The Cost of High-Quality TV and Movie Production

One aspect that is often misunderstood is that even high-quality cameras like those used in professional TV and movie productions are not as crucial to the overall quality of the final product. The camera itself can be expensive, but once you reach a certain level of quality, it becomes one of the least important parts of the setup. Instead, it's the gimbal, lenses, lights, and microphones that make up the bulk of the cost, which are responsible for delivering a high-quality visual experience.

The Impact of Cinematic Techniques

Professional filmmakers understand the importance of using cinematic techniques to elevate their productions. The camera itself may not be as critical, but the way it's used in conjunction with these other elements is what sets professional productions apart from amateur ones. For example, using a gimbal or a stabilizer can smooth out footage and create a more dynamic experience for the viewer. Similarly, using high-quality lenses and lights can add depth and dimension to the visuals.

The Limitations of iPhones

Despite their impressive capabilities, iPhones still have limitations when it comes to low-light performance and dynamic range. These are critical aspects of filmmaking that require careful attention to detail. While iPhones may be able to capture stunning images in bright lighting conditions, they struggle to produce high-quality footage in low light situations. This is particularly true for the iPhone 15 Pro, which still has limitations when it comes to capturing a wide range of tones and textures.

The Role of Color Grading

However, some creative teams have found ways to work around these limitations by using color grading techniques. The iPhone 15 Pro, in particular, has a log-encoded sensor that allows for greater flexibility during post-production. This means that footage can be captured in a way that is more suitable for color grading, which can then enhance the overall visual effect of the image.

The Issue with Oversharpening

Another issue that iPhones tend to struggle with is oversharpening. While this may not be a significant problem for everyday photography, it can be distracting when used in professional productions. This is particularly true for films and TV shows where the goal is often to create a more cinematic experience.

Shooting on an iPhone: For Amateurs and Professionals Alike

So why do some people shoot their events with iPhones? The answer lies in the fact that these devices are incredibly versatile and can produce high-quality images. While they may not be suitable for professional productions, they can still be used to capture stunning footage in certain situations. Whether it's a student film or a small indie production, an iPhone can be a great tool for capturing high-quality visuals on the go.

The Appeal of iPhones for Amateur Filmmakers

For people who are new to filmmaking, using an iPhone can be an exciting way to start exploring their creative side. The device is easy to use and can produce impressive results. However, it's essential to keep in mind that not everyone will notice the difference between an iPhone shot and a professional camera shot.

Innovative Storytelling

The success of filming events on an iPhone is largely due to its ability to produce high-quality images quickly and easily. For people who are interested in storytelling through film, this can be a game-changer. By using an iPhone to capture their creative vision, amateur filmmakers can create stunning visuals that would otherwise be out of reach.

The Need for Professional Equipment

However, it's essential to remember that professional filmmaking requires specialized equipment and expertise. While iPhones may be able to produce impressive results in certain situations, they are not a substitute for proper filmmaking equipment. Prospective filmmakers who want to take their craft seriously need to invest in high-quality cameras and learn the necessary skills to use them effectively.

The Rise of iPhone Filmmaking

The increasing popularity of filming events on an iPhone has led to some surprising insights into the world of professional filmmaking. While it may seem counterintuitive that a smartphone can be used to capture stunning footage, it's clear that these devices have become an integral part of the filmmaking process.

A Special Case: The iPhone 15 Pro

The iPhone 15 Pro is one device that has managed to impress even the most discerning film enthusiasts. Its advanced camera capabilities and color grading features make it a highly desirable tool for aspiring filmmakers. Whether used in conjunction with other equipment or on its own, the iPhone 15 Pro offers a level of quality that was previously impossible to achieve with smartphones alone.

