Find your inner Spielberg with these movie-making phone apps

Introduction

Thanks to the power inside today's smartphones, you can film high-quality, 4K footage with a device that fits in the palm of your hand - in fact these phones are now so good, you don't even have to offload the editing part of the process to a computer any more.

All you need is the right app to get your clips looking good and edited together in a way that makes some kind of sense. You can have something looking polished and professional up on the web in just a few minutes - and these are the apps to help.

1. Hyperlapse

Hyperlapse (from Instagram) isn't a fully fledged editor but it has a couple of very useful tricks up its sleeve, and you might want to use it in conjunction with something else. First up the app is very good at stabilising videos if you're running, driving or otherwise moving.

Second, it can speed up footage by up to 12x very smoothly, letting you get creative with your clips in all kinds of ways. Unfortunately there's no Android version at the moment, but you can try the Microsoft-made alternative which bizarrely has the same name.

Hyperlapse - free for iOS

2. FilmoraGo

Colourful, intuitive, powerful... there's a lot to like about FilmoraGo, and although some of the features are hidden behind paid-for upgrades, you can still get great results without paying a penny, and there are plenty of social media sharing options included too.

The app manages to strike the right balance between ease-of-use and advanced features. If you want to put together a quick montage in minutes, you can do that, or if you want to get more complex with picture-in-picture effects and text overlays, you can do that too.

FilmoraGo - free for iOS and Android

3. Adobe Premiere Clip

Few software developers have the video chops of Adobe, and this is their free, cut-down editor for mobile devices. It might not have the power of Adobe's desktop software but it's still a very capable tool for getting your video in shape for your audience to see.

You can trim down footage, rearrange scenes, add lighting and colour effects on top of clips, and drop in audio tracks too. If you're lacking inspiration, then the app will create an automatic highlights package from the photos and videos already stored on your device.

Adobe Premiere Clip - free for iOS and Android

4. Quik

Quik is developed by GoPro but you don't need a pocket action camera to take advantage of its myriad features - just an eye for a good scene and some idea of how you want your video clips to fit together. In fact, a lot of the workflow is handled automatically for you.

That means you can add music, transitions and titles, as well as trim down and arrange clips, with a few taps of your finger. Not really an app for those who want to take full control over the video editing process, but for everyone else, it's one of the best around.

Quik - free for iOS and Android

5. Splice

If Quik is too basic or automated for you, but you like the idea of a video editing app made by GoPro, then Splice is the answer. It allows for more detailed editing, letting you be more precise with your changes and adding extra features like the option to add voice narration.

There's no harm in having both installed and switching between them as needed, but if you have time to spare then Splice offers more control. The main disappointment as far as Splice goes is it's only available on iOS for the time being, so Android users are out of luck.

Splice - free for iOS

6. Pinnacle Studio Pro

If you want one of the most sophisticated mobile video editors around, and you don't mind parting with a bit of cash, and you use an iOS device... well, Pinnacle Studio Pro should be right up your street, offering almost as many features as the desktop version.

It's a genuinely impressive app, giving you full control over video and audio tracks, transitions, titles, background music and special effects. For a little less money you can go for the slightly less powerful Pinnacle Studio app, also an iPhone and iPad exclusive.

Pinnacle Studio Pro - £9.99 for iOS

7. PowerDirector

Like Pinnacle, CyberLink has put its desktop video editing software on mobile devices without losing much along the way, though in this case it's an Android exclusive and you get the app download for free (with various extras available as in-app purchases).

It's not quite got the power of Pinnacle Studio Pro but this is still a very capable video editor for mobile, giving you a full timeline view and easy access to effects, transitions, titles and soundtracks.

PowerDirector - free for Android

• Next, have a look at some out-of-this-world augmented reality apps