We’ve all seen documentaries that record subjects telling their stories in quiet locations, for example, an office or living room. That’s the easy way to do it. But it’s not necessarily the best. For a creative alternative, consider Camilo Estrada’s “The Bahian,” an entry in the 2015 Original iPhone Film Festival.

This four-minute smartphone video biography, shot with an iPhone 5, captures its protagonist—restauranteur Ivan Avatar— in a variety of locations that matter to him.  Each location adds to our understanding   Ivan’s character. Simultaneously, these various places visually enrich the movie.

In discussing his smartphone video biography, the director emphasizes the significance of place: “In Brazil, a country currently going through a severe economic crisis, special people like Ivan appear to give some hope. From the state of Bahia, (northeast Brazil) he goes to Rio de Janeiro to spend some vacations and not only does he never leave but he makes his life´s project out of this journey.”

Estrada shot the movie using the MoviePro app for iPhones and iPads. You can find a very helpful Epic Tutorial on using MoviePro here.

The technique of building location into a video biography lends itself to just about any subject you’re covering: doctors and other professionals, merchants, artists, students, and seniors.

“The Bahian” is just one of many intriguing entries in the 2015 Original iPhone Film Festival. You can participate in choosing the Grand Prize Winner by voting here.

You can find a simple seven-step recipe for producing a smartphone video biography here.