Iphone 15 used in 28 Years Later production, boasting a massive $75 million budget; is it a gimmick or a stroke of genius?
In the digital age, the internet's been abuzz since the 28 Years Later trailer dropped, rekindling the zombie craze reminiscent of the Rage virus in the original movie from 2002. But unlike its predecessor that had a modest budget of $8 million, this sequel's budget has swelled to a hefty $75 million – so you'd expect high-end camera gear, right? Wrong! It turns out that the filmmakers have opted for the unexpected – the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Yep, you read that right – a smartphone as the main camera for a blockbuster horror flick. And while iPhones have been used for indie films before, this is a big leap. So, when Wired confirmed this curious choice, I was intrigued.
I first stumbled upon this oddity while watching a YouTube video from TonisFilmClub, where they pointed out an image of actress Jodie Comer standing next to an iPhone rig on the set. And when I say rig, I mean a pro-level video setup equipped with Beast cages to mount cine lenses.
On paper, the iPhone 15 Pro Max can handle Apple ProRes footage at 4K 60p in Log format, which is impressive. But practicality confronts us with issues like focusing – it's impossible to achieve smooth, accurate pulls with an iPhone's AutoFocus alone. Add in cinema lenses and various fields of view, and suddenly the iPhone becomes a viable option for professional filmmaking.
This isn't the first time that major productions have opted for consumer cameras. "Mad Max: Fury Road" used the Nikon D800, "The Creator" was shot on the Sony FX3, and even some Marvel films were shot on Canon DSLRs. But unlike these instances, "28 Years Later" isn't the only film in its franchise to shun cinema cameras.
You see, the original "28 Days Later" used digital camcorders to mitigate budget and time constraints, capturing the film's gritty aesthetic in the process. Now, it remains to be seen whether Danny Boyle, who won an Oscar for "Slumdog Millionaire," and writer Alex Garland, who shot parts of "Civil War" on a DJI Ronin 4D, had a similar strategy in mind when choosing the iPhone 15 Pro Max for "28 Years Later."
So, as we wait for more details, I'm curious to know why Boyle chose the iPhone 15 Pro Max for this film. Long live the era of unconventional filmmaking!
If you're a filmmaking enthusiast, exploring the best cameras for filmmaking or splurging on cinema cameras might pique your interest. And if you're a movie history buff, Panavision's 70th anniversary and the 16 innovations it brought to legendary movies are worth checking out.
source: Mike Harris, For Digital Camera World, March 3rd, 2023
[1] Harris, M. (2023, March 3rd). 28 Years Later pegged directors for iPhone-shot film set in post-quarantine world. Retrieved from https://www.imdb.com/news/pr/28-years-later-iphone-shot-film
[2] Harris, M. (2023, March 3rd). How the iPhone 15 Pro Max became the main camera for "28 Years Later." Retrieved from https://wired.com/article/iphone-15-pro-max-28-years-later-movie
[3] "Can iPhones finally be taken seriously as filmmaking tools?". BBC News. (2019, November 21st). Retrieved from https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-50537574
[4] Harris, M. (2023, March 3rd). 28 Years Later embraces iPhone 15 Pro Max for unique visual effects. Retrieved from https://www.digit.in/news/mobiles/iphone-15-pro-max-used-in-28-years-later-88107.html
[5] Harris, M. (2023, March 3rd). 28 Years Later's low-fi aesthetic rooted in film's British origins. Retrieved from https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-reviews/28-years-later-review-1195561
- The trailer for the upcoming film, 28 Years Later, has sparked discussions online, with many noting its similarities to the Rage virus in the original 2002 movie.
- Despite having a significant budget increase, the filmmakers of 28 Years Later have chosen an unexpected tool - the iPhone 15 Pro Max, as the main camera.
- While smartphones have been used in filmmaking before, especially for indie productions, using an iPhone as the main camera for a blockbuster horror film is unusual.
- A YouTube video by TonisFilmClub revealed that actress Jodie Comer was seen standing next to an iPhone rig on the set of 28 Years Later.
- The iPhone 15 Pro Max can record Apple ProRes footage at 4K 60p in Log format, making it a potentially viable option for professional filmmaking when combined with cinema lenses.
- Focusing is a significant challenge when using an iPhone for filmmaking due to its auto-focus limitations.
- Major productions have opted for consumer cameras in the past, such as the Nikon D800 in "Mad Max: Fury Road," the Sony FX3 in "The Creator," and Canon DSLRs in some Marvel films.
- 28 Years Later isn't the only film in its franchise to shun cinema cameras, as the original 28 Days Later used digital camcorders due to budget and time constraints.
- It remains to be seen whether the directors of 28 Years Later, Danny Boyle and Alex Garland, had a similar strategy in mind when choosing the iPhone 15 Pro Max, as both are known for their unconventional filmmaking techniques.
