Five steps to attentive viewing
Full screen, headphones, quiet surroundings, a second viewing and a couple of lines about your impression: a simple habit described on the home page.
Collections
Collections
A collection is a short route through the magazine. Each one has three pieces that read well in a row: first a big-picture view, then a breakdown of a technique, then practical advice. If you're new here, pick the collection that suits you: for viewers, for those who want to shoot, or for those who care most about how a film sounds and is put together. The other sections are a click away via the links at the bottom of each page.
One short film watched closely will teach you more than a dozen scrolled past in a hurry.
How this section works: each collection groups magazine sections around a single question. Inside you'll find only our own pieces, with no links to watch films, no advertising and no advice on what gear to buy.
Where viewers should start
How to watch films on a phone so they still feel like cinema.
Where filmmakers should start
For anyone who wants to shoot their first film on a phone.
Roles on a small crew
Who is responsible for what in mobile filmmaking and how to split the work, even if your crew is just two people.
Horizontal or vertical
A table comparing the two frame formats: composition, movement, on-screen text and how the film will play for viewers.
Where to show your finished work
The kinds of festivals, contests and workshops out there, and how to vet an announcement before you submit your film.
On sound and editing
The invisible half of cinema, which matters especially on a small screen.
Sound and editing in your pocket
A magazine topic on why clean dialogue and well-timed pauses matter more than special effects when a film plays through headphones.
Sound designer and editor
Two roles that determine whether a short film is easy to follow and whether it has rhythm.
Table of contents
All sections with short descriptions, so you can quickly find a page about framing, sound or viewers.
Read next
- Articles
Six magazine topics, from the screen in your hand to viewing habits, plus the catalog of articles for the English edition.
- Analysis
How the first seconds of a short film work and how a vertical frame differs from a horizontal one.
- People
Director, camera operator, sound designer, editor, vertical series creator and programmer: the roles of mobile filmmaking.
- Events
Short film festivals, contests, film talks and mobile filmmaking workshops, and how to vet an announcement.
- Home
A magazine about film for the small screen: framing and sound in your hand, short films, the vertical format and shooting on a phone.
Sources
- Pqfilm editorial materials
- Reference materials on the history of mobile communications and video (general overview)
We describe the history of mobile filmmaking and video only by decade and in general terms, without exact dates or figures. Always confirm the terms of festivals, contests, talks and workshops with their organizers.