iPhone Video Editing: The Black Keys Live

The Black Keys – Charlotte, NC, 3.24.12. Shot & edited with my iPhone.
I’ve always loved rock concerts and live music. My first concert was Mötley Crüe at the nearest coliseum as a young metalhead, and I documented the event with my trusty Kodak Disc camera.
As more evidence of that device’s role in digital ancestry as a forerunner of today’s tech gear, I now document shows with my trusty iPhone 4, using its 5-megapixel camera and HD video recording capability. It’s absolutely mind-blowing, the quality of video this thing produces from a live show, even from the nosebleed seats, where I caught The Black Keys over the weekend.
I’m no Scorsese, and there are plenty of higher-quality videos from this show, but being able to record the event as I remember it and highlight the dramatic parts for later enjoyment – and then share that online… without even reading an instruction manual… it’s just magical for a music lover.
Have a look at what I whipped up in an hour – even though I was watching from high in the stands, I’ve tried to add some dimension with edits, pans and transitions, highlighting the best/most dynamic visual moments.



iPhone Video Editing: The Splice App

All transitions, titles, sound fades, pans and zooms were done with the iPhone using the app, Splice for the editing. It’s fast, intuitive, and great for producing a quick highlight reel. Some reviews say it’s unstable, but I haven’t experienced any of that. Within minutes of downloading it and tapping on a few buttons to see what they do, I was making a decent compilation video with titles, overdubbed music and transitions. I do not work for or promote Splice; I’m just wowed by this kind of technology.
I first got turned on to iPhone video editing by way of a mobile video contestsponsored by a local art organization (SECCA). I decided to enter just to see what I could create with minimal effort. Here’s my experimental entry for that : Skull Chant Blues.

This, Too Shall Soon Be Primitive


The Kodak Disc
The Disc was great back in the day, and I’m sure 30 years from now something will be around to make the iPhone look obsolete (remember when bag phones were impressive?), but for now, it’s a gratifying experience to put together a quick video in minutes that matches my memory of an awesome show.

BONUS: Fun – “We Are Young” Live

For a look at a decently-shot performance captured by my iPhone in a much more intimate venue, check out this video I shot a few weeks back of Fun performing their hit “We Are Young,” currently the #1 track on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart (I think the real hook is “Carry Me Home,” but hey). What a thrill for them to be touring to clubs full of sold-out crowds singing along with every word at the tops of their lungs – that’s the best part of this video – and I was glad to see them get such love from an audience in my state on a Saturday night.



What do you think? Could you see yourself using a smartphone for video editing? What other uses do you see for this technology? Have you ever edited video via your smartphone? If so, what app(s) do you prefer? Are you active on YouTube, Vimeo or other networks? Share your links and let us hear from you in the comments!

Related articles

• Top 10 Wish List for the Next iPhone (themarlincompany.com)
• The Black Keys Patrick Carney Names Spotify’s Sean Parker An A-Hole, Prefers iTunes (news.radio.com)
• M4 Competition (Mobile Media Mini Movies) (secca.org)
• The Black Keys Surpass Expectations (bagpiperonline)
• Review: The Black Keys in Cincinnati (I Wonder As I Wander)
• Splice: Video Editor for iOS Devices (Glen Mulcahy’s -VJ Technology Blog)
• Just Carry Me Home Tonight (My Drunken Diary)