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Smartphone photography has been criticized since the rise of Instagram, as photographers, filmmakers and production studios fear that they are quickly becoming obsolete. A clash of generations is slowly manifesting itself and the smartphone crowd is rapidly gaining the edge. This all thanks to the great tools that are constantly being developed to empower them towards a richer content creation experience. Just how good can smartphone quality get?

Searching for Sugar Man

Being smart can win you an Oscar.

Searching for Sugar Man was partly shot with an iPhone 7 and the app 8mm Vintage Camera, which costs $3.99 on the app store. Thanks to this app, the director managed to replicate the feel of the era he was portraying in his documentary. He then casually landed an Academy Award using nothing but his wits, creativity and embracing the possibilities of the present times.

Steven Soderbergh and Zack Snyder are two other notable directors who have taken a step to the smart side, by producing full length films using nothing but smartphones. And the list is bigger than you would expect.

Smart or Pro?

So why do we call it the smart generation? Simply put, it costs a fraction of the time, money and effort needed to properly operate a smartphone, than it is to power professional video gear. Smartphones are inexpensive, fast, remote, intuitive & light. They do not need a transporter to get to the scene of the action, and do not require a whole team to operate them. Additionally, phones are constantly being upgraded and improved, and thanks to the many apps being developed, the possibilities are becoming endless. With time there will be App replicas of any professional video device you can think of, and you will be able to fit them all in one phone!

Becoming smarter online!

Just like anything else, you can learn everything about video creation online. The internet is full of professionals that have decided to be smart about things and discover the potential behind the new tools evolving at the tip of their fingers. And with a good storyline, a pair of functioning hands and the right information, anyone can take their video art to the next level and leave their viewers amazed. The following video by the popular channel Learn Online Video portrays just how professional content can look when done the smart way.

A good storyline is key to creating good content. Without it, it really doesn't matter what equipment you are using. Your creators have the tools to produce professional looking content in just a few taps, and the resources to keep improving their game. Spare yourselves the camera crew and huge production costs, because the future will not be televised, it will be user generated!

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