This video reimagines the entire cinematic history if it was shot as vertical video

https://youtu.be/xqiPZBZgW9c

It’s been a while since vertical videos became a thing. I know, I know, you may still not like them, but it looks like even some famous filmmakers are embracing this format. The director of Oscar-winning La La Land and Whiplash Damien Chazelle has teamed up with Apple to create this unusual project. The video they recently launched reimagines what classic movie genres would look like if they were shot vertically.

The video is a compilation of short movie clips of different genres: action and spy movies, westerns, even silent films. But there are two things that all of them have in common. First, they were all shot vertically. And second, they were shot on iPhone 11 Pro, with the phone sometimes mounted onto pretty badass rigs.

Apple even shared a BTS video showing the filming process and sharing the director’s thoughts. Chazelle said that this whole process reminded him of when he was a kid who created his versions of Hollywood movies with VHS camcorders. He says that shooting vertically encourages you to think outside the box. You need to “rewire” your brain to think what the shots will look like vertically, and you need to make deliberate choices when thinking about your frames.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w41SUOzS09A

I must admit that I’m still not used to vertical videos. On rare occasions when I film something, I still make horizontal videos (even for Instagram). I don’t think that the vertical format will ever take over, but it will become more and more used, perhaps even in movies. After all, even some camera manufacturers like Arri has joined the trend.

Now, although the video above is an obvious commercial for iPhone 11 Pro, I actually find it pretty cool. It follows the main star and his stuntman and it’s hilarious (although a bit sad at the same time). And the frames are beautiful just like in Chazelle’s regular, horizontal movies. How do you like it? Let us know in the comments.

[Shot on iPhone by Damien Chazelle – Vertical Cinema | Apple]