Director Ran Out of Money, Finished Shooting his Oscar-Nominated Movie on an iPhone

MacRumors · Feb 19, 2013, 08:06 PM

While filming Oscar-nominated documentary "Searching for Sugar Man", director Malik Bendjelloul said, in an interview with CNN Money, that he ran out of money and had to finish filming his movie on his iPhone with the 8mm Vintage Camera app.

Quote:

I started shooting this on a Super 8 camera, like with film, which is pretty expensive stuff, and completely ran out of money. I really had a very few stuff, it was a very few shots left but I needed those shots. And one day I realized that there was this $1 app here on my iPhone and I tried it and it was basically the same as the real stuff.

In the past there have been other directors, like Oldboy director Park Chan-wook, who've used iPhones to shoot films.*There's even an iPhone Film Festival dedicated to movies shot on the devices, but Bendjelloul's film has since been nominated for an Academy Award.

Nexvio Inc.'s 8mm Vintage Camera app has seen an increase in downloads in the past five or so days, according to a chart from sister-site AppShopper. The app has gone through a couple different price drops over the past year and a half, which is why Bendjelloul refers to the app as a "$1 app," but is currently available for $1.99. [Direct Link]

The 85th annual Academy Awards will air on February 24th, 2013.

Article Link: Director Ran Out of Money, Finished Shooting his Oscar-Nominated Movie on an iPhone

camnchar · Feb 19, 2013, 08:10 PM

That is quite possibly the coolest iPhone related story I've ever read.

12dylan34 · Feb 19, 2013, 08:14 PM

Pretty cool. Hopefully he didn't need any low-light shots, though.

iapplelove · Feb 19, 2013, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by camnchar

That is quite possibly the coolest iPhone related story I've ever read.

i have owned the app for well over a year now,it really does have a pretty nice feel.

Macrolido · Feb 19, 2013, 08:30 PM

Hopefully I could do the same with my iPod touch.

bjsterilite · Feb 19, 2013, 08:36 PM

If the movie wins, i can only imagine what that would do for the iPhone and the app.

Spetsnazos · Feb 19, 2013, 08:56 PM

This cannot be serious...with an iPhone app? Lol he couldn't buy a point and shoot that's a million times better than any cellphone camera?

Come on now...this is just...wow bad...

HMI · Feb 19, 2013, 08:58 PM

Producers don't like hearing that their directors "ran out of money."

.Asa · Feb 19, 2013, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spetsnazos

This cannot be serious...with an iPhone app? Lol he couldn't buy a point and shoot that's a million times better than any cellphone camera?

Come on now...this is just...wow bad...

My iPad 3's camera totally blows away my Panasonic lumix in terms of picture quality, and I assume an iPhone 5 is similar or better.

SvenSvenson · Feb 19, 2013, 09:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spetsnazos

This cannot be serious...with an iPhone app? Lol he couldn't buy a point and shoot that's a million times better than any cellphone camera?

Come on now...this is just...wow bad...

Or he could've used the money that he would have spent on a camera to buy more 8mm film. Oh, wait...

Seriously - what's happening to people's comprehension skills? These sort of comments are far too frequent.

dfnj123 · Feb 19, 2013, 09:33 PM

He couldn't have finished the movie on his iPhone 5 if the device hadn't even been announced yet when the movie came out in July 2012... just pointing out that someone should correct the article

Amazing Iceman · Feb 19, 2013, 09:36 PM

He could have filmed the whole movie with his iPhone using this app, or with any consumer digital videocamera with a decent lens and then apply similar 8mm filter during the editing process, saving a ton of money.

In the end, what makes a movie succeed is its content, not necessarily the equipment used to make the movie. Still, the iPhone camera was apparently very suitable for the job.

claywelch · Feb 19, 2013, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dfnj123

He couldn't have finished the movie on his iPhone 5 if the device hadn't even been announced yet when the movie came out in July 2012... just pointing out that someone should correct the article

I'm glad someone else caught this. The film was released at Sundance LAST year, so it barely would even have been filmed on a 4S either.

arn · Feb 19, 2013, 09:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by claywelch

I'm glad someone else caught this. The film was released at Sundance LAST year, so it barely would even have been filmed on a 4S either.

I changed it to iPhone, since we aren't sure exactly which model.

arn

Amazing Iceman · Feb 19, 2013, 09:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by .Asa

My iPad 3's camera totally blows away my Panasonic lumix in terms of picture quality, and I assume an iPhone 5 is similar or better.

I do notice that the only problem with the iPad 3 camera (and probably other versions) is the glare on the lens when there is a light source nearby in front of the lens. This can be easily solved with anything that would block direct light directly into the lens. Also, if there's not enough light, the image becomes grainy (even with normal indoor light).
Do you use the native camera app or a third-party app?

mrsir2009 · Feb 19, 2013, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by .Asa

My iPad 3's camera totally blows away my Panasonic lumix in terms of picture quality, and I assume an iPhone 5 is similar or better.

Wb when low light conditions and zoom come into the picture?

marc11 · Feb 19, 2013, 09:52 PM

While the story is cool, unless his Oscar relates to the quality of the filming itsn't it a bit pointless to mention it is Oscar nominated? I mean, if the film wins for best screenplay or best supporting actor, it doesn't really matter on what device the film was shot on...does it?

