Apple is fast becoming a force to be reckoned with in Hollywood, with recent flicks Napoleon and Killers Of The Flower Moon enjoying nominations at the Academy Awards, following Apple TV+ becoming the first streamer to win Best Picture at the Oscars with CODA in 2022.
But its latest movie is very different — a 19-minute short called Midnight.
This neo-noir was filmed on location in the neon-drenched streets of Tokyo by Japanese film director Takashi Miike, the mind behind hits like Audition and the controversial Ichi the Killer.
Because of the smaller size of a smartphone compared to a conventional camera, director Takashi Miike was able to mount the iPhone 15 Pro in unusual places to recreate the dramatic angles from the manga illustrations
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And everything was captured with an iPhone 15 Pro, the latest handset from the Californian firm.
The short film is part of Apple’s ongoing Shot on iPhone campaign, which showcases the capabilities of its smartphone camera with photographs submitted by iPhone owners on billboards across the globe. Videos have previously been featured in the campaign, and now, original short films too.
Midnight is an adaption of a manga of the same name by legendary artist Osamu Tezuka. It blends illustrations from the book with live-action footage and packs frantic car chases in low light — putting the GoPro-like Action Mode and night-time performance of the iPhone 15 Pro to the test.
If you want to learn exactly how director Takashi Miike, whose film Straw Shield was nominated for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, achieved this movie with an iPhone, Apple has released a separate 5-minute Making Of feature on its YouTube channel.
It shows the techniques used by the team to capture everything on a smartphone.
The plot of Apple’s new short film follows a taxi driver named “Midnight”, who is portrayed by popular Japanese actor Kento Kaku.
Midnight drives around the streets of Tokyo offering to help those in need. The 19-minute short kicks into gear when Midnight comes to the aid of a young woman, played by Konatsu Kato, who is battling with local gang members who are attacking her deceased father’s truck-driving business.
Speaking about the project, Takashi Miike — who has over 100 feature film credits under hit belt, said: “Mr. Tezuka is like a god to anyone who aspires to be in the entertainment business. I am very happy to have had the great opportunity to make a live-action iPhone version of his work.
“When I heard about the project, I wondered if it would be possible to make a movie using only an iPhone. But my fears were gone when we tested the camera features, and by the time filming began, I was convinced that the iPhone would be able to create a film that could only be produced with the iPhone.
“Once filming began, the entire crew was captivated by the power of iPhone, and enjoyed a fun and fulfilling time as creators. For me, the iPhone is now a camera that can also make phone calls. I hope you too will take full advantage of the capabilities of iPhone and make your everyday life more creative.”
Both the 19-minute short film, Midnight, and its Making Of featurette were shared on Apple’s official YouTube account.
Fancy filming your own short film with the latest smartphone from Apple? SIM-free prices start from £999 for the smaller 6.1-inch iPhone 15 Pro, rising to £1,199 for the 6.7-inch iPhone 15 Pro Max.
If you want to take advantage of the 5x optical zoom showcased in Midnight, you'll need to plump for the pricier Max model as the standard iPhone 15 Pro maxes out at 3x optical zoom.
