I shoot real estate video with an iPhone 4S using an Olloclip lens for wide angle and fisheye. I sometimes shoot video with and without the Olloclip and pick the best when editing.
To steady some of the moving shots I used a Steadicam Smoothie for the iPhone 4S. That takes some practice and concentration especially when walking over rough ground or on stairs. Check out this Steadicam scene from Goodfellas:
Could I do that with my iPhone and a Steadicam? Do I get that kind of service on date night with my wife? No. But, I keep trying.
I plan out the path I want to take in my head, then shoot sometimes several takes. I usually don’t get too brused up tripping on things. But, you know, it’s fun. And, the real work is back in my office. I spent more time editing the video than shooting video.
Most people don’t know what I’m doing when I use a Steadicam. For example, when I was shooting a video of my wife training to run a 5K at Powell Place someone from their HOA asked me who I was working for. She thought I had a radar gun and clocking traffic speed. Maybe I could slow people down as they enter Briar Chapel with my SteadiCam. I could at least post videos of them driving fast on my blog.
The other tool I carry in my trunk when I shoot real estate video is my AR.Drone quadra-copter. With that I’m able, weather permitting, to shoot aerial video streaming live to my iPhone and edit it into the final video. The main challenge with aerial video from the light drone is that even a slight wind will make for a rough ride. So, I often have to go back to the home to get the aerial video.
Here’s a video I shot this week of a home for sale in Briar Chapel for Jean McKenny of Allen Tate Realty.
