Steven Soderbergh and Sean Baker have been doing this for years. But one could argue that nothing those filmmakers have shot on iPhones has ever looked as epic as the recent short film (err, commercial) David Leitch has just released.
The director of films such as “Hobbs & Shaw” and “Deadpool 2,” as well as being one of the men behind the “John Wick” films, has recently teamed with Apple to show that you can shoot a high-quality snowball fight using only iPhones (and most likely, a ton of film equipment). And while the short doesn’t have a $200 million budget, “Snowbrawl” does certainly feel like something more elevated than just a simple video shot on a phone.
As mentioned, iPhones have been used in filmmaking many times before, with Soderbergh using the tech for films such as “Unsane” and “High Flying Bird” and Baker filming his acclaimed “Tangerine” using nothing but iPhone 5S devices. But with the advances that Apple makes with its camera technology year after year, one can’t help but wonder how incredible those films might have been with the 2019 version of the device. But then again, wasn’t part of the charm the lo-fi look of those films?
Leitch is one of the biggest up-and-coming filmmakers in action cinema working today. After “Deadpool 2” became a global hit, his most recent film “Hobbs & Shaw” proved that the director is easily capable of making big, fun, muscle-y action flicks, even if the plot leaves a lot to be desired. His next project is an adaptation of the video game “The Division,” which is set to star Jake Gyllenhaal and Jessica Chastain and arrive eventually on Netflix.
You can watch “Snowbrawl” below.