Still a really cool story, wonder if he used FCPX to edit it

ThunderSkunk · Feb 19, 2013, 10:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mrsir2009

Wb when low light conditions and zoom come into the picture?

No sweat, we'll get it in post.

[ahem] [cough] [wheeze]

Radio · Feb 19, 2013, 10:12 PM

Surely you can't be serious ?

ctdonath · Feb 19, 2013, 10:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by marc11

I mean, if the film wins for best screenplay or best supporting actor, it doesn't really matter on what device the film was shot on...does it?

That the device+app is good enough that it didn't detract from whatever it's nominated for is a very good indication of realistic quality.

DipDog3 · Feb 19, 2013, 10:26 PM

Could we get a [Direct Link] to the actual app??

marc11 · Feb 19, 2013, 10:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ctdonath

That the device+app is good enough that it didn't detract from whatever it's nominated for is a very good indication of realistic quality.

Fair enough and agreed. But the title of this article makes is sound as if he was nominated for a cinematography award.

HoopTrundler · Feb 19, 2013, 10:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spetsnazos

This cannot be serious...with an iPhone app? Lol he couldn't buy a point and shoot that's a million times better than any cellphone camera?

Come on now...this is just...wow bad...

Did you read the article?

inscrewtable · Feb 19, 2013, 10:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Macrolido

Hopefully I could do the same with my iPod touch.

Even though the iphone has an 8mp camer and the touch a 5mp camera don't they shoot the same 30 fps 1080p video quality?

Just bought the app and it looks very nice well worth $2

fiddle · Feb 19, 2013, 11:18 PM

"I realized that there was this $1 app here on my iPhone and I tried it and it was basically the same as the real stuff."

really..... a tiny, 8mp sensor is basically the same as 8mm film...

More amazing than this guy using the iphone to finish the movie, is that he also seems to be blind..

Feb 19, 2013, 08:10 PM	#2
camnchar macrumors 6502 Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: SLC, Utah	That is quite possibly the coolest iPhone related story I've ever read. __________________ Apple //c, 1 MHz, 128k RAM, 5.25" floppy drive, 1-button mouse
	14

Feb 19, 2013, 09:36 PM	#12
Amazing Iceman macrumors 68020 Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Florida, U.S.A.	He could have filmed the whole movie with his iPhone using this app, or with any consumer digital videocamera with a decent lens and then apply similar 8mm filter during the editing process, saving a ton of money. In the end, what makes a movie succeed is its content, not necessarily the equipment used to make the movie. Still, the iPhone camera was apparently very suitable for the job. __________________ 17" MacBook Pro (2007) iPad 3G / new iPad LTE 64GB AppleTV 2 Follow @AmazingIceman for useful tech info and more (mention MacRumors).
	2

Feb 19, 2013, 09:52 PM	#17
marc11 macrumors 68000 Join Date: Mar 2011 Location: NY USA	While the story is cool, unless his Oscar relates to the quality of the filming itsn't it a bit pointless to mention it is Oscar nominated? I mean, if the film wins for best screenplay or best supporting actor, it doesn't really matter on what device the film was shot on...does it? Still a really cool story, wonder if he used FCPX to edit it __________________ Various Apple Products
	0

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Feb 19, 2013, 08:14 PM	#3
12dylan34 macrumors 6502a Join Date: Sep 2009	Pretty cool. Hopefully he didn't need any low-light shots, though.
	4

Feb 19, 2013, 08:30 PM	#5
Macrolido macrumors regular Join Date: May 2012 Location: Monterrey, Mexico	Hopefully I could do the same with my iPod touch.
	0

Feb 19, 2013, 08:36 PM	#6
bjsterilite macrumors regular Join Date: May 2011	If the movie wins, i can only imagine what that would do for the iPhone and the app.
	4

Feb 19, 2013, 08:56 PM	#7
Spetsnazos macrumors regular Join Date: May 2012	This cannot be serious...with an iPhone app? Lol he couldn't buy a point and shoot that's a million times better than any cellphone camera? Come on now...this is just...wow bad...
	7

Feb 19, 2013, 08:58 PM	#8
HMI macrumors 6502 Join Date: May 2012	Producers don't like hearing that their directors "ran out of money."
	0

Feb 19, 2013, 09:33 PM	#11
dfnj123 macrumors 6502 Join Date: Jun 2007	He couldn't have finished the movie on his iPhone 5 if the device hadn't even been announced yet when the movie came out in July 2012... just pointing out that someone should correct the article
	7

Feb 19, 2013, 10:12 PM	#19
Radio macrumors 65816 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Central California	Surely you can't be serious ?
	1

Feb 19, 2013, 10:26 PM	#21
DipDog3 macrumors 6502a Join Date: Sep 2002	Could we get a [Direct Link] to the actual app??
	1

Feb 19, 2013, 11:18 PM	#25
fiddle macrumors newbie Join Date: Oct 2011	"I realized that there was this $1 app here on my iPhone and I tried it and it was basically the same as the real stuff." really..... a tiny, 8mp sensor is basically the same as 8mm film... More amazing than this guy using the iphone to finish the movie, is that he also seems to be blind..
	6