What is it? QuikStories is GoPro's response to Snapchat and Instagram - but it's a little more classy. They describe it as "our biggest leap forward since the invention of the GoPro itself". Basically, it's an app that will pull all the footage you take on your GoPro Hero 5 camera, cut it into a short film, set it to music and let you post it to your socials. All you have to do is point and hit the record button. Best of all, it's filmed in 1080p. No, you can't add comical pig noses to your friends' faces.
How does it work? The best thing to do is film for 10 to 15 seconds at a time. I tried this out on a seaplane trip around Sydney, grabbing shots the entire way. I filmed our take-off and landing, a short boat trip, walking up to and back from the Barrenjoey Lighthouse, and then the return journey. At the end, QuikStories pulled all the footage together and cut it into a sweet three-minute trip that was full of sweeping panoramics, dramatic take-offs and landings and all my goofy shenanigans up at the lighthouse. It made it look even more spectacular than it already was.
What's its best feature? That it turns you into a mini movie-maker. It doesn't take long to get to grips with the app. A bit of tinkering and you'll soon be changing your video's pace and tone with different cuts, speeds, montages and music. It's amazing the difference a simple change in tune makes - and there are heaps of stock songs to pick from.
Are there any downsides? Mostly, the app has an algorithm set to choose only the best bits of your videos. But occasionally, it pulls in footage you don't want to include. I took a great, lengthy upside-down shot of the underside of a plane wing at one point. But QuikStories' editing software is quick and simple - a couple of swipes and that footage disappeared.
Okay, so how much does it cost? The QuikStories app is free, but you'll need a Hero 5 to connect it to so you can take all that footage, and, if your budget can stretch to it, a Karma Grip to keep your GoPro stable. If you've got those things, you're basically a more mobile version of Christopher Nolan. Just add some war drums and you can remake Dunkirk.
