Captured through Unconventional 28-Year-Gap Filming on 20 iPhones: An Exclusive Look Inside The Wild Camera Setups
Grab Your Popcorn: Jodie Comer, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, and the Death-Filled Epic Shot on an iPhone (No, Seriously!)
Let's face it—you might have scoffed when someone whispered that a whopping $75 mil zombie flick featuring Jodie Comer and Aaron Taylor-Johnson was filmed, at least in part, with an iPhone. But fear not! 28 Years Later, the hotly anticipated sequel to Danny Boyle's groundbreaking 28 Days Later, isn't here to brag about tech specs; it's all about unleashing madness, raw emotion, and pulse-racing energy.
Remember how 28 Days Later was shot on a humble Canon XL1 MiniDV camcorder? Not for aesthetic kicks but out of necessity. That grainy, jittery look turned into the film's identity. Fast forward 20 years, and Boyle and cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle (who worked on Slumdog Millionaire and the original 28 Days Later) are back to play in the Rage-filled universe, once again embracing the lo-fi: this time, the tool of choice is the iPhone 15 Pro Max.
Now, don't take this as a sneeze at authenticity; the iPhone wasn't the sole camera used. In an exclusive sit-down with IGN, Boyle reveals that the iPhone was combined with drones, film cameras, action cams, and digital cinema cameras. However, they built three special rigs just for the iPhone:
- An Crazy Cluster of 8 Handheld Cameras for intense, up-close moments
- A 10-Camera Crane Rig for dynamic motion and radical angles
- And the pièce de résistance: a 20-Camera iPhone Rig, nicknamed "a poor man's bullet time," utilized in a pivotal, disorienting sequence melding gore and exhilaration
With iPhones strapped to trains, drones, and even goats, every angle was on the table if it heightened the chaos and instability quotient. The movie does mix camera types, featuring traditional film, digital cinema cameras, and action cams, but the iPhone remains the heart and soul of the film's aesthetic and spirit.
From MiniDV to ProRes Log
The iPhone 15 Pro Max ain't a toy, either. With Apple's ProRes support and log color profiles, it delivers highly gradable 4K footage ready for heavyweight post-production wizardry, like DaVinci Resolve or Adobe Premiere. And let's not forget its lightweight mobility, lens mount compatibility, and cinematic mode for depth control, granting unmatched flexibility to shoot in tight spots, be spontaneous, and defy the norm.
This freedom enabled Boyle and Mantle to challenge even the most experienced actors. "Seasoned actors know where the cameras are," Boyle explained. "This [iPhone rig] messes them up." The unpredictable placement and flow of the iPhone rigs stripped away any pretense of polish. And, as a cherry on top, the iPhone's raw, unfiltered feel fits perfectly with the movie's gritty, unsettling tone.
Boyle could've played it safe with a conventional camera like the RED or Alexa. Instead, he put the iPhone front and center, pushing the actors, the format, and the audience to the brink. Back in 2002, using MiniDV at 480p was the wild card. In 2025, shooting with a smartphone feels equally wild, but in the opposite direction—not because of scarcity but because of what it allows creatively.
It wasn't about making the iPhone resemble a cinema camera; it was about making cinema feel more real. And that's what 28 Years Later is all about: this isn't a tech demo or a visual gimmick; it's a reminder that, at the end of the day, the most crucial tool in filmmaking is still vision. The iPhone just makes it easier to capture that chaos.
28 Years Later drops on June 20 in India.
On the Pulses
Siddharth Chauhan
Siddharth reports on gadgets, tech, and culture. You might occasionally bump into him testing the latest smartphones in our platform. But his fascination with tech extends to the intersection of technology and society. View Full Profile
Lenses of Fate:- iPhone 15 Pro Max: The principal camera employed was the iPhone 15 Pro Max, featuring ProRes support, log color profiles, and a flexible lens mount system, enabling high-quality footage ready for professional post-production work.- Specialized Rigs: Three unique rigs were designed for the iPhone, including an 8-camera handheld cluster, a 10-camera crane rig, and a 20-camera iPhone rig, offering a variety of dynamic cinematic shots and effects.- Additional Equipment: Aluminum cages and lens attachments were used to enhance the iPhone's capabilities and provide more flexibility during filming.- Tech Support: Apple provided technical assistance to the filmmakers to help unlock the full potential of the iPhone in a cinematic environment.
The groundbreaking sequel to Danny Boyle's 28 Days Later, titled 28 Years Later, was filmed partially using the iPhone 15 Pro Max, demonstrating the clever exploitation of technology in cinematography. The filmmakers employed a range of specialized rigs, including a 20-camera iPhone rig nicknamed "a poor man's bullet time," to capture disorienting and exhilarating sequences.
In addition to the iPhone, the production team also incorporated drones, film cameras, action cams, and digital cinema cameras to create a unique fusion of cinematography styles, showcasing the iPhone's role as the heart and soul of the film's aesthetic and spirit.
