10 Hollywood shots you can make with a selfie stick

Tourists using selfie sticks have been a common sight in Asia for quite some time now and the behavior is spreading quickly to Western cities.

NOTE: The shots in this tutorial were made with my iPhone 6+, my modified Shoulderpod mount and the iStabilizier monopod “Smartphone Selfie Stick”

The first thing you need to know is how to choose a selfie stick that won’t break your phone

I made this video that compares different models and shows you what to look out for.

As you can see, not all selfie sticks are made the same and the shots you can make with them don’t always have to be selfies.

I visited Washington, D.C. recently to see if I could find 10 creative uses for this new filmmaking tool that many people use only to take photos of themselves.

WARNING: You will also need to secure your device with a strong mount before filming the shots that I show in this tutorial.

I have had reporters return back from field assignments with shattered displays when they use cheap smartphone mounts on sticks.

Do yourself a favor and upgrade your device mount before you try these filming techniques.

I explain each of these shot types with a short video clip.

The High-rising Inclined Dolly Shot

The Slo-motion Tilt Down Shot

The Out-of-body P.O.V. Shot

The Extreme Close-up Shot

The Elevated Slo-motion Trucking Shot

The High-angle Self-timer Shot

The High-angle Over-the-shoulder Shot

The 360-degree, Time-lapse, White House Selfie Shot

The Traditional Mirror Selfie Shot

The Smart Film School is a collection of e-learning course packs that teach you how to shoot and edit video on a mobile phone, produce social video content and master mobile journalism.

There are masterclasses with more than 100 lessons each as well as short courses that can be taken in less than hour.

Masterclasses