### 28 Years After: A Summer Box Office Hit Filmed on iPhone
Last weekend signified a pivotal achievement for Apple at the box office with the debut of “28 Years Later,” a sequel to the legendary horror movie “28 Days Later.” The film stood out as the leading new release in the U.S., earning a remarkable $30 million during its opening weekend, positioning it as a formidable competitor to Pixar’s newest animated feature, “Elio.”
#### Pioneering Filmmaking with iPhone
What differentiates “28 Years Later” from other prominent Hollywood films is its distinctive method of cinematography. The movie was primarily filmed using the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, moving away from conventional high-budget filmmaking that generally depends on costly camera gear. Director Danny Boyle chose the iPhone to achieve a sense of authenticity and closeness, which he believed was crucial for the film’s storyline.
Boyle emphasized the benefits of utilizing iPhones, commenting, “It’s very light, it’s inexpensive, and it enabled us to access locations that were quite remote and had shown very little sign of human activity for many, many, many years.” This inventive approach empowered the crew to shoot in areas that would have been difficult to reach with standard filming apparatus.
#### The Shooting Experience
The shooting process involved the use of up to 20 iPhones at once in custom setups, demonstrating the flexibility and proficiency of the devices. Cast members, including Aaron Taylor-Johnson, noted that the close range of the iPhone cameras fostered a distinctive and immersive atmosphere on set. Johnson stated, “When someone holds an iPhone very close up, it feels a bit intrusive. You sense a kind of vulnerability, and you cannot conceal yourself. There’s an essence about it that reveals everything, and it required us to be very present in the moment.”
While initial reports indicated that the film was entirely filmed on iPhone, Boyle clarified that additional cameras were employed for particular shots. However, the majority of the film’s content was recorded using iPhone technology, marking a notable achievement at the convergence of mobile technology and filmmaking.
#### Conclusion
“28 Years Later” not only attained box office success but also redefined the limits of contemporary filmmaking. By employing the iPhone as the main shooting device, the film illustrates the changing dynamics of cinema and the possibilities for innovative storytelling through accessible technology. As audiences continue to interact with this groundbreaking film, one question lingers: could they tell it was filmed on an iPhone?
