With the special-effects blockbuster "Transformers: Dark of the Moon" hitting theaters, now's a good time to remind budding auteurs that one doesn't need a hundred million dollar budget to make a good movie. In fact, with some creativity, you can make an award-winning flick for next to nothing.
Tech company Nokia recently held a competition to see who could make the best short film using only a cell phone camera. The two-minute film "Splitscreen: a Love Story" was declared the winner. It's easy to see why. The flick's use of innovative cinematography, combined with a charming story about two travelers who find each other halfway around the world can put a smile on most anybody's face.
The director, JW Griffiths, shot the entire film on a Nokia N8 cell phone. Not too shabby, but he's hardly a newbie. According to his official site, he's filmed a commercial starring Ray Winstone ("The Departed") as well as a book trailer for best-selling author James Ellroy ("L.A. Confidential").
A "making of" video he posted highlights some of the techniques he used in the filming, including a stedi-cam. It's a lot like the ones they use in blockbusters like, well, "Transformers."
You can check out the movie below.
Splitscreen: A Love Story from JW Griffiths on Vimeo.
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