Can I use iPhone as a audio mic for a film?

I have a short film I have to make in a few hours and the mic on DSLR cameras pretty much suck. I was wondering if i could record the audio with my iPhone and layer it with the video in post processing. I have no experience making movies!

Since a dSLR is a poor choice for a beginner making a video and understanding audio and how it works is a pretty important skill to have, your project is teetering on the edge.

Clarifications:

1) The mics on dSLRs and camcorders are fine - when the mic is in the right place to get the audio. The problem is when the mic is in the right place for "best audio", the video image framing is not right. This is not the mic's fault, but physics and understanding audio characteristics. This built-in mics do not suck; they are just not being used properly.

2) If the smartphone's mic was THAT good, then you'd see more productions using them. Most folks would use an external mic connected to the dSLR. We don't know which dSLR you are using, so we don't know is it has a mic jack. Some do, some don't. Come to think of it, sonce we don't know which dSLR you are using, there's a chance the built-in mics suck on the equipment you are using - we'll never know. If video is that important (and a large part of video is the audio), then using something designed for videop and audio capture is a much better idea than using a dSLR designed to capture still images that happens to capture video as a convenience feature.

3) If you can get the iPhone closer to the the audio source and control the audio recording level on the iPhone when recording, it will work a LOT better than the dSLR's built-in mics that would be far away - and assuming the camera is in auto-mode, at least you won't be recording the dSLR's internal motor noise as it adjusts the aperture.

4) When you edit the video, import the audio, synch and mute the audio from the dSLR. If you are using a half decent editor like Sony Vegas, Adobe Premiere or Final Cut Pro, you will see the audio wave forms on the audio track. When you start recording video and audio, clap. That clap will show as an audio spike and help synch. When the echo is gone, they are in synch.

This does not mean a dSLR can't capture good video - it can, but you really should understand what you need in the way of covering for workarounds before getting in ovrr your head… Other hints:

* ALWAYS use a tripod or other steadying device. This could be a chair, shelf, camera crane, slider, anyhting, but never handheld. Nothing screams *AMATEUR!* louder than video captured with the device handheld.

* Don't zoom or pan unless absolutely necessary. And if necessary, then do it's - l - o - w - l - y.

* Use LOTS of light. Even for dark scenes. Shoot and edit using "Day for night" techniques. This eliminates video noise because the imaging chip can't deal with poor lighting.

* Having an idea for the story is great. Probably too late now, but after the idea comes an outline. Then the script, then the storyboard and the shotlist. The more you plan, the better the production has for success. No planning generally results poorly. One example of poor planning is not understanding how the audio will be done when shooting is about to start.

* Making a movie - or a short - whether for fun or not is all about project management. The compelling story and effective video capture is about being organized and understanding what you want to do. Since you are shooting a movie, you have the control. Be sure to take multiple shots of all scenes. Set up the shot, practice, press record on the camera and audio recorder, clap, run the action. Do it again. And again… And again… And when you think you got it right. Do it again. 3x. Now move the camera and shoot the same scene again… At least 6 times. Make notes of the date, time and shot number. You may want to reposition the camera and do all that again. It depends what the shot list and outline and script have you doing. This way, when you edit, you can cut to the different angles and keep the viewer interested. This is how conversations between two people cut back and forth… It is called a "reverse". Watch a movie. Average shot diration is about 4 seconds unless there's Really good reason to make it longer…

There's LOTS more, but this should get you started.

Have fun - and good luck!