Tools for producing high-quality Reels and Shorts from your smartphone have never been better — and AI can save you time while making your content shine.
If you’re a Public Information Officer trying to keep your agency’s social media fresh, relevant, and professional, you already know the pressure: create engaging video content fast, with limited time and budget. The good news is that the tools for producing high-quality Reels and Shorts from your smartphone have never been better — and AI is opening doors that can save you serious time while making your content shine.
Smarter Smartphones and Easier Shooting
Today’s smartphones are full-fledged production studios. I just picked up the new iPhone 17 Pro Max, and it delivers incredible HDR video, cinematic modes with adjustable depth of field, and built-in stabilization that makes handheld shots look buttery smooth. It’s got a powerful 8X optical zoom that lets you zoom in much closer to objects that are far away. Combine that with affordable accessories like a compact gimbal (DJI Osmo Mobile 7P) and a good wireless mic (Rode Wireless GO Gen 3 or DJI Mic 3), and you’re shooting professional-grade content on the go.
Don’t overlook your camera app’s manual controls. You can adjust and lock exposure for those difficult backlight situations, and lock focus for interviews so your footage doesn’t “breathe” while you record — a small step that instantly makes your video look more polished.
Kerry Shearer
The Livestream Expert
AI Tools That Do the Heavy Lifting
Artificial intelligence is changing how fast PIOs can produce content. Need a quick transcript or subtitles for accessibility? App tools like Captions, CapCut, Descript, and VEED.io can auto-transcribe and burn in captions in seconds. AI background noise removal and audio enhancement (built into tools like Adobe Podcast and Auphonic) can rescue that wind-noisy interview you thought was unusable. Adobe just did a mic-drop moment by releasing Adobe Premiere on iPhone September 30th, bringing extremely capable video editing plus AI editing tools to iPhones.
In my view, every PIO needs to have video editing skills, but if you truly dread editing, AI video editors are your new best friend. Apps like Runway ML and Timebolt automatically cut out filler words, tighten pacing, and even generate b-roll. Sora 2 just recently premiered as an outstanding text- or image-to-video creator. OpusClip can automatically find the golden moments in your longform videos or livestreams and create attention-getting Reels and Shorts with burned-in captions. You still control the story — but the machines handle the boring stuff.
Planning Made Simple With AI Help
Writer’s block? Try prompting ChatGPT or Claude.ai for creative hooks, video titles, or script drafts. Give it your topic (“Fire safety during power outages”) and tone (“friendly, authoritative, brief”), and it’ll produce a base script you can refine in your own voice. AI doesn’t replace your expertise — it jumpstarts your process and gets you from idea to finished post much faster. And remember, when you have a paid subscription to ChatGPT, you have the ability to create a project and train it on your agency’s expertise by uploading, say, all your public outreach documents, news releases, and video transcripts, giving you an even better output.
Real-Time Content Creation and Livestreaming
PIOs are increasingly using smartphone livestreams for news conferences and community updates. Apps like Switcher Studio and StreamYard Mobile offer high-quality affordable streaming.
Compact video switchers, such as Rodecaster Video, connect to your computer and let you brand your stream with lower thirds, logos, and captions, all while using video cameras, DSLRs, or computers as input sources. Add a dimmable, bi-color LED panel light, a wireless mic and a stable tripod, and you’re ready for a broadcast that looks and sounds as good as TV news.
What This Means for You
The tools are amazing, but the fundamentals haven’t changed: clear messaging, steady video, great audio, and stories that connect with your community. Technology just makes it easier to do those things better and faster.
So experiment. Test new apps. As a PIO, your mission is to inform, engage, and reassure the public — and as we get ready to enter 2026, your smartphone (plus a little AI magic) is the most powerful tool you’ve ever had in your pocket!
Want More from Kerry?
Come to TOC Con 2025 to learn directly from Kerry the skills, tips, and tricks you need to ramp up your video production.
