As smartphones get more sophisticated, offering options that once were only available in high-end cinema cameras, there is a growing interest for mobile filmmaking. The recent Xiaomi Film Festival, premiered early this September, is an example of how companies are investing in actions and events that help to promote their products but also reveal a new generation of filmmakers to the world.
Xiaomi premiered their first-ever film festival consisting of short films shot entirely on Xiaomi smartphones, each film giving a unique perspective of life in “The New Normal” following the global pandemic. A variety of filmmakers from all over the world were invited to showcase their short films at the inaugural film festival, furthering Xiaomi Studios’ initiative of providing a global platform to creatives to help inspire creativity at all levels.
Steven Senshan, Head of Xiaomi Studios commented then, “Xiaomi hopes with the Xiaomi Film Festival, filmmakers from around the world can continue to come together and be inspired by the content that can be created with the phone in your pocket. In the years to come, Xiaomi Studios look to continue to expand on the message of the inaugural film festival by creating more opportunities for excellent filmmakers worldwide to participate, as well as to hold possible offline events in the future.”
Xiaomi also released this September “Xiaomi Fan Story,” a series of documentaries filmed and contributed by the Xiaomi Global Community. This six-episode documentary is a collection of true-to-life stories Xiaomi Fans have recorded of their own lives. Each video spotlights six Xiaomi Fans, who hail from different corners of the globe including Pakistan, Poland, Vietnam, Portugal and Italy. The series not only documents their perseverance through thick and thin as they pursue their passions, but illustrates how the Xiaomi brand has become an integral part in supporting their ambitions.
Now the company announces another step to expand mobile filmmaking. Xiaomi has partnered with Sundance Collab, a global community and learning platform for creators launched by Sundance Institute, to create a customized course unpacking the tools and opportunities for professional mobile filmmaking. The course is hosted by Steven Senshan, who has been behind some of Xiaomi’s most daring smartphone filmmaking endeavors, including the above-mentioned Xiaomi Film Festival that featured award-winning filmmakers from around the world making their own smartphone films.
Co-created by filmmaking professionals from Xiaomi Studios and Sundance Collab, the course explores mobile filmmaking and offers a behind-the-scenes look at how films shot on smartphones can be made to look professional. Each episode will focus on a different aspect of mobile filmmaking, from learning to work within the parameters of smartphone cameras to choosing gear, scouting for locations and more. Episodes will also feature appearances from Xiaomi Creators, members of a talent program that provides gifted filmmakers and photographers a platform to share their creativity globally via the lens of their smartphone.
The episodes in the Smartphone Filmmaking Course will also feature appearances from Xiaomi Creators, members of a talent program that provides gifted filmmakers and photographers a platform to share their creativity globally via the lens of their smartphone. The full course, consisting of seven episodes and post-class activities, will be available tuition-free on Sundance Collab on October 4th. First six episodes will also be released once a week on Xiaomi’s official social media channels starting on the same day.
“Over the past decade, creators with a smartphone have made high quality work that we have screened as shorts and features at the Sundance Film Festival. We are excited to partner with Xiaomi Studios on this detailed course that will provide global filmmakers with new tools to maximize the craft of shooting on a mobile device,” said Beth Tripmacher, Product Lead for Sundance Collab.