The Impact of iPhone Filmmaking

So what does this mean for the future of filmmaking? While iPhones will continue to be an essential tool for amateur filmmakers and creatives, professional productions will likely remain rooted in traditional equipment. The rise of iPhone filmmaking has shown us that these devices can produce high-quality visuals, but it's still up to the creative team to elevate the material through careful planning, direction, and post-production work.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: ensome of you may have heard that um the scary fast event was filmed on a a iPhone 15 Pro and people were arguing about this this week and they were pissed because they were surprised to learn that uh it wasn't just some uh big fat guy with Cheeto stands on his shirt holding the knife on I was like go ahead Tim like they had a whole team of professionals there filming with lights that probably cost uh you know more than a maxed out MacBook Pro and um I I don't know about you Griffin but when I first saw the stream let me see if I can find this I actually thought the picture looked weird like it looked like they they they I don't know if it's because they filmed it on an iPhone or if it's because they filmed it um at 60 frames per second or something it looked like it had soap soap opera effect big time and I I noticed immediately like the I don't think I could have articulated what was wrong with it but but it looked to me like they were doing something different than they normally did and it turns out that they actually filmed the whole thing on iPhone they also released a new behind the scenes video that shows how they filmed the whole event which I thought was really pretty interesting but people were surprised to see that they had used like you know all this lighting equipment and all this special equipment to film it I'm like dude well yeah they're not going to just have some Schmo holding a phone walking around like they're trying to sell billions of dollars worth of new Max like of of course they're going to spend all the money on professionals and Equipment um to make the picture look as good as possible I know you said you had some thoughts on this Griffin what were you gonna say I think what some a lot of people misunderstand is that like a a proper like TV production quality camera or a you know a cinematic camera like the sure the camera itself is expensive but at a certain point the camera starts to become like the least important part of the whole setup like once you get to like a a high enough quality a majority of the cost of a of a TV or a movie camera is in the gimbal that it's sitting on the The lenses that you attach to the camera the the lights the the microphones everything else like like the camera itself is is at a certain level like the least important thing the least important part of the the the the the process of of filming something on TV or movies which which sounds ridiculous like but but like the gimbal the the lens attachments is are are far more expensive and that's what really gives it that's what takes it from like the the last 20% of the look and now it is impressive that like an iPhone is able to to swap into that spot but I think a lot of it still comes from like making it look that good comes from all the the extra bits that they oh 100 they attach like the rest of the Cinematic and I would say it it makes that stuff even more critical because iPhones do not do super well in low light and they don't have nearly the same dynamic range of as cameras that are more expensive and by dynamic range I mean the ability to show to accurately show um uh different uh light gradations so from the brightest light to the darkest light like can it show everything thing within those uh differences and show it all in the same image without blowing something out or making something look too dark well a big part of that is specifically that a big part of that is that they they filmed it on the iPhone 15 Pro and I think the reason they waited until this specific generation of iPhone to do that is because it has the log and coding for color grading which significantly reduces the amount of like blown out brights and like muddy Shadows that you're used to seeing on a on a phone footage because it like all the brightness is log encoded so if you don't know what that means it basically adds additional math to the picture like capturing extra detail that you would not normally get like straight out of the camera so you bring that footage into Final Cut Pro and everything looks like muted and gray and desaturated but then you you know you start fiddling with it and you find out that you find out that there's so much more detail in the color in there that you wouldn't be able to normally get huh um sorry I'm reading the chat here um J Cruz is saying too much digital Edge yeah they should have put a promis filter on it that would have been so funny uh I don't know what cracks me up about Tim Cook and a promis filter it does kind of seem like he lives his life in a pris filter he just looks so soft and uh non- wrinkled everywhere he goes yeah so the the iPhone definitely has and not just the iPhone but but phones in general they tend to over over sharpen their image um so you know I also don't understand the point of of of recording your whole event with iPhone like what is this trying to prove because professionals aren't going to use iPhones to film their cinematic works and people who don't pay attention to cameras don't care what your event was filmed on right like it's not going to be like oh well I'm going to buy an iPhone because they filmed their scary fast event with an iPhone it must be a professional tool it's like people who are interested in professional tools aren't going to use an iPhone and people who aren't interested in professional tools don't care what camera you used so I don't really understand what the point was but you know they Ed an iPhone pretty cool um let's see real quick I think they're maybe not like professional people but like you know people on the amateur level people who are shooting student films in college people or even in professional settings in situations where a TV camera is just like too bulky or big to do what you want it to do this is proving that an iPhone can do those things and most people probably won't notice unless they're really paying attention yeah level remix says he shoots with an iPhone makes me want to get an iPhone 15 Max I mean that definitely has a a beautiful camera and the thing I don't like about iPhones is their low low light performance um that continues to be an issue but it's not it's not strictly