FilmKode capability
On-Set Device Control & Lock Systems
A prop phone has to do exactly one thing — the scene — and absolutely nothing else. No notification banner from someone's real life, no auto-update, no charging icon at the wrong moment. FilmKode’s device control + lock system makes the device a one-purpose tool that the floor can drive remotely and the actor can pick up cold.
What “locked” means on a set
Anything an actor sees on the screen, an audience sees too. A prop phone running normal iOS will show a Wi-Fi icon flickering, low-battery warnings at the worst possible moment, app update prompts, system pop-ups in another language, an alarm at 6:55am because someone forgot to clear it. Locking the device means the screen always reads as exactly what the scene needs — frozen battery icon, frozen carrier name, frozen status bar, no surprise overlays.
What we control
- OS chrome: status bar, notification stack, carrier name, time, battery, signal strength — every element pinned to the value the scene requires
- App access: device boots straight into the prop app, no home screen, no app switcher, no escape route
- Updates: blocked. The OS version never moves mid-shoot, so a software update in week three doesn't change how the screen reads in close-up
- Notifications: silenced, hidden, or scripted to fire only on AD's cue
- Power: rigged for continuous shoots, with battery indicator behaviour locked to whatever the scene requires
- Network: connected only to our local rig — never the public internet on set
How the floor controls it
The on-set FilmKode tech runs a dashboard from a laptop or tablet that shows every prop device in the kit. From there: send the next message, trigger a notification, swap the active app, kill audio on a backup unit, push a fresh content load between takes. Everything is auditable so post-production knows exactly what each device showed at each timecode.
Selected work
- Departure (2019)
- Scoop (2024)
- The Marlow Murder Club (2024)
- Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy (2025)
- Code of Silence (2025)
Frequently asked questions
- Do you use off-the-shelf MDM (Jamf, Intune) or your own?
- Our own. Off-the-shelf MDM is designed for corporate IT, not for the rhythm of a film set. Ours is built around take-by-take content swaps, locked OS chrome, and recoverability after the rough handling phones get on set.
- What happens if a device dies mid-scene?
- There's always a backup unit pre-paired and pre-loaded for every hero device. The FilmKode tech swaps it in under 30 seconds while you re-cue the next take.
- How do you handle reshoots months later?
- Every device's full state — content, app version, OS chrome — is preserved in our system. We re-flash the original kit for the reshoot day; the screen reads identically to the original shoot.
- Can the actor use the device naturally (tap around)?
- Yes. The lock-down stops accidental escape routes (notification centre, control centre, home swipe) but the prop app itself is fully interactive. The actor scrolls, taps, types — it behaves like a real phone they own.
- Do you provide the devices or just the lock system?
- Both available. Standard package is FilmKode kit (curated phones, tablets, broadcast monitors); if production supplies hardware we'll lock that down instead.
Bring this to your production
Get in touch via our contact form with the production name, your role, the brief, and a rough shoot window. We reply within one working day to UK production enquiries.