Director Danny Boyle’s post-apocalyptic classic, “28 Days Later,” gained fame partially due to his unconventional use of Canon digital cameras, enabling him to depict a hauntingly desolate vision of London and lending eerie immediacy to the film’s swift zombie attacks. Now, with the release of his sequel “28 Years Later,” Boyle has once again pushed the technological boundaries of filmmaking by relying on a very different piece of consumer tech—the iPhone.
Boyle revealed that his team employed a custom-built rig capable of carrying twenty iPhone Pro Max devices simultaneously, generating what he described as a “poor man’s bullet time” effect. This setup allowed the filmmakers to authentically capture intense action sequences from multiple perspectives. Moreover, Boyle affirmed that even when not using the multi-phone rig, the iPhone remained the primary filming device throughout the production. He explained that standard settings such as automatic focus were disabled, and additional specialized accessories were added to meet cinematic standards.
The director highlighted the advantages of filming with these smartphones, emphasizing that the lightweight setup significantly enhanced mobility. Boyle added that the portability and ease of handling the iPhones enabled the crew to quickly reach remote locations, preserving the pristine character of rural landscapes untouched by human development.
