Verge article:

How one of the best films at Sundance was shot using an iPhone 5S

Plenty of amateur films have been shot using iPhones, but by all reports, this is the first movie at the Sundance Film Festival to be shot almost entirely on an Apple device. It was a decision that indie writer and director Sean Baker made to accommodate the film’s small budget. But you’d never guess the camera, to look at it: Tangerine was shot in a widescreen, 2:35:1 aspect ratio, and its camera zooms through the streets of LA with a fluidity you’d never expect from a handheld device. And yet despite his camera of choice, Baker says the iPhone made for a good partner. “It was surprisingly easy,” Baker says. “We never lost any footage.”

NY Time article

Sean Baker Talks ‘Tangerine,’ and Making a Movie With an iPhone

He studied the video site Vimeo and a specific channel that focused on iPhone short films. “I was so impressed by what I saw,” he said. “I thought, ‘This holds up.’ ”

He combined the adapters with Filmic Pro, an inexpensive app with several useful tools.

“The separate ability to control white balance, focus and exposure were key fundamentals that enabled them to get good focus points in every shot,” said Neill Barham, the founder and chief executive of Filmic Pro, explaining how his app helped the “Tangerine” crew.

The filmmakers bought three iPhone 5s for the shoot, but used only two at a time, with Mr. Baker and his co-cinematographer, Radium Cheung, recording at different angles. They used a Steadicam hand-held support called the Smoothee for stabilized shots. To achieve some sweeping shots that may have required a dolly if used with a traditional camera, Mr. Baker rode his bicycle, one hand on the iPhone and the other on the handlebars. “It literally felt like I was 12 years old, shooting my VHS movies in New Jersey,” he said.