Directed by Danny Boyle, the “28 Years Later” draws attention not only with its story, but also with its technical preferences behind the camera. While shooting the film, the director evaluated the point where cinema technology came from in a very bold way. The first film in the series, “28 Days Later, reflects the period of the use of home -type cameras, this time the iPhones took over the task. Boyle and the author Alex Garland made this choice consciously; Because now everyone has a camera in their pockets.
In the early 2000s, house cameras were widespread, people could record images on the street, at home or in any disaster. Today, this function is largely fulfilling smartphones. Boyle, taking into account this, he decided to shoot some scenes with the iPhone. This preference has offered a technical innovative approach not only nostalgic, but also technically.
28 Years Later Shooting 20 iPhone used at the same time with special systems
The iPhones used in the film are not fixed by an ordinary tripod. The team has developed three different special rig systems; One of the eight, one ten and the other is 20 iPhones. Especially in the scenes where the 20 iPhone was used, the audience was given a moment when time stops. Boyle describes this system as “bullet time ;; So a similar effect on the lead kidnapping scene in The Matrix has been created.

This 20 iPhone system can be placed on the end of a crane or a rail. Each camera records the scene from a different angle, and during the fiction phase, these images are switched between these images. Thus, the audience comes out of a classic cinema watching experience and placed in the middle of the events. This technique was used especially in violent scenes and the audience was given a feeling of physical strikingness.
Boyle does not only see this approach as a visual show. According to him, this method changes the narrative itself; Because the audience is no longer an observer, but becomes an active part of events. In some scenes in the film, the audience is almost with the actors. This makes the film’s atmosphere more intense and shocking.
In addition, the film’s image management is not limited to iPhones. Dronalar, players fixed cameras and even in some scenes, systems placed in animals are used. 2.76: The wide screen format in 1 ratio has strengthened this experience. The audience has experienced a conscious uneasiness, feeling the need to constantly control the sides of the screen.
The wide screen preference is not only an aesthetic decision. This rate says that they choose to ensure that the audience constantly scans the surroundings. The feeling that threats can be not only in the center but also in every corner of the screen is reinforced with this preference. This has been an element that increases the tension of the narrative.
Despite everything, the film was not entirely with iPhones; These systems have been activated only in certain scenes, especially when the action is intensified. This approach shows that in the film, technique and content work in harmony. In other words, technology is not just a tool, but a layer that deepens the narrative.
This method, which Danny Boyle uses in 28 Years Later, shows that mobile devices can find more places in cinema. Today’s smart phones can be preferred not only for daily use but also for professional productions thanks to their advanced camera features. 20 The effect created by phone is not only technical, but also in terms of cinematic narrative.