‘Crazy Rich Asians’ director Jon M. Chu shoots short film on iPhone Xs Max

Crazy Rich Asians director Jon M. Chu has shot a short film entirely on the iPhone Xs Max. The two-minute-long film, called ‘Somewhere,’ focuses on dancer Luigi Rosado’s rehearsal space in 4K.

WIRED provided Chu with an iPhone Xs Max to test Apple’s best camera yet, with ‘zero equipment.’ Chu didn’t use any professional lighting or stabilizer, in fact, the video was shot handheld in a garage under fluorescent lights using the native camera app and stabilizer.

The video was edited on a computer without any color correction or post-production tricks, preserving the native iPhone Xs flare.

“I’m moving around a lot, and the focus was adjusting as I was moving, but it was finding the subject really well,” says Chu. “There’s a shot at the end where I’m rushing toward the garage–that’s using the built-in stabilizers. It’s pretty smooth.”

Chu says he’s going to upgrade to the iPhone Xs Max from the iPhone X, as the former is lighter than the iPhone 8 Plus, and doesn’t even feel like a Plus-sized phone.

Handheld. No equipment. No effects. Amazing work by Crazy Rich Asians director @jonmchu — shot on iPhone XS Max. Moves by @Luigiskmz. More from @WIRED: https://t.co/E897Me2w6fpic.twitter.com/DkdjT2ZpMA

— Tim Cook (@tim_cook) September 19, 2018