By Sereena Gill
Freefly Systems has announced the Movi Smartphone Cinema Robot, a new iPhone accessory to enhance smartphone filmmaking.
Called a ‘cinema robot,’ rather than a gimbal, the tool is designed to make it easier to film smooth and clean shots through integrated apps and controls.
Its biggest feature is the ability to plan a moving shot, which the robot will autonomously execute for users to help reduce the need for large crews.
In a press release, a company spokesperson said: “The iPhone is one of the most powerful film and photography tools ever created.
“The ability to capture, edit, and share high quality photos and videos with a device that fits in your pocket is a game changer for the creative community. To date it’s been difficult to create smooth, precise, and high quality videos with the iPhone. Movi unleashes the iPhone’s true potential.”

Credit: Freefly
Professional Freefly gimbals have been used in plenty of Hollywood films from Captain America: Civil War to The Wolf of Wall Street. The team behind Movi say they have tried to integrate this knowledge into the smaller gimbal.
The tool comes with a variety of filming modes, including a timelapse option alongside other shots like the dizzying ‘movilapse’ mode.
The Movi Smartphone Cinema Robot is designed to work with iPhones running iOS 11 or later.
Continues below…
Four of the best iPhone filming accessories
If you’re just getting into filming, you may feel daunted by the amount of kit that videographers and filmmakers have…
Eight best filmmaking apps for your smartphone
The Video Mode has scoured the App Store to find the eight best filmmaking apps to make your smartphone all…
Manfrotto unveils new TwistGrip rig for smartphone filmmakers
Manfrotto has unveiled a new miniature rig system for smartphone filmmakers called the TwistGrip System. Known for its reliable camera…
Smartphone filmmaking has become increasingly mainstream over the past few years with directors like Zack Snyder filming short films on the medium.
Now technology is beginning to match the industry demand, with tripods, gimbals and other accessories designed to make it easier to film on your iPhone. Let us know what you think of the emerging filmmaking medium in the comments below.
The Movi Smartphone Cinema Robot is priced at $299.00 USD.
Launched in December 2017, it is available online now with the first units set to be shipped in March, 2018.