Director Steven Soderbergh secretly shot new thriller 'Unsane' entirely on Apple's iPhone

Posted:
in iPhone edited November 2017
Acclaimed director Steven Soderbergh's next film, a thriller titled "Unsane," will see a wide theatrical release next spring, despite the fact that it was filmed entirely on an iPhone.




"Unsane" is currently scheduled to hit theaters on March 23, 2018, according to Deadline. Soderbergh will reportedly be self-distributing the film through his own company, Fingerprint Releasing, in collaboration with Bleecker Street.

Details on "Unsane" have slowly trickled out in recent months, including the fact that the film was shot in secret and entirely on Apple's iPhone, according to Entertainment Weekly. The film stars Claire Foy, Joshua Leonard, Jay Pharaoh, Juno Temple, Aimee Mullins, and Amy Irving, with Pharoah describing the picture as having some similarities to Jordan Peele-created smash hit "Get Out."

The movie was filmed this summer, meaning the best iPhone it could have been shot on was the iPhone 7 Plus.




Soderbergh's film isn't the first full-length to be shot entirely on an iPhone, but it may be the most high profile to date. In 2015, Sundance hit "Tangerine" was shot on an iPhone 5s, using an $8 app and an anamorphic lens accessory.

Soderbergh has a history of experimenting in film, using inexperienced actors, unconventional shooting methods, and unique release strategies. Some of his biggest hits include "Ocean's Eleven," "Erin Brockovich," "Magic Mike," and this year's "Logan Lucky."

According to Pharoah, Soderbergh's iPhone-driven shoot for "Unsane" lasted just over a week -- far shorter than a typical feature-length production takes to wrap. The director even began editing the film on set, letting the actors see a near-final product before they finished their parts.

"You wouldn't be able to tell anything [about how it was made]," Pharoah said. "It looks that great."
watto_cobracornchip

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 18
    Very interesting...

    Wonder if it was edited with FCPX?
    watto_cobradoozydozen
  • Reply 2 of 18
    Very interesting...

    Wonder if it was edited with FCPX?
    I'll be really impressed when someone edits a feature length film with iMovie for iOS.  :D
    SoliSpamSandwichracerhomiewatto_cobradoozydozen[Deleted User]zroger73cornchipjony0
  • Reply 3 of 18
    Very nice. Won’t see it, not into horror movies but look forward to seeing the trailer. 
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 4 of 18
    nhughes said:
    I'll be really impressed when someone edits a feature length film with iMovie for iOS.  :D
    Indiana Jones V will use Apple’s version of the globe-hopping animation.  ;)
    SpamSandwichpscooter63watto_cobra
  • Reply 5 of 18
    nhughes said:
    Very interesting...

    Wonder if it was edited with FCPX?
    I'll be really impressed when someone edits a feature length film with iMovie for iOS.  :D
    With the array of high quality recording, mixing and post apps available today, I don’t see why an album created using GarageBand on an iPad couldn’t eventually be nominated for a Grammy.
    MisterKitracerhomiewatto_cobralkruppJWSC
  • Reply 6 of 18
    jbdragonjbdragon Posts: 2,301member
    They should be using Google Pixel's because they have the BEST camera,.... HAHAHAHA /s
    caliSolipscooter63JaiOh81racerhomiewatto_cobradoozydozen[Deleted User]lkruppJWSC
  • Reply 7 of 18
    cpsrocpsro Posts: 3,189member
    "Fingerprint Releasing"... behind the times before its first release!
    Should be "Faceprint Releasing"
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 18
    Big deal. The movie’s pyrotechnics were done entirely with the Samsung Galaxy Note 7.
    pscooter63JaiOh81racerhomiewatto_cobradoozydozen[Deleted User]StrangeDaysJWSCcornchipjony0
  • Reply 9 of 18
    I wonder how audio is captured?  I can’t imagine they just use the built in microphone...
    watto_cobracornchip
  • Reply 10 of 18
    zoetmbzoetmb Posts: 2,653member
    I hope it looks better than the last scene of "The Florida Project" which was also supposedly shot with an iPhone.  That looked like crap.
  • Reply 11 of 18
    techrider said:
    I wonder how audio is captured?  I can’t imagine they just use the built in microphone...
    Most probably an external lightning one.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 12 of 18
    zimmiezimmie Posts: 651member
    techrider said:
    I wonder how audio is captured?  I can’t imagine they just use the built in microphone...
    The overwhelming majority of movies don't use audio recorded at the same time as the video. Instead, they typically have the actors dub their own lines in a studio. This gets cleaner audio with no chance of unexpected sounds from the set. That then gives the Foley artists greater control over the sound. Most staged TV, and even some "live" events like the Olympics, is done like this, too. There was a stink a few years ago when people realized the water sounds during Olympic rowing videos aren't actually from the event.
    cornchip
  • Reply 13 of 18
    lkrupplkrupp Posts: 10,557member
    jbdragon said:
    They should be using Google Pixel's because they have the BEST camera,.... HAHAHAHA /s
    They would have but Apple waved more money in his face. Apple is just a marketing company don’t you know.

    This message brought to you by the Fandroid Troll Army™
    JWSCcornchip
  • Reply 14 of 18
    techrider said:
    I wonder how audio is captured?  I can’t imagine they just use the built in microphone...
    Probably a more traditional pro audio method, but I’d like to see the full equipment list eventually. Audiences remain receptive to movies with lower quality visuals as long as the audio is still good. If a great looking movie with poor audio is shown, audiences reject it immediately.
  • Reply 15 of 18
    zoetmbzoetmb Posts: 2,653member
    zimmie said:
    techrider said:
    I wonder how audio is captured?  I can’t imagine they just use the built in microphone...
    The overwhelming majority of movies don't use audio recorded at the same time as the video. Instead, they typically have the actors dub their own lines in a studio. This gets cleaner audio with no chance of unexpected sounds from the set. That then gives the Foley artists greater control over the sound. Most staged TV, and even some "live" events like the Olympics, is done like this, too. There was a stink a few years ago when people realized the water sounds during Olympic rowing videos aren't actually from the event.
    That really varies by movie and they usually only "loop" dialog that has problems, either technically or because of performance issues.   In a film like the original Star Wars, almost every line was looped.  But in many modern films, with improved miniature wireless microphones and the use of silent digital cameras, much original dialog is kept.   
    cornchip
  • Reply 16 of 18
    Big deal. The movie’s pyrotechnics were done entirely with the Samsung Galaxy Note 7.
    I heard the film has post-production problems because when filming they found that they were "holding it wrong".
    JWSC
  • Reply 17 of 18
    22july201322july2013 Posts: 3,564member
    In the news today: "Soderbergh said he was so impressed with the quality of iPhone cinematography that he would likely continue to use phones to shoot his movies going forward"
  • Reply 18 of 18
    In the news today: "Soderbergh said he was so impressed with the quality of iPhone cinematography that he would likely continue to use phones to shoot his movies going forward"
    Source? Why the hell wouldn’t he just use a RED camera instead?
    edited January 2018
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