To prove that the iPhone could make vertical video cinematic, we tapped a team of acclaimed filmmakers — Oscar-winner Damien Chazelle, Oscar-winning cinematographer Linus Sandgren, and Grammy-winning composer Lorne Balfe — to craft a short film from start to finish that was specifically written and designed for the vertical screen. The resulting 9 minute film takes viewers on a romp through cinematic history, reimagining and reframing classic genres along the way.

But it wasn't enough just to raise the bar for mobile filmmaking. A key component of Vertical Cinema was education. We created a behind-the-scenes film that pulled back the curtain on the creative process, leaving filmmakers and iPhone users alike with actionable tips for improving their vertical video in their everyday lives.

Inspire with a film Shot on iPhone by a Hollywood disrupter

- Kicked off with our hero film on Apple’s YouTube on August 6, 2020.

- The film was the first short film shot on iPhone, designed specifically for vertical, by a director of Damien Chazelle's caliber. Everything, from the plot of the film to the cinematography to the stunt choreography, was designed with the vertical frame in mind. The film itself was Shot on iPhone 11 Pro and utilized Optical Image Stabilization, Shooting in Low Light, Capturing bright colors/using in-camera filters, and the Discrete-ness/Agile-ness of camera in particular.

- The 9 minute film was able to be broken up into modular pieces of content – from short-form paid and organic, to GIFs and stills, to educational pieces – that ran in international markets, on a myriad of different platforms, inspiring and educating people across the globe; it ran on YouTube, YouTube Pre-Roll, Instagram (In-feed, Reels, IGTV, Stories), vertical native platforms Snapchat and Tik Tok, targeted social for movie-interests on Twitter and Pinterest, in-article and contextual placements, on gaming platforms, and dotcom.

Educate with behind-the-scenes content

- Chazelle shared insights on how to shoot better vertical video on Instagram Stories and in a film released on YouTube.

Facilitate the filmmakers of the future

- Partnered with Ghetto Film School to help four student filmmakers shoot their own vertical short films, and premiered them on Apple’s Instagram to an audience of 25 million. Rolling release over four weeks beginning on January 15, 2021.

Share insights on social

- Behind-the-scenes film pulled back the curtain on the filmmaking process for these young filmmakers. Released on YouTube and Instagram Stories.

Celebrate the creativity of a global community

-Released a vertical video community assignment and shared best-of highlight on March 5, 2021.