’28 Years Later’ & 14 Other Movies That Were Shot with iPhones

The way movies are made is changing. Big, expensive cameras are not always needed anymore. Sometimes, a phone is all it takes. The iPhone has become a powerful tool for filmmakers. Its camera is good enough to shoot a whole movie. This means more people can make movies without a big budget.

Using an iPhone for filmmaking has many benefits. It is small and light, so it can be used in tight spaces. This allows for creative and unique shots. It is also much cheaper than traditional film cameras. This opens up filmmaking to a wider range of creators. As phone cameras get better, more directors are choosing to use them.

28 Years Later (2025)

Director Danny Boyle is using iPhones to shoot parts of this highly anticipated sequel. The original film, 28 Days Later, was famous for its gritty look, which came from using early digital cameras. Using iPhones continues this tradition of using modern, everyday technology to tell the story.

The production used multiple iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max models to capture scenes from many angles at once.This technique gives the action a unique and intense feel. While traditional cameras were also used, the iPhones allowed the crew to film in remote locations with a smaller footprint, adding to the movie’s authentic and raw style.

Unsane (2018)

Director Steven Soderbergh shot this entire psychological thriller on an iPhone 7 Plus. The film follows a woman who is involuntarily committed to a mental institution and becomes convinced her stalker is working there. Using the iPhone gives the movie a raw, unsettling feeling, making the audience feel closer to the main character’s paranoia.

Soderbergh chose the iPhone because it allowed him to film very quickly and from unique angles. The small size of the phone made it easy to move around, adding to the movie’s tense atmosphere. All the filming equipment fit into a single backpack, showing how simple a movie production can be.

Tangerine (2015)

This critically acclaimed film was shot entirely on three iPhone 5s smartphones.The story follows a transgender sex worker on Christmas Eve as she searches for the pimp who broke her heart. The use of the iPhone gives the movie a vibrant and energetic look, perfectly capturing the chaotic world of its characters.

Director Sean Baker used the iPhone to achieve a unique visual style and to save money on equipment. He used special anamorphic lenses that attach to the phone to create a widescreen look.Tangerine was a groundbreaking film that proved a powerful story could be told with everyday technology.

High Flying Bird (2019)

Also directed by Steven Soderbergh, this sports drama was filmed on an iPhone 8. The movie tells the story of a sports agent who tries to end a professional basketball lockout. The sharp, modern look of the iPhone footage fits well with the film’s business-focused narrative.

Soderbergh’s choice to use an iPhone again was for speed and efficiency. The small camera made it easy to film in offices and restaurants without large crews or bulky equipment. The movie was shot in just 13 days, demonstrating how iPhone filmmaking can speed up the creative process.

The Florida Project (2017)

While most of this film was shot on traditional 35mm film, the final scene was shot on an iPhone 6s Plus. This was a deliberate choice by director Sean Baker, who also directed Tangerine. The movie is about a young girl and her mother living in a budget motel near Disney World.

The switch to an iPhone for the ending gives the film a different, more immediate feeling. It creates a sense of realism and spontaneity that contrasts with the rest of the movie. This shows how filmmakers can mix different types of cameras to get the best effect for each scene.

Searching (2018)

This mystery thriller unfolds entirely on computer and smartphone screens. It follows a father looking for his missing teenage daughter by searching through her social media and computer files. Many scenes were filmed using iPhones to represent the characters’ video calls and phone recordings.

The use of iPhones and screen recordings creates a unique and suspenseful experience. The audience feels like they are discovering clues alongside the father. It’s a modern style of filmmaking that reflects how much of our lives happen on screens.

Uneasy Lies the Mind (2014)

This psychological thriller is considered the first feature film to be shot entirely on an iPhone.The movie was filmed on an iPhone 5. It follows a man who slowly loses his grip on reality while at a winter retreat with his wife.

The filmmakers chose the iPhone to give the movie a grainy and unsettling look, reflecting the main character’s mental state.The camera’s limitations were used as a creative tool to enhance the story’s tense and claustrophobic atmosphere. It helped prove that a phone could be used to create a specific artistic style.

Detour (2016)

This short film was directed by Michel Gondry, who is known for his visually creative movies like Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind.The film, which is about a child’s tricycle trying to find its way back to its owner, was shot entirely on an iPhone 7.

Gondry used the iPhone’s built-in features like slow-motion and time-lapse to tell the charming story. The small size of the phone allowed for unique camera placements, such as being attached to a bicycle pedal. The film was made for Apple to showcase the creative possibilities of its phone’s camera.

Snow Steam Iron (2017)

This short, silent film was directed by Zack Snyder, who is known for big-budget action movies like 300 and Justice League. He shot this project entirely on an iPhone 7 Plus over a single weekend with friends and family. The film has a dark, moody style with very little dialogue.

Snyder made this short film to experiment with creative freedom and a smaller scale of production. He proved that even directors known for massive Hollywood films can use simple tools to create something visually stunning. The project was about storytelling and challenging himself with new technology.

9 Rides (2016)

This film follows an Uber driver on New Year’s Eve as he picks up nine different sets of passengers. The movie was written and directed by Matthew A. Cherry and was shot entirely in 4K on an iPhone 6s. It was one of the first films to use the iPhone’s 4K video capability.

The story unfolds through the driver’s interactions with his passengers, who help him process some life-changing news. The use of the iPhone gives the film an intimate and realistic feel, as if the audience is right there in the car. It showcases how a simple device can be used to tell compelling stories about human connection.

Olivia Rodrigo: drivers license (2021)

Though it’s a music video, this viral hit for Olivia Rodrigo’s song was filmed using an iPhone 12 Pro Max. It was promoted by Apple as part of its “Shot on iPhone” campaign. The video has a professional and cinematic quality that many wouldn’t guess came from a phone.

The iPhone was able to capture the intimate and emotional feel of the song. Its high-quality camera and low-light capabilities were perfect for the video’s nighttime driving scenes. The success of the video showed that the iPhone is a capable tool for major commercial projects in the music industry.

Lady Gaga: Stupid Love (2020)

Lady Gaga’s music video for her song “Stupid Love” was shot entirely on an iPhone 11 Pro. The video features elaborate costumes and choreography in a vibrant, otherworldly desert setting. This project proved that a smartphone could handle a large-scale, effects-heavy production.

The production team used the iPhone 11 Pro’s triple-camera system to capture both wide shots and close-ups. While professional hardware like stabilizers and lighting was also used, the core footage came from the phone. The video was part of Apple’s “Shot on iPhone” campaign and highlighted the phone’s professional video capabilities.

Selena Gomez: Lose You to Love Me (2019)

This black-and-white music video for Selena Gomez’s emotional ballad was shot on an iPhone 11 Pro. The video is simple and intimate, focusing closely on Gomez’s performance. The choice to use an iPhone helped make the video feel personal and raw.

Directed by Sophie Muller, the video was praised for its beautiful, stripped-down aesthetic. The iPhone 11 Pro’s camera was able to capture high-quality, detailed footage, even in black and white. It was another major music video that demonstrated the power of a smartphone to create professional and artistic content.

I Play with the Phrase Each Other (2013)

This experimental film is unique because it was made entirely from conversations recorded on iPhones. The story is about a young man who moves to a new city and relies on his phone to connect with others. The entire film is presented as if viewed through the screen of a phone.

The film’s creator, Jay Alvarez, used the iPhone as both the camera and a central part of the narrative. It explores themes of modern communication and loneliness in the digital age. The film won the top prize at the Slamdance Film Festival, an event that celebrates independent filmmaking.