Apps & Digital Platforms

Apps & Digital Platforms

Posted by Team APATA | Mar 30, 2020

While online and virtual classes will never replicate the same feeling as being in the studio, rehearsal room or on stage we’re in luck with an ever-increasing digital world to support the performing arts connect with each other. Digital platforms from apps to online streaming have been in action over the past few weeks for our classrooms, workshops, lessons and performance like never before as we’re asked to social distance.

Below is a list of options out there for online classes or apps to support learning and practice while at home. Please note all teachers and studio owners should check individual insurance policies in terms of cover for operating with digital platforms with your students. We’d also suggest opening each online session (live or recorded) with a housekeeping announcement – safe practice and responsibilities.

Digital Resources Keeping Us Connected

Zoom
Facebook Live
Facebook groups
YouTube and YouTube Live
Vimeo and Vimeo Live
Movitae
Google Hangouts vs Hangouts Meet
Class Dojo
Skype
Band app
Dropbox
Google Drive
Google Classroom
Trello → for creating a content library

Each of the above have their own pros and cons and some users will already have tapped into digital platforms and have a preference. Some applications are free, and others have a cost applied to them for access and the number of participants permitted without a charge, so be mindful of your audience and their circumstances to keep everyone motivated and participating.

Now might also be a great opportunity to set yourself up for when the world bounces back – imagine the world post COVID-19 – act towards it. The following tools will keep you in the loop as well as being prepped and ready for the future.

WeAudition gives you instant access to a rehearsal partner through video chat to help you run your lines. The app will notify thousands of readers, actors, and coaches when you’re ready to work on your scene. WeAudition makes running lines very easy.

Backstage Casting is the easiest way to find and apply to casting calls and auditions on-the-go. Set up a profile and save searches for the types of roles you’re interested in, and the app will let you know when something that matches your profile is casting. From there you can apply, get audition details, rehearsal dates…all the important info to launch your career!

Rehearsal Pro is perhaps the most well-known of all the apps to help you learn your lines. You can record your lines and play them back, watching the script scroll by like a teleprompter, or you can even put your lines in “blackout mode” to test yourself. The app works with short audition sides and feature-length scripts and is useful for actors in theatre, commercials, voice over, television, and film.

Tableread is a free, easy-to-use film and television app that allows you to read and listen to scripts, screenplays, and teleplays on mobile. Simply import a professionally formatted script in PDF format and listen. The Pro Version of the app allows you to listen to scripts read by over 45 unique character voices and add an inspiring soundtrack from a library of genre-specific scores.

Scene Partner helps you learn lines using your own script or allows you to choose an e-Script from Music Theatre International, Samuel French, or Dramatist Play Service. You can hear your lines on your phone or tablet using the male and female voices provided or download additional voices for more variety.

My Lines lets you have your script with you on a mobile device anytime, anywhere. You can rehearse and memorize your lines without a scene partner, by either looking at or listening to your lines. You can also see or hear cue lines when you’re ready to be off-book. (Run Lines With Me is another great option.)

Your Digital Brand

AuditionCal helps you track and organize your auditions and events (networking, workshops, agent and manager meetings). The app includes a searchable database, data email export function, calendar view with notifications and reminders, and photo uploading. AuditionCal will help you stay organized right from the convenience of your phone.

Slatable is a new app that makes the often-daunting task of self-taping simple. The app automates the technical process so you can focus on your performance without the need for tricky editing software or even a computer. Slatable also automates professional title cards and smooth transitions between each scene. (If you’re an Android user, My Selftape App is a great option.)

Social media apps are effective networking and relationship-building tools for your acting career. Not sure whether Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or Snapchat is right for your acting career? Find out how to choose the best platforms here!

IMDb Part of your job as an actor is research. You must know who’s involved in the projects you’re auditioning for. You can do this research on your computer but having the IMDb app on your phone is helpful for those last-minute auditions. It’s free so there’s no excuse not to have this one.

Shakespeare Pro includes the complete works of Shakespeare (41 plays, 154 sonnets, and 6 poems, including “doubtful” works) as well as detailed scene breakdowns, character descriptions, and glossaries. It’s an essential app for any classical actor.

Storyist is a wonderful app for actor-writers who need to produce submission-ready manuscripts and screenplays. The app comes with manuscript and screenplay templates (so you can focus on writing instead of formatting), the ability to work with both Final Draft FDX and Fountain script formats, and multiple cloud storage options.

The Amazing Improv Generator is a tool that will help you come up with spontaneous ideas for improvisational performances. This fun app will provide you with a random character, setting, or event all at the push of a button.

MyHeadshots lets you edit photos and résumés from your phone. It’s especially useful for child actors since a child’s look changes so quickly as they grow. You can crop, edit, add your name, or borders to any photo on your phone or tablet creating a professional-looking shot whenever you need one. This app makes getting an up-to-date head shot a snap.

Apps for stage and performing arts designers.

