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JJ Abrams' Action Movie FX App Blows Up Just About Everything

Friday December 23, 2011 10:03 am PST by Jordan Golson
JJ Abrams has been involved in the creation of some of the most successful movies and TV shows of recent years, including directing the reboot of Star Trek, co-creating the television show Lost, and producing the just-released Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol.

His company, Bad Robot Productions, typically focuses on his motion picture properties -- however, the company has now branched out into iOS apps with Action Movie FX.

The free app allows users to insert incredibly realistic special effects into videos shot within the app. Action Movie FX includes two free effects, Missile Attack! and Car Smash. Four more effects -- Chopper Down and Tornado, Air Strike and Firefight -- are available in two-packs via in-app purchase. Each set is $0.99, with more effects promised.

Business Insider's Ellis Hamburger filmed this clip inside BI's New York City headquarters, noting that the creation of the movie took "two minutes, tops."


Action Movie FX is available for free on the App Store, with two effects packs available via in-app purchase for $0.99 each. [Direct Link]

[ 66 comments ]

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mrtune
Posted: 22 weeks ago
Just shot a missile at my mother-in-law. This app is great! LOL
Rating: 14 Positives / 0 Negatives
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MaximusT
Posted: 22 weeks ago
I sat down with my 5 year old son to see if we could make a short film,
2 1/2 hours later we had this made:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coCrmtqACTs
Bad acting and script aside,
this is great for quick afternoon fun.
Rating: 7 Positives / 0 Negatives
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FakeWozniak
Posted: 22 weeks ago
Awesome, if only they could do the black smoke monster from Lost.
Rating: 6 Positives / 0 Negatives
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rickdollar
Posted: 22 weeks ago
The dog is now dead and the house is destroyed.
Rating: 4 Positives / 0 Negatives
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SockRolid
Posted: 22 weeks ago
That's crazy funny. I imagine that many in-laws will be extremely shocked by some of their relatives' holiday videos...
Rating: 4 Positives / 0 Negatives
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kirky29
Posted: 22 weeks ago
I was thinking the other day about Lost, there hasn't been a TV show since Lost that I was so hooked on and excited about watching...shame. (:
Rating: 6 Positives / 2 Negatives
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D.T.
Posted: 22 weeks ago
Hahaha, outstanding! I just destroyed the wife with a missile, and she pulled out all the stops with a dramatic reaction! :D

It's cool, you select the effect, then it fires up the camera, you shoot whatever amount of video, then add the FX on a timeline (so you can have plenty of lead in). It even gives you a target overlay while you're recording. Then it does a final post process and you've got your video.

It does require you to allow access to the app if you're going to share on FB, etc. (it's not in the normal camera roll), though I'm going to root around and see if I can find the actual video file in the filesystem.
Rating: 4 Positives / 0 Negatives
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Dagless
Posted: 22 weeks ago
That's actually a pretty good idea for an app! Might have to get this (well, the additional content packs).
Rating: 4 Positives / 0 Negatives
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jlgolson
Posted: 22 weeks ago

It does require you to allow access to the app if you're going to share on FB, etc. (it's not in the normal camera roll), though I'm going to root around and see if I can find the actual video file in the filesystem.

If you click "Share" from within the app, you can send it to the camera roll.

I also noticed that if you email it to yourself from within the app, rather than exporting to camera roll and THEN emailing it, it exports a larger video size.

If people want to see videos of the other effects, I can throw those up on YouTube too, though they don't work as well inside the house.
Rating: 3 Positives / 0 Negatives
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andylyon
Posted: 22 weeks ago
If that first clip with the car was done all on the iPhone thats incredible, i'll be grabbing this app!
Rating: 3 Positives / 0 Negatives

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