Best Apps for filmmakers

As this is a site related to Apples FCPX, I guess most of use Macs, and therefore many of us also use iPhones and iPads for convenience. (Keeping it simple - no Android Apps).

So what are the best Apps you use that help you as a filmmaker? Here are a few I find useful on the iPhone, mainly in production (not post-production):

FILMiC Pro
This makes your iPhone camera into a better video camera. When the recent Zacuto Shootout pitted the iPhone against the likes of the Arri Alexa, this is the software they used to film with. Most importantly, with this, you have control over your frame rates, so you can set it to 24 or 25 (or whatever) to match your other cameras. Very handy for those found-footage moments. It also gives you a useable zoom, and control over your bit rates and resolution, audio monitoring levels, grids, focus and exposure options, and much more. I use this all the time, set up the same as my pro cameras.

DSLR Toolkit
This is a handy little app that gives you the following:
1) Slate. A proper slate with many options. Well, this is a bit
small on an iPhone to be practical, but it would be very cool to use on an iPad.
2) Shot Log. What it says.
3) View Finder. Extremely Useful! Select you camera, and then select your lens from the options available - then the program will give you an approximation of your field of view using the iPhones camera. I have checked this with a number of cameras and it is very close. Very useful for taking photos of locations, using them in storyboards, and for blocking. The only problem is that due to the physical limitations of the iPhone lens, you are not able to recreate very wide angle lens options.
4) DOF Calculator. What it says, very handy and it works!
5) Daylight Times. Want to film at golden hour? This will work it out for you.
6) Timelapse Calculator. Not used this yet, but it looks very detailed.
7) Spirit Level. Basic but works.
This is a great bang for the buck app.

Flashlight
Not a filmmaking app, but its handy on set nonetheless. This gives you control of the flash, so you can use it as a bright light on a dark set. It also gives you lots of options on the iPhone screen (various colors and themes like candles, strobes, neon etc). We have actually used this as a fill light on a dashboard of a car to illuminate the drivers face - being able to set the color was very handy.

Those are the ones I use at the moment, but there are lots of other great apps out there (storyboarding apps, light meters, slates, sprit levels etc). Post your reviews here!

Not sure if these can be classified as "Apps," but at least one of them can operate as a standalone.

I think these 3 are essential for adding tremendous value to your production.

First for FilmLook - I like the results of FilmConvert Pro better than Magic Bullet

Secondly - for your star's look - Digital Anarchy's BeautyBox performs miracles with normal looking people. BeautyBox's slogan should be "Hey, maybe God & time has left them looking like that, but you don't have to stand for it." hehe...

Finally - Once again I can't resist to reiterate my love affair with Prolumetric . With this you can really add some power to your control over light, space & time.

Those are all good; though probably more 'plug-ins' rather than 'apps'.

I am more interested in apps for iphones and iPads that can be of assistance to filmmakers during production and pre-production, though it would be interesting to see if there are any apps for post-production (there was a recent one that assists with green-screen set ups - helping to get a more even light for keying in post).

Incidentally, I purchased Prolumetric but the software was faulty and did not work. that is the second item I got from Pixel Film that does not work for me!

Here are iOS apps I've been using for a few years now.

Movie*Slate is a must have, just check out all the features.
www.movie-slate.com/

Final Draft Writer - to work with my script writers, as I'm doing more writing myself.

ProPrompter - best budget teleprompter around, and pro quality.

AJA DataCalc - figure out how much card space you'll need before shooting.

Sunrise - vital sunrise/set, twighlight, etc, for photographers and videographers from any location.

Auria - full blown pro level DAW for iPad. With Apogee One, Duet, Quartest now iPad compatable its pretty powerful. I do all field recording with this.

AC-7 Core HD - wireless controls for Logic Pro, ProTools, etc. Cheaper than a set of Euphonix MC Mix surfaces (which are now broken with Avid's latest drivers & firmware that TOTALLY SUCK! I now hate AVID deeply!)

vWave Lite - awesome kick ass color grading surface for Apple's Colo on a budget if you can't afford the Euphonix MC Color. (which are now broken with Avid's latest drivers & firmware that TOTALLY SUCK! I now hate AVID deeply!)

FiatLux - flashlight

iHandy Level - bubble carpenter leveler to make sure your rigs are not off kilter.



Here are Mac apps I've been using for a few years now

VeeScope Live - reads FW cam feed to adjust for color, chroma keying, focus. It also has an iOS version for evaluating green/blue screens.

Pixelmator - I haven't touched PS in over a year, cheaper, faster, easier, better GUI.

QuickTime Pro 7 - still sold by Apple, it is NOT dead, quick resizing, transcoding, ripping audio tracks, etc.

Thanks Ben; maybe you could give us a quick summary of your favorites from the list above?

Here are the links for the 2 I posted above:

iphone.qualityindex.com/apps/528675/filmic-pro
www.dslrtoolkit.com

I also read about this new app, which I have not used, but it looks pretty interesting:

Cinemeter
www.adamwilt.com/cinemeter/

This allows you to use your iPhone as a light meter, waveform monitor, and false color monitor. This is especially handy for doing green-screen work as you can identify hotspots and shadows quickly while you are setting up the lighting. Sounds like a handy tool for lighting techs and DOPs to use on the fly.

I'll just update that post, then.