There is no end to the uses of smartphone video. Want proof? USA Today recently published a piece showing that Damien Chazelle used his iPhone to develop the opening scene of the Oscar-nominated  “La La Land.” Working in a parking lot, Chazelle filmed the dancers going through the routine. In the video shown here, the small inset in the lower left-hand corner is from the actual film.

Chazelle can be seen in the frame below. He’s moving backward, guided by an assistant with her hand on his back. The test footage was important because in well-made dance sequences, the camera movement is a key part of the choreography.

 

 

 

 

If “La La Land” whets your appetite for screen dancing, here’s WatchMojo.com’s “Top Ten Dance Scenes in Dance Movies.” While these weren’t shot with mobile devices, they may give you ideas for your own dance classic.