How Resident Evil director Zach Cregger explains the iPhone’s vital role in his work
Planning shots on location
Cregger brings his iPhone to filming locations and uses Cadrage to approximate the views offered by different lenses. He works with his cinematographer to plan a sequence and decide how each shot will connect to the next.
He prints images from the planning process so the crew can see what will appear in frame and which lens is intended. Cregger says this leaves little uncertainty about the planned shots.
Building immersive horror
Cregger connects his visual approach to video games, which he says shaped his sense of images alongside movies and television. For a scene, he describes keeping a protagonist centered as the camera follows from behind with a wide-angle lens.
When the character looks to one side, the camera moves with that attention. Cregger says this can make a horror experience feel more immersive and keep viewers informed.
A tool beyond the camera
Movies promoted as shot on iPhone often use professional cinematography equipment, including costly lenses, as well as lighting and editing. That has prompted debate about how much the phone itself contributes to the finished image.
Cregger’s use is mainly for preparation, although he says an iPhone can be enough to make a movie. His own budgets give him access to more expensive gear, while amateur filmmakers can also use phone photos to make visual guides for planned shots.
Key points
- Cregger uses an iPhone and Cadrage to plan shots at filming locations.
- Printed photo boards show the crew intended framing and lens choices.
- He links camera movement that follows a character’s attention with immersive horror.
- Cregger says an iPhone can make a movie, though his productions use costlier equipment.