Recently I got an iPhone 4S and the iMovie App. I’m enjoying using them in my digital accounts/storytelling experiments. I was initially skeptical of the app, especially after reading some of the reviews about its limited functionality. But, since it was only $4, I decided to try it out. I’m glad I did. So far, I’ve only used it for two brief projects, so I’m still in the very early stages of experimenting with it. As far as I can tell, you can’t:
1. Import video from other devices (so that rules out using my old footage)
2. Play around with the music files (so I can’t just use part of STA’s great music, but must use all of it, unless I edit it down somewhere else)
3. Have black/white screens with titles (and there doesn’t seem to be a choice of fonts)
4. Choose between different fades (just dissolve, if I remember correctly)
But, after a few minutes of grumbling, I’ve found that I don’t mind having these limitations; they’re helping to shape what sort of video projects that I create using the app. Tentatively I’ve decided to use the app for doing (almost) daily digital moments: minute long digital stories that are fairly straightforward and are aimed at capturing a fleeting thought/idea/experience. One main purpose of these moments is to get in the habit of paying attention to/reflecting on/troubling my daily life. I want these videos to be really quick and easy to make, so that they won’t take up all of my time. The iMovie app is extremely easy to use. I can do video directly in it or easily grab photos, videos or audio from my iPhoto and iTunes. I can split clips by swiping down and delete bits I don’t want with a double-click. And I can quickly share the video to Vimeo (which my preferred online space for video; you can also share to youtube and facebook).
Here are the two digital moments that I’ve created so far:
From Saturday, November 10th
From Monday, November 12th
An interesting note about using these moments to pay attention/be aware of my everyday experiences: Throughout the second moment, a fairly loud plane is passing overhead. Having lived in the house for 8 years now, I’ve managed to tune out the sound of planes at the nearby airport. When I was shooting the footage, I remember thinking how quiet and peaceful it was outside (well, that was until RJP appeared and began singing!). In editing/creating this moment, I was surprised to hear the plane; it made me question and re-think my perception and memory of my experience in/with the snow.