10 GENIUS Ways Recent Movies Pulled Off Insane Scenes

2. Bullet Time - 28 Years Later

28 Years Later
Sony Pictures Releasing

Much fuss was made pre-release about a large bulk of 28 Years Later being shot on modified versions of the iPhone 15 Pro Max, and for the film's bewildering bullet time-style effects used when one of the infected is shot in the head, Danny Boyle and his team came up with one hell of a novel solution.

A rig was created comprised of 20 iPhones organised in a semi-circle formation, meaning that when these phones were capturing video simultaneously, they were recording a full 180-degree field of view which Boyle could arc between in post-production.

Boyle rather amusingly called the rig a "poor man's bullet time," considering its more DIY nature compared to the ultra-complex, static rigs deployed in The Matrix over 25 years ago.

It certainly makes for a distinctive effect in the final film, and will probably inspire its fair share of lower-budget filmmakers to create their own slung-together iPhone bullet time rigs.

 
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Stay at home dad who spends as much time teaching his kids the merits of Martin Scorsese as possible (against the missus' wishes). General video game, TV and film nut. Occasional sports fan. Full time loon.