CNET

5 cinematic camera tricks for your phone

I’m stuck at home struggling to feel creative and just got Apple’s new iPhone SE. So I decided to scour the internet for the best low-budget, DIY, cinematic camera tricks to do at home. I’ll walk you through my favorites. Also, you can probably use just about any phone. Swiffer camera rotation (aka “Drunk Man…

Published

6 years ago

May 11, 2020

CYBER TECH TV

Swiffer camera rotation (aka “Drunk Man Falling”) : 1:29
The Edgar Wright whip pan: 2:39
Tape Measure Trucking shot: 3:22
Spinning Staredown: 4:38
Falling iPhone: 5:37
Oscillating guitar strings: 6:42
Pterodactyl hands intro shot: 6:54
Special appearance by my cat Shayne: 7:34

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Check out the folks who inspired me:
Karen X:
Film Riot:
Parker Walbeck:

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40 Comments

Nic Henry

May 11, 2020 at 12:43 pm

Try these yourself and let me know how they go!

Reply
- antzpantz
  
  May 11, 2020 at 12:55 pm
  
  Does your cat have an Instagram?! ????????????
  
  Reply
- Nic Henry
  
  May 11, 2020 at 3:14 pm
  
  @antzpantz Unfortunately she’s not great with technology!
  
  Reply
- RG Engineer
  
  May 11, 2020 at 4:32 pm
  
  Mm ueah!
  
  Reply
- Sean Hollister
  
  May 11, 2020 at 5:08 pm
  
  Love everything about this video. Hope you’re doing well!
  
  Reply
- Nic Henry
  
  May 12, 2020 at 7:45 pm
  
  @Sean Hollister Thanks Sean! Hope you’re doing well too, bud
  
  Reply
Zarihs Zoltan

May 11, 2020 at 2:23 pm

Man isolation is really getting in to you

Reply
simon nomis

May 11, 2020 at 2:39 pm

Gaffer tape is amazing, a lot better then duct tape between legs. ;). If you don’t have a mop, you can you tape on other end to make a hinge for smooth motion. Also rubber band makes things smoother and last longer ( ….joke). For panning use it to turn the tripod or home made monopod on stick. Run tape through it and instant holder or controlled fall down shot.

Reply
Jeremiah Guffey

May 11, 2020 at 2:41 pm

Very cool ideas to try at home! How’d you pull off the reverse dolly zoom with your cat at the end? Thanks for the inspiration, will be trying a few of these out.

Reply
- Nic Henry
  
  May 11, 2020 at 3:13 pm
  
  I propped the phone against a Coors Light on top of my skateboard and pushed it toward my cat. Then in the edit, just add a digital zoom the opposite direction the camera is moving. And shoot at a higher res than your final export. Thanks for watching, Jeremiah!
  
  Reply
Andy Lin

May 11, 2020 at 2:53 pm

nice tricks.

Reply
Arif Mahmud

May 11, 2020 at 3:04 pm

Please lets have a photo trick please

Reply
CaptainBearPants

May 11, 2020 at 3:06 pm

Thus video was awesome ????

Reply
Serge Bissainthe

May 11, 2020 at 3:09 pm

Very clever! Thanks for sharing!

Reply
Anmol Raj

May 11, 2020 at 3:31 pm

Him saying “iphone” instead of just “phone” triggers me.

Other than that, nice video.

Reply
dominicandaddy88

May 11, 2020 at 3:54 pm

This is awesome. More content like this, please.

Reply
Nag

May 11, 2020 at 4:09 pm

Awesome , thanks

Reply
TrueFuture TV

May 11, 2020 at 4:18 pm

I’m about to try some camera tricks now.. I hope my tape holds!!

Reply
RG Engineer

May 11, 2020 at 4:31 pm

Yeah really asowm!

Reply
shygjn

May 11, 2020 at 5:17 pm

4:33 is a masterpiece ????????????

Reply
sherri moquin

May 11, 2020 at 5:20 pm

Cnet never disappoints

Reply
Expert Contributor

May 11, 2020 at 5:37 pm

Umm…!¡MoW!¡ You are such a good presenter. Your voice is so soothing. There is no big drama; everything is just so calm and collected. Bravo

Reply
Skip Press

May 11, 2020 at 5:47 pm

Perfect Texas-shirt

Reply
Hackuna MyTatas

May 11, 2020 at 5:52 pm

cool beans

Reply
Mahmoud Tala't

May 11, 2020 at 6:20 pm

Selling an iphone se witb style … thanks CNET

Reply
Guitar Prodigy by Wilfred Clinton

May 11, 2020 at 7:30 pm

Love for iPHONE SE♥????????

Reply
Shara - I love S*X : *** TAP ON MY PHOTO

May 11, 2020 at 7:51 pm

☀ ???? ????

Reply
Robert Gardner

May 11, 2020 at 7:54 pm

He didn’t even show us how to do the second trick

Reply
- Nic Henry
  
  May 11, 2020 at 9:27 pm
  
  It’s just editing two panning shots in the same direction together and then doing some acting to sell the action. Bonus points if you add a little motion blur and sound design ????
  
  Reply
Mustafa Baran

May 11, 2020 at 8:08 pm

????????

Reply
Creative

May 11, 2020 at 10:18 pm

The best and most relatable video I’ve seen from cnet in years
Good job man ????

Reply
Shiva Sundar

May 11, 2020 at 11:59 pm

The tricks started of great till he rush down the end ????

Reply
Naing Aung Lu Lu

May 12, 2020 at 1:59 am

I wanna know how to use effect like rotation thing in Adobe premiere or something?

Reply
polianapalooza

May 12, 2020 at 2:03 am

Your bathroom makes a great darkroom for film development

Reply
G Galilei

May 12, 2020 at 3:28 am

Worse than useless

Reply
Adam Zahn

May 12, 2020 at 3:49 am

Dear CNET…..please make more videos with this guy. I still love me some Brian Tong, but this young run and gun gem kills it EV????????ER????????Y????????TIIIIIMME!! Seriously…..more content from him ASAP!!

Reply
Matt S

May 12, 2020 at 3:51 am

Great video!!

Reply
RonMiki

May 12, 2020 at 5:55 am

Nice footage from the iphone! I shoot mobile cinematic in my channel and I like your tips and tricks here. They’re very useful. Thanks for sharing this. Nicely done!

Reply
Gyula Budai

May 12, 2020 at 1:17 pm

This very old phone is useless to take good pictures, I bought a P30 PRO instead for the same price and enjoying ultra wide, 5x periscope zoom, perfect night mode, AI.

Reply
Андрій Позняков

May 12, 2020 at 6:40 pm

Why not to find a little bit second handed iPhone 11 on Ebay instead ?) For the same price

Reply

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