We’ve tried out all these video apps for ourselves and agree that these have all helped to either inspire our creativity or they’ve made our journeys as filmmakers easier. Try them out for yourselves and let us know what you think of the video apps featured.
For some more tips on how to make films using a phone or a tablet, take a look at our guide on smart phone filmmaking here >>>
