Filmmaking app brings vintage vibes to your iPhone flicks

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Rtro video app for iPhone by Moment
Give your iPhone videos that retro look with Rtro.
Photo: Moment

Sometimes the story is best told with a home movie vibe straight out of a vintage 8 mm movie camera. That’s just not practical in the age of TikTok and Instagram, but there are plenty of smartphone apps to add a retro feel to your flicks.

The latest is actually called Rtro and it made its small-screen debut today when it became available for download in the App Store.

Rtro is the product of Moment, a company with hardware and software supporting the mobile photographer and filmmaker.

Moment is primarily the maker of high-end lens attachments that enhance your iPhone photos and expand the view of your handset’s camera. But the company is creating quite an ecosystem with other accessories and now apps that add pro-like looks and editing tools.

Rtro is a free download with add-ons purchased in-app. The app rolls out with six looks inspired by some of Moment’s favorite content creators and will feature new looks each month, according to the website.

So what constitutes vintage or retro? One characteristic would be the colors. Some of the looks feature odd color shifts as if shot on expired color film. Other looks offer more contrast, blown highlights or more saturated colors. For the art-house treatment, there is a black and white setting

The app also lets you add overlays. Presumably, these include scratches, dust and light leaks common with home movies.

Rtro allows you to shoot 60-second clips at various frame rates from 30 fps down to 6. The app also lends more modern help, like clip stacking, subject tracking and multiple formats.

Your films will pair nicely with Moment’s anamorphic lens for eye-catching lens flares and that sweeping cinematic horizontal frame.

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