Apps: Vine & 8mm

Have you been hearing about short little 6 second videos? Have you noticed videos of your friends that look like they came out of a time machine from another era? There are two apps that are currently all the rage to those who like to use social media and make videos. They are Vine and 8mm.

Vine was released to the public earlier this year exclusively to Apple iOS products. Recently it’s been made available to Android users. It’s an app that allows you to record 6 seconds of looping video to share on Vine, Twitter, or Facebook. To record a video, one simply holds their finger on the screen. To stop recording, take your finger off the screen. This allows the user to take a 6 second continous video or get creative with their shots and content. Other features include front and rear camera options and the option to take a 2 second clip. For easier shooting you can turn on a grid or use the “ghost” feature which allows you to see where the previous shot ended while you set up your next shot. The recordings are saved to the camera roll for iPhone users. Users can hashtag keywords and tag other users in video descriptions, add their video to a channel, add their location to the video, follow other users, like posts, “Revine”, and post comments. Did I mention it was free?

I know what you might be thinking; “6 seconds? Only 6 seconds?”. For a new generation that’s always on the go and on to the next, 6 seconds can contain a lot information. Vine captures a moment with sound and goes further than a picture on Instagram. It’s like a whole new world between a .gif and an actual video clip. The possibilities are endless with what one can come up with.

Suggested feature updates: an option to turn the flash on and zoom.

8mm has been around for a couple years now but it’s finally starting to become popular. It’s an app that allows you to shoot video in real time that looks like it was shot on old 8mm film. If you’re into that grainy, discolored, dust and scratched look, you’ll love this app!

It features 10 different types of film (filters) from different time periods: 1920, Noir, 60s, 70s, Sakura, XPro, Siena, Pela, Indigo and Tuscan. These can be swiped through and previewed on the viewfinder before filming. Another aspect you can manipulate is the lens or frame. There are seven to choose from: Super 8, Clear, Flickering Frame, Spotlight, Light Leak, Color Fringing and Classic. You can also make the frames skip like on an old projector by pressing down on the Jitter Button. Sound can also be manipulated to being more authentic with added projector reel “clicking” sounds. There’s also the option to use both front and rear cameras and to turn on the flash for added light (cough, cough… Vine). Last but not least, one’s able to import videos from their Photo Albums and process them through the different filters and frames as if you were filming them for the first time. This app is well worth the $1.99!

Two features I wish it included: a zooming option and a manual focusing button of some sort. This would allow the user to manipulate the video even more.

Here’s an example of a video I created on 8mm called, Femme Fatale:

[vimeo 67005509 w=853 h=480]