an iPhone problem obviously it's like most cameras don't do do don't do well in low light um and I also think that they do tend to oversharpened looks a little bit too hdre which I don't love but I think for daily life they actually create really beautiful picturessome of you may have heard that um the scary fast event was filmed on a a iPhone 15 Pro and people were arguing about this this week and they were pissed because they were surprised to learn that uh it wasn't just some uh big fat guy with Cheeto stands on his shirt holding the knife on I was like go ahead Tim like they had a whole team of professionals there filming with lights that probably cost uh you know more than a maxed out MacBook Pro and um I I don't know about you Griffin but when I first saw the stream let me see if I can find this I actually thought the picture looked weird like it looked like they they they I don't know if it's because they filmed it on an iPhone or if it's because they filmed it um at 60 frames per second or something it looked like it had soap soap opera effect big time and I I noticed immediately like the I don't think I could have articulated what was wrong with it but but it looked to me like they were doing something different than they normally did and it turns out that they actually filmed the whole thing on iPhone they also released a new behind the scenes video that shows how they filmed the whole event which I thought was really pretty interesting but people were surprised to see that they had used like you know all this lighting equipment and all this special equipment to film it I'm like dude well yeah they're not going to just have some Schmo holding a phone walking around like they're trying to sell billions of dollars worth of new Max like of of course they're going to spend all the money on professionals and Equipment um to make the picture look as good as possible I know you said you had some thoughts on this Griffin what were you gonna say I think what some a lot of people misunderstand is that like a a proper like TV production quality camera or a you know a cinematic camera like the sure the camera itself is expensive but at a certain point the camera starts to become like the least important part of the whole setup like once you get to like a a high enough quality a majority of the cost of a of a TV or a movie camera is in the gimbal that it's sitting on the The lenses that you attach to the camera the the lights the the microphones everything else like like the camera itself is is at a certain level like the least important thing the least important part of the the the the the process of of filming something on TV or movies which which sounds ridiculous like but but like the gimbal the the lens attachments is are are far more expensive and that's what really gives it that's what takes it from like the the last 20% of the look and now it is impressive that like an iPhone is able to to swap into that spot but I think a lot of it still comes from like making it look that good comes from all the the extra bits that they oh 100 they attach like the rest of the Cinematic and I would say it it makes that stuff even more critical because iPhones do not do super well in low light and they don't have nearly the same dynamic range of as cameras that are more expensive and by dynamic range I mean the ability to show to accurately show um uh different uh light gradations so from the brightest light to the darkest light like can it show everything thing within those uh differences and show it all in the same image without blowing something out or making something look too dark well a big part of that is specifically that a big part of that is that they they filmed it on the iPhone 15 Pro and I think the reason they waited until this specific generation of iPhone to do that is because it has the log and coding for color grading which significantly reduces the amount of like blown out brights and like muddy Shadows that you're used to seeing on a on a phone footage because it like all the brightness is log encoded so if you don't know what that means it basically adds additional math to the picture like capturing extra detail that you would not normally get like straight out of the camera so you bring that footage into Final Cut Pro and everything looks like muted and gray and desaturated but then you you know you start fiddling with it and you find out that you find out that there's so much more detail in the color in there that you wouldn't be able to normally get huh um sorry I'm reading the chat here um J Cruz is saying too much digital Edge yeah they should have put a promis filter on it that would have been so funny uh I don't know what cracks me up about Tim Cook and a promis filter it does kind of seem like he lives his life in a pris filter he just looks so soft and uh non- wrinkled everywhere he goes yeah so the the iPhone definitely has and not just the iPhone but but phones in general they tend to over over sharpen their image um so you know I also don't understand the point of of of recording your whole event with iPhone like what is this trying to prove because professionals aren't going to use iPhones to film their cinematic works and people who don't pay attention to cameras don't care what your event was filmed on right like it's not going to be like oh well I'm going to buy an iPhone because they filmed their scary fast event with an iPhone it must be a professional tool it's like people who are interested in professional tools aren't going to use an iPhone and people who aren't interested in professional tools don't care what camera you used so I don't really understand what the point was but you know they Ed an iPhone pretty cool um let's see real quick I think they're maybe not like professional people but like you know people on the amateur level people who are shooting student films in college people or even in professional settings in situations where a TV camera is just like too bulky or big to do what you want it to do this is proving that an iPhone can do those things and most people probably won't notice unless they're really paying attention yeah level remix says he shoots with an iPhone makes me want to get an iPhone 15 Max I mean that definitely has a a beautiful camera and the thing I don't like about iPhones is their low low light performance um that continues to be an issue but it's not it's not strictly an iPhone problem obviously it's like most cameras don't do do don't do well in low light um and I also think that they do tend to oversharpened looks a little bit too hdre which I don't love but I think for daily life they actually create really beautiful pictures\n"