The movie that grossed more than $60M in its first weekend and was shot entirely on iPhone: no one noticed

The world has become one in which the democratization of certain elements has allowed people to have easier access to certain tools. The advent of smartphones allowed us something we only expected in science fiction movies: a device that brought together many elements into one. We not only carry a phone to communicate by voice but also to send messages, listen to music, use apps, and, of course, use a camera and a video camera. And with that, every big brand keynote now presents us with short film or music video contests made with just a smartphone.

The recent movie 28 Years Later used a series of modified iPhone 15 Pro Max in order to film the movie. How many were used? Up to a total of 20 iPhones simultaneously have come to be used in the filming. A fact that has surprised many people, who have even come to think if it is not more profitable and practical to do it with much more traditional filming equipment. But this begs the question, is the iPhone a viable tool for “real cinema”?

Small details that give away the use of an iPhone

There are certain characteristic features that give away the use of an iPhone. Contrast, for example, is a key point. The device tends to slightly overexpose shots with wide skies, creating an obvious dissonance in scenes where faces and sky backgrounds coexist. On several occasions, this particularity in the iPhone’s image processing was palpable, resulting in shots with significant overexposure and complex contrast between different elements of the composition.

Another noticeable detail was a slight chromatic aberration, which, while not blurring the image, does give it a “strange” feel. While we are used to watching content recorded with iPhones on smaller screens or televisions, the cinematic experience in a dark room, with a huge screen and total concentration, magnifies each of these characteristics. It is in this environment that nuances are appreciated with unusual clarity, bringing attention to details that would go unnoticed at home.

The technical conditions of the shoot were, for the most part, ideal for the iPhone. Shooting in 4K (while most cinema projectors operate in 2K) and in LOG format, which gives enormous flexibility in post-production, were key decisions. Exteriors with controlled natural light, such as forests, beaches, and cities, as well as interiors with carefully managed artificial lighting, scenarios where the iPhone doesn’t usually suffer, predominated.

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