Telling big stories with a
pocket-sized camera
Learn how director Sha Mo shot his movie, Kids of Paradise, with a Galaxy S21 Ultra.
Gone are the days when films were only made by big studios. What once involved multi-camera setups, highly technical lighting and large quantities of cash can now be done with a single device that fits right in your pocket. Anyone with a smartphone has the tools to craft compelling stories through movies. In partnership with Samsung, Chinese director Sha Mo did just that, creating his new short film, Kids of Paradise, using a Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G.1
Watch the teaser for Sha Mo's short film, Kids of Paradise.
A rising young storyteller
Despite being only 31, Mo is no stranger to directing or the Chinese film market. His movie Love Will Tear Us Apart reached No. 1 at the Chinese box office. In his upcoming short film, Kids of Paradise, Mo worked with young hard-of-hearing actors to tell a tale of childhood friendship. He considered working with these actors the perfect opportunity to showcase their perseverance in the face of adversity, an idea reflected in the film.
A fairy tale told with visual poetry
Trained at the Beijing Film Academy, Mo has directed five works, including Black Fish, Senior Teacher, Honey Trap and My Huckleberry Friends. Told in both color and black and white, his movies paint a picture of humanity through different lenses. With Kids of Paradise, Mo tells a new story. “This is a fairy tale about the relationships between the individual and the collective,” he says. The film centers on two child protagonists, Douzi and Fatty, and an oversized hat. What starts out as a case of classroom bullying soon develops into a story of forgiveness and friendship. Using the hat as a vehicle for the message also adds to the story’s charm. As Mo explains, “Short film is a kind of visual poetry.” So what better way to bring that poetry to life than with a Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G?
“I didn’t feel like I was shooting with a phone.”
— Sha Mo on filming with a Galaxy S21 Ultra
Taking mobile filmmaking to new heights
Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G has an array of advanced features for aspiring filmmakers. “It’s intuitive for the director to choose the shots and consider the setting of the scenes,” says Mo of Director's View. For cinematographer Li Jianeng, picture quality is a top priority — and S21 Ultra delivers professional footage. It’s built to capture those crisp, detailed visuals and ultra-smooth gimbal-like shots you expect in a film. With this kind of power in your pocket, the options for creative filmmaking are limitless.
Quality. Portability. Convenience.
Mo never questioned whether it was possible to make a movie on a phone. “I always felt like it was the perfect tool to express my ideas,” he says. The portability and convenience of a smartphone was a major advantage for him and his production team for Kids of Paradise. Instead of making things more difficult, working with a smartphone actually provided him with moments of innovative surprise. “I didn’t feel like I was shooting with a phone," he says. "It enabled us to discover life, to discover characters and to pay attention to the bits and pieces around us.” Despite the equipment getting smaller, he believes our desire for self-expression will grow only larger. Today is the era when anyone can bring their imagination to life with a smartphone and some creativity.
Go behind the scenes to see how Kids of Paradise was shot #withGalaxy S21 Ultra.
Ready for action?
Start production on your own film using Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G and Director’s View.
Galaxy S22 Ultra
Galaxy S22 | S22+
Galaxy S21 Ultra 5G
1Requires optimal 5G network connection, available in select markets. Check with your carrier for availability and details. Download and streaming speeds may vary based on content provider, server connection and other factors.
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