When it comes to apps for Android and iPhone markets, designers require choices that satisfy exacting standards and meet technical demands, while also sparking the creative impulse. This is especially true in the performing arts, whose designers require mobility and functionality for ease of use even in the midst of the chaos of rehearsals, preparations, and planning and those challenges we’re all currently faced with working from home.

There are some amazing apps out there now that are streamlined and smart, and that offer designers everything from inspiration and information to the technical tools to sketch, plan, and dream.

The AutoCAD mobile app from Autodesk enables users to easily view, edit, and share AutoCAD drawings with anyone, anywhere using their mobile devices. Use it to annotate and revise drawings in the office, in the field, or in a meeting. The app allows you to work on designs without an internet connection and easily opens DWG, DWF, and DXF files directly from email. Simplify design creation, review, and approval using powerful, built-in social design collaboration tools, and unleash the power of AutoCAD design beyond the desktop.

AutoQ3D CAD is a full CAD software tool designed to help users create 2D and 3D technical drawings, and can be used for sketching designs as well. The app is designed for use by architects, engineers, designers, students, hobbyists, and others.

The Freeform app from Stunt Software is a vector drawing tool for the iPad that is helpful for the creation of quick sketches, mock-ups, or diagrams. Drawings can be exported via email in JPG, PNG, or PDF formats, or they can be saved to the user’s photo library.

The iDesign app from TouchAware Limited offers precision 2D vector drawing and design for the iPad, iPhone, and iPod touch. The app enables the creation of professional-quality designs, illustrations, and technical drawings on the move. The iDesign app has unique features and offset controls that allow users to draw accurately, even in an app environment.

Autodesk Graphic (formerly iDraw) is a feature-packed vector drawing and illustration app available on the iPad, with support for layers, text, images, multicolor gradients, brushes, a powerful bezier pen tool, fully customizable canvas styles, clipping, PDF export, and much more.

PANTONE Studio from colour-matching specialist Pantone offers access to a library and reference of over 13,000 PANTONE colours, including the PANTONE PLUS series and the Fashion, Home + Interiors colours. Users can easily create colour palettes for inspiration and share them with friends, clients, and vendors. PANTONE Studio offers designers and colour-conscious consumers a way to cross-reference libraries and take PANTONE colours with them wherever they go.

The original and popular handwriting app for the iPad, Penultimate from Evernote gives users the swift, tactile gratification of writing on paper, with digital power and flexibility. Using Penultimate, users can take notes, draw sketches, or share breakthrough ideas in the office, on the go, or at home on the sofa.

ShowTool Swatch from Daniel Murfin brings the gel swatch book to life in the mobile environment and is an easy and beautiful way of viewing important information. Users can share ideas with friends and send orders straight to a local dealer.

Users get the chance to unleash their creativity with the Autodesk SketchBook mobile app, a professional-grade paint and drawing application offering a full set of sketching tools and a streamlined and intuitive user interface — perfect for individuals who sketch every day.

Apps and platforms for Filmmakers

DSLR Slate this slating app helps streamline shot-logging and will make things much easier in post-production. It does what a traditional slate would do, but it allows you to pack in much more detailed information than you could ever fit on a slate including shutter speed, ISO, aperture, lens and much more.

Film Touch though it was designed around commercials, industrials and music videos, Film Touch also comes in handy when you can’t keep track of old call sheets or remember that handy PA’s name. The app imports your PDF call sheets and crew lists into a private, searchable list of your jobs, companies and coworkers.

MapAPic sure, taking photos of potential locations on your iPhone is helpful. But this location scouting app takes it a step further. It organizes all your shoot locations in one place, with geotags, hi-res pics, sunrise and sunset times, your tags and notes and more. Even better, it also provides directions to your locations and allows you to share your locations by email, Instagram and Twitter.

Shot Designer Directors and DPs can use this speedy, free app to create camera diagrams and animate characters in order to pre-visualize scenes. You can sync scenes across devices and share with other users. There’s an integrated lighting designer and set designer. There’s also a pro version with file management, sync and team sharing, scene freeze and more.

Shot Lister this film set schedule tool allows directors and producers to build, organize, schedule and share shot lists and shooting schedules digitally. It’s a lot more efficient than sketching your ideas on little pieces of paper you stuff in your pocket.

ShotPro the days of using stick figures and arrows to visualize your film’s world are over. This pre-visualization app by Shot Professional allows filmmakers, directors, DPs and storyboard artists to build compelling 3D sets and scenes as well as animatable characters. You can build a virtual set and bring your characters to life and even adjust their facial features, control lighting, add props and even add multiple cameras for each scene. You can even add weather effects.

Storyboard Composer this mobile storyboard and pre-visualization composer allows you to add markups (such as dolly, track, zoom and pan) to your photos. You can then set a duration for each storyboard panel and play it back to get a sense of pacing and framing. It’s easy to learn and best of all, you’ll never have to draw a storyboard again.