Apple would really like you to think the new iPhone 13 Pro can be used as a cinema camera. Sure, we’ve seen filmmakers such as Steven Soderbergh and Sean Baker use older iPhones to create feature films, but for the most part, there’s no way a big-budget feature would actually use a smartphone as a camera. Well, perhaps that’s not necessarily the case, as Park Chan–wook is able to do some impressive things in his new short, shot entirely with an iPhone.
Apple has released a short film (clocking in at 20 minutes), “Life is but a Dream,” which is directed by acclaimed filmmaker Park Chan-wook and shot using an iPhone 13 Pro (with some special lenses and software, of course. The results are pretty astounding, as you might expect. Of course, the question remains, can Park make an ugly film even if he tried? Give the artist any sort of filming mechanism and he’s likely to turn in something great, right?
As mentioned, the film is directed by Park Chan-wook. The filmmaker is probably best known for his work on the “Vengeance” trilogy, which includes “Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance,” “Oldboy,” and “Lady Vengeance.” More recently, he worked on projects such as “Stoker,” “The Little Drummer Girl,” and “The Handmaiden.” The cast for the short includes Yoo Hai-jin, Kim Ok-vin, and Park Jeong-min.
You can watch the full 20-minute short, “Life Is But A Dream,” below.
Here’s the synopsis:
An undertaker who needs woods to build a coffin for the savior of his village digs up an abandoned grave. But while doing so, he accidentally awakens the ghost of an ancient swordsman. Now the ghost tries to take back his coffin.