Make that music video fantasy of
yours a reality
It seems that anyone and everyone can make
a music video these days; whether you have the potential to be the next
sensation or just a viral hit, the line has been blurred between what divides
‘real’ directors and the rest of us mere mortals.
Apps like Cinebeat give ordinary iOS users
the chance to catch a glimpse of what things might look like if they were to
star in a music video, or indeed become the next $1.5 Fish man. The app takes
15-second clips recorded on your device, and then through a range of filters
that would have even the most avid Instagram user weak at the sepia toned
knees, remixes and transforms what you’ve captured into cool musical snippets
that you can share with the community and world at large.
Make
that music video fantasy of yours a reality
It may sound like it should be an extensive
process, but one of Cinebeat’s best-selling points is its accessibility; a
simple interface that makes recording and sharing your video a process of
potentially no more than three taps. Limiting clips to 15 seconds might feel
short when it comes to the “starring in a music video” theory behind the App,
but scroll through the Cinebeat feed, and you’ll see that creativity is not in
short supply, when it comes to filling the time span with everything from funny
pet habits to audio status updates being covered in the time frame – all with a
punk sound-bed and lens are accompaniment, naturally.
The
filters all do a range of things with both the visual and audio of your
original footage
Using the app as a social soapbox is
something that was most definitely expected by developer Smule, as the app’s
interface is very much geared towards sharing and interaction with other users.
Just spend a few minutes within Cinebeat and you’ll be able to make comparisons
to social sharing kings like Flickr. The app gives you the option to sign in
using Facebook when you first launch, and each video posted can be favorite
and commented on by others. Posts in Cinebeat are certainly more unique than in
most other video apps, so interaction feels inevitable.
When
you upload your own videos, you can add captions or descriptions to your clips
Of course you need to draw the interaction from
others by posting something that will catch their attention, and this actually
isn’t as hard as you might think. The best way to learn about Cinebeat is to
just start recording anything, and even doing this with the seemingly mundane
events of your living room can spark enjoyment once given a shot of adrenaline
through the filter process. Capturing is very easy; with a camera icon in the
clean interface’s sidebar, and a timer counting down your 15 seconds as you
record. Once completed the list of filters appear at the bottom of the screen
as a scroll bar, though do look out for those with a padlock icon as they will
require an in-app purchase in order to be accessible. Without them though
there is still a great range of things you can do to make your uploads stand
out.
The
app is full of other users who are sharing their own Cinebeat creations and
interacting with other members of the community
“Scroll through the Cinebeat feed and
you’ll see that creativity is not in short supply”
Most, if not all of the filters apply some
interesting lens effects to your footage. Lens flair and aging are both common
touches, as well as borders and other vignettes that immediately make the video
more visually interesting. A lot of the filters will also play with the levels
and indeed the sound of the audio; auto-tuning and remixing to create fun
results. This is done automatically when you select a filter to preview, and
takes place in around a second, keeping the smooth user experience that you’ve
encountered up to now going. This also means that you can exercise a try before
– you buy mentality by previewing various filters on your clip before settling
on one you want to use when sharing.
On the subject of sharing, however, you
will uncover the biggest flaw within Cinebeat in the form, or indeed lack of, a
saving space. The app is very black and white when it comes to storing your
clips; it says you can’t. If you choose not to share a video then and there, it
is lost forever. It’s a frustrating feature but one that shouldn’t hold you
back from trying out Cinebeat. You could update your Facebook status, telling
the world exactly what you think of it. Just keep it to 15 seconds.
Fun to experiment with, but it also
has enough creativity to satisfy serious users.
Verdict: 5/5
iPad+ : iOS 6.0 / Free/ v1.0.3
Pros/cons
·
A fun and unique way to edit video on iOS
·
Contains an interface that is joyfully simple to
navigate
·
Lack of a save feature is very frustrating
·
The Facebook link can be temperamental
How to … Create cool snippets with Cinebeat
1.
Select Camera
When you’re ready to create your own videos
on Cinebeat, you’ll find the camera icon present at the bottom of the
right-hand column under the feed. All it takes is one tap and you are ready to
go.
Select
Camera
2.
Capture Screen
The capture screen is very simple to
navigate. Icons are kept to a minimum, and a counter helps you get the most
from your 15-seconds. There’s also a link to your Camera Roll to upload
footage.
3.
Apply filters
Having recorded your footage, Cinebeat
presents you with a host of filters to put a different spin on your original
video. Swipe through all the filters on offer, and preview them with a tap.
Apply
filters
4.
Share with Cinebeat
Once you’re happy with what has been
created, tap the tick icon to share. This will initially post your video to the
Cinebeat community, complete with a caption should you want one.
5.
Share with friends
The video will appear in the Cinebeat
newsfeed, and you can share it even further by hitting the share icon on the
video, and then selecting your desired destination from the pop-up window
