Timelapse and Blendeo

16 May Timelapse and Blendeo

If you’ve seen any of my work you’ll know that I’m a huge fan of Timelapse.

For example:

It’s a shot-for-shot remake of the Netflix “House of Cards” intro captured using iMotion (for iOS in the App Store) on an iPad and an iPhone 4. I made “City of Design” over 3 years ago now and it’s due for an upgrade.
However, the point is, I love the technique. Mobile devices are perfect for capturing timelapse and there are so many uses which will add an extra dimension to your ‘mobile movie’ – illustrating the passing of time with a clouds shot; illustrating a busy conference hall with people filling a room or coming and going through the conference space; or simply speeding up a process that would be tedious in real time.
Over the past year, I’ve been using FilmicPro more often for timelapse, however iMotion has more control over intervals shorter than 1 second and is much better for these kinds of clips:

iMotion is a great app. If you’re new to mobile filmmaking then the free version has all you need to get to grips with the technique before you splash out on (£)2.99 for the full version! What FilmicPro offers is a better use of the camera capabilities of your phone or tablet, especially in low light. More on that soon.
And so to Blendeo.
Occasionally an app comes along that doesn’t appear to offer an awful lot. However, what I’ve found is that while Blendeo is deceptively simple, it not only looks good, but has practical benefits for your timelapse shots too.
I haven’t stopped using this app over the last month or so – importing my timelapse and regular filmed clips, and applying the motion blur effect. It’s possible to speed up or slow down your clip and add varying degrees of blur, from barely anything through to moving objects all but disappearing. And  I can think of any number of ways to use these effects.
Now, I have to say I haven’t yet used Blendeo to capture the time-lapse – I’m already spoiled for choice with iMotion and FilmicPro – and so I need to explore further.
So, here’s a short sample reel that I made the first week:

It occurred to me that, without seeing the original clips it’s hard to make the comparison. So here you go…
I’ve made two videos, one with, one without Blendeo. There are subtle differences in the edit but essentially it’s the same footage. Watch and let me know what you think…
First: Au natural…

Second: Au Blendeo…

 
I particularly like how, in the Blendeo version, static objects become more of a focus as everything around them becomes, well, a blur. Another benefit is that in the Blendeo version I was able to run the timelapse at twice the speed. Often timelapse can be jarring on the eyes. However, with the moving parts mostly ghosted out it’s possible to speed up the footage because the movement is muted. The impact of this will vary depending on your subject matter, but here, being able to have more of the bricks appear in place was a huge bonus and sold the effect of ‘the build’ even more.
But I’m keen to know what you think.
Let me know in the comments below or share this post and tweet me @OnTheSuperFly
If you have any filmmaking apps that you’d like me to try out then comment below, message me or Tweet me.
Cheers!