After previewing the feature at its Partner Summit earlier this year, Snapchat has now announced that its new ‘Director Mode’ advanced video creation process is being made available to all iOS users of the app.
As you can see in this overview, Snap’s Director Mode includes a range of more advanced editing tools within the app, including green screen, variable playback speed options, improved editing tools, and dual camera controls, so that you can use the front and back facing cameras at the same time to create 360 degree content.
Many of these features are available in other apps, so functionally, it’s not a major shift (360 mode has only been available on iOS up till now). But it will be a big addition for Snap creators specifically, providing more ways to create standout clips in the app.
Which, of course, also includes Spotlight content, Snap’s TikTok-clone functionality, which is now used by over 300 million Snapchatters every month.
Total time viewing Spotlight content in the app has also increased by 55% year-over-year, and these new tools will provide more ways to tap into the popularity of Spotlight with your own short clips.
Yet, at the same time, Snap’s also reducing the amount that it’s paying Spotlight creators via its Spotlight Fund, which sees money allocated to the most popular Spotlight clips every day. Snap’s paid out millions to creators via the funding program, but it’s gradually moving to phase it out over time, as it looks to make Spotlight a more self-sustaining option.
That’ll no doubt annoy Snap creators who’ve made Spotlight a focus, but the broader view is that these creators will be able to forge their own brand partnerships for promotions in the app, which could be a way to help ensure that they can make money from their Snap content, without direct funding allocations from the app.
Maybe, then, these additional creative tools are coming at just the right time, providing even more options to help creators maximize the value of their content to establish new brand deals and relationships.
Director Mode is now available in the camera toolbar in the app, or you can tap the ‘Create’ button in Spotlight to access the more advanced editing options. Snap says that Director Mode is available to some creators on Android, with a full rollout coming.
