Capturing fireworks on a phone is a challenge. Manila-based filmmaker Teejay Jamlang does it to perfection in his highlights video of the 10th Philippine International Pyromusical Competition. In the interview that follows the movie, Jamlang gives tips that you might find useful when you’re trying to document a fireworks show.

Interview with Teejay Jamlang

MMM: Could you tell us something about yourself?

Jamlang:  I live in Marikina, Metro Manila, Philippines. I’m a  fulltime VR/AR Developer and I do mobile filmmaking as a hobby. But I’m already thinking about going fulltime into filmmaking.

MMM:  How did you develop your filmmaking skills?

Jamlang: I developed my filmmaking skills by watching thousands of hours of YouTube videos about filmmaking, cinematography, and other elements related to making great videos.

MMM: Are there any filmmakers whose work has been important to?

Jamlang:  All of the YouTube filmmakers have influenced me, but a few that I can name are Brandon Li, Peter McKinnon, and JR Ali.

MMM: How would you categorize your entry into the 10th Philippine International Pyromusical Competition? Is it a documentary, a commercial, or something else?

Jamlang: I see it as a typical highlights video. But the difference with my entry is that there is this build up, which I want to emphasize. The goal is to give you the same feeling you get when you are watching a fireworks display.

MMM: Can you explain that?

Jamlang: You start from a slow countdown and then as you are close to zero, there is a build up that you feel.  And then there comes the climax, which is the fireworks. That’s the feeling I want the audience to experience.

MMM: Why did you choose to shoot your entry on an iPhone rather than a traditional camera?

Jamlang: These days I mainly use my iPhone on all of my videos because of the great portability than with traditional cameras. Equally important, the quality of the video from mobile phones now is on par with the quality of traditional cameras. 

MMM: Any disadvantages with using the phone?

Jamlang: You cannot make those creamy bokeh portrait shots, and because of the fixed aperture of the phone’s cameras, it is challenge to achieve a decent result in low-light situations.

MMM: When shooting your video, besides the iPhone X, what other gear did you use?

Jamlang: I have different external lenses, mainly those made by Moment. Stabilization is important. For that I use the Zhiyun Smooth 4 gimbal and a Ulanzi Cage Rig for my handheld shots.

MMM: What software do you use for editing?

Jamlang: For this movie, I used two editing apps, LumaFusion and Kinemaster. I laid my clips on LumaFusion, because it’s much easier to compile your clips here than any other editing software and after I laid my clips, I go to KineMaster and add the transitions, effects, and also I do the sound design here because KineMaster can support many layers versus the 3 layer only support on LumaFusion both on video and and audio. And also note that LumaFusion has this reverse feature that kinemaster lacks.

MMM: Could you offer advice to someone who would like to shoot fireworks?

Jamlang: My advice is: always lock your exposure and focus when shooting  fireworks. That’s because once the fireworks light up in the sky, the brightness will change your exposure and focus unless they’re locked.

MMM: How do you handle locking exposure and focus?

Jamlang: I use a 3rd party app like FiLMiC Pro and Moment. These make it easier to lock the focus and exposure than the native iPhone app. Also, you cannot change the shutter speed on the native iPhone app. That’s why I never use it when making films.

MMM: Which kind of lens do you recommend?

Jamlang: I suggested using a variety of focal lengths. This is where the external lens come in handy. Try a wide lens for some of the shots and a telephoto for others. If you’ve got stabilization, experiment with following shots, tracking the fireworks starting from the ground and all the way up to the explosion. 

MMM: Anything else?

Jamlang: Shoot in 60 or higher fps. Fireworks is amazing when slowed down!

MMM: Do you have any advice in general for people just starting out as mobile movie makers?

Jamlang: First things first. If you have a camera which can shoot a video at even a 360p, you can start making videos. You don’t need to have those high quality DSLRs to start making videos. And when you are watching tutorials on youtube, don’t just watch it, exercise what you learn from it. And lastly, invest in gear. Yes this will cost you but this will payoff eventually. Trust me.

MMM: What movie project are you working on now?

Jamlang: I’m currently volunteering in different communities to shoot highlight videos of their events. And some personal summer vacation trips. So stay tuned for that.

MMM: What’s the best way for people to keep up with your work?

Jamlang: They can follow me on Facebook, on Instagram, and on YouTube.

# # #

The editors of MobileMovieMaking have chosen Teejay Jamlang’s entry in the 10th Philippine International Pyromusical Competition as a Mobile Movie of the Week.