Apple shot Scary Fast event on iPhone 15 Pro Max, showing filmmakers can shoot feature films using a phone

Apple wowed the world in more ways than one at its recently concluded Scary Fast event. The event, which saw the world’s first 3nm SoC for personal computers being released also marked a groundbreaking moment for mobile videography and filmmaking.

The Scary Fast event concluded with a special message that disclosed the entire event had been shot using the iPhone 15 Pro Max and edited on a Mac.

In a message displayed at the end of the event, Apple announced, “This event was shot on iPhone and edited on Mac. All presenters, locations, and drone footage shot on iPhone 15 Pro Max.”

The iPhone 15 Pro Max has emerged as the preferred smartphone for creative professionals and filmmakers, who were led by acclaimed documentary film director Brian Oakes. Oakes, known for his award-winning works “Jim: The James Foley Story” and “Living with Lincoln,” masterfully incorporated the iPhone 15 Pro Max into the heart of the action.

One of the standout features of the iPhone 15 Pro Max is its camera system, which offers video quality that rivals professional video cameras. With the ability to capture ProRes video at up to 4K60 fps with Apple Log encoding, the iPhone 15 Pro Max ensures that every detail is preserved for post-production colour grading. Notably, the iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max are the world’s first smartphones to support the Academy Colour Encoding System (ACES), a global standard for colour workflows.

Brian Oakes was impressed by the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s capabilities, saying, “We were able to get the same complex shots with iPhone 15 Pro Max. It’s amazing to see that the quality from a device that is so small and so portable can rival a large $20,000 camera.”

The production team received valuable guidance from Apple’s Jon Carr, a Pro Workflow video specialist with credits in major productions like “Top Gun: Maverick” and “Terminator: Dark Fate,” and Jeff Wozniak, who contributed to films such as “Transformers: Dark of the Moon,” “Avatar,” and “Iron Man 2.” Wozniak noted that the iPhone 15 Pro Max was supercharged this year, enabling ProRes recording to an external drive and supporting Apple Log, a format used by high-end digital cameras.

Carr highlighted the seamless transition to the iPhone 15 Pro Max, saying, “It’s pretty amazing how you can put this in the hands of someone who’s a professional director, and they don’t have to change their equipment — they don’t have to change any of the things that they always do.”

To capture footage, the team utilized multiple iPhone 15 Pro Max devices in conjunction with the Blackmagic Camera app and Tentacle Sync for synchronization, showcasing the power of the Apple ecosystem. They employed Beastgrip accessories like cages and rigs to enhance their production.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max, featuring a new USB-C connector, brought a substantial leap in data transfer speeds of up to 10Gbps with a compatible USB 3 cable. This advancement allowed for new workflows like ProRes video recording directly to an external SSD drive, offering real-time footage review and on-the-fly adjustments. In post-production, editors benefitted from the enhanced dynamic range facilitated by Apple Log, providing greater control and flexibility in color grading.

The crew used the Blackmagic Camera app, exclusively designed for iOS users, to access the same tools used in feature films, television shows, and documentaries. Available for free on the App Store, the app added digital film camera controls to the iPhone and supported Apple Log encoding on the iPhone 15 Pro Max.

Despite employing traditional filming techniques and even drones, the crew seamlessly integrated the iPhone 15 Pro Max into their production, creating a vibrant and exciting environment.

The iPhone 15 Pro Max has once again showcased its prowess, offering a glimpse of the future of mobile filmmaking and the endless possibilities it holds for creative professionals.