Need more proof that the iPhone XS and XS Max are the most amazing cameras Apple’s ever made?
John M. Chu, director of the breakout hit movie Crazy Rich Asians was enlisted to shoot a new short film shot entirely on the iPhone XS Max. This is not the first time an A-list director has only used the iPhone to make a movie, but what stands out about Chu’s short is he used zero equipment. No lenses. No lights. No stabilizers. Just the iPhone in his hand.
Watch the full short film right here:
Handheld. No equipment. No effects. Amazing work by Crazy Rich Asians director @jonmchu — shot on iPhone XS Max. Moves by @Luigiskmz. More from @WIRED: https://t.co/E897Me2w6fpic.twitter.com/DkdjT2ZpMA
— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) September 19, 2018
In an interview with Wired, Chu says he wanted to push the iPhone XS Max to the limit by filming in challenging conditions. Filming a brightly lit garage from a distance while the rest of the outside scene was dark proved to be no problem. Even moving around without a stabilizer produced impressive results.
“I’m moving around a lot, and the focus was adjusting as I was moving, but it was finding the subject really well,” Chu said. “There’s a shot at the end where I’m rushing toward the garage—that’s using the built-in stabilizers. It’s pretty smooth.”
While the iPhone XS Max’s camera is impressive, I’ve gotta say, Chu’s film feels uninspiring. It features Luis Rosado practicing his dance moves in a garage in L.A. with no story behind it. I think it’s supposed to inspire you cause there’s someone out there pushing themselves to be the best. But as someone that makes silly YouTube cliff jumping edits filmed mostly on iPhone, I thought he could have made something way cooler, even if he only had one night to shoot it.
The video is beautiful and all, especially considering it was shot on an iPhone. But it’s really just one scene filmed from a couple different angles that aren’t very innovative. Maybe that’s the entire point. Anyone can now make a semi-decent short film with the iPhone in their pocket.
Buster Hein is a freelance writer who lives in Phoenix, Arizona. Twitter: @bst3r.
