Shot on iPhone 6: An Ordinary Guy’s World Is Turned Upside Down

We actually selected January 18, 2022 for last years festival, but unfortunately we weren’t able to screen it. However, filmmaker Robert Postrozny submitted the film again this year and so we finally have the chance to screen it.

The film is a slow build and doesn’t immediately grab you, but gradually you get sucked into the nightmare vision created simply by using what Robert had to hand. Everything is compiled from files from an ordinary iPhone – a guy with a wife and new child, trying to build his family house. This includes vertical shots, screen grabs of chats, files, even upside down video. But this way of using the phone as a phone makes the story that unfolds even more real.

We asked Robert to tell us more about the film…

What is the story behind your film?

The origin of “January 18, 2022” first came from looking through a friend’s iPhone. I was amazed how all the content on his device was able to tell a captivating, intimate story about him. It was like putting a puzzle together.

So as an experiment, I thought it’d be interesting to make a movie that was a collage of all the content you’d find on someone’s phone – not just the video content, but also photos, voicemail messages, texts, call logs, voice memos and posts in social networking apps.

Around the exact time I was having these ideas, there were a lot of forest fires raging around Los Angeles, where I currently live. I had taken many pictures and videos of the fires and when scrolling though the content on my camera app it almost seemed like I was in an apocalypse.

So that’s when the story for “January 18, 2022” started forming. What if you came across someone’s discarded iPhone during a global catastrophe – what could you piece together about the event from looking through it? And more importantly, how did the person who owned the phone react to it?

What were the steps which led you to make it?

I started making the film shortly after our first child was born. I was juggling many things at the time: being a new father, work, construction on a house we just bought – so I integrated all those aspects into the story. And because time was such a precious commodity and scheduling difficult, the only way I’d be able to shoot a film was if I shot and acted in it myself with no crew.

In addition to the fires, I started shooting anything around me that could lend itself to being “apocalyptic” in nature – and would often have to improvise scenes on the fly to take advantage of the right setting that fit within the story. I also had to film on the sneak without telling my wife, because she would have worried for my safety and never have allowed me to get some of the fire footage that I did.

“there’s really nothing holding you back from making films anymore”

What equipment did you use?

I used an iPhone 6 and 6 Plus without any external mics, lights, or gimbals. I purposely wanted the footage to feel as realistic as possible, just like what you’d find on anyone’s phone. So there are times in the movie when the audio is really bad, videos are upside down, etc. It is purposely unpolished without any sense of added “production” to it.

I edited the film in Final Cut Pro X on a beat-up MacBook and there was a lot of work done to the film in post. I did most of the special effects myself and I don’t know the first thing about VFX. But I do know graphic design and Photoshop really well.

So all the effects were done frame by frame in Photoshop, which I then imported back into FCP X to create the final animation. There was a lot of stitching together shots as well so they would look like one seamless take.

How much did you know about filmmaking before you made this film?

I started out as an actor. I’m a lifetime member of the Actors Studio and have been making shorts ever since I was in grad school in NYC. What started out as a means to give myself acting roles turned into a real love for all aspects of the filmmaking craft.

What did you like/not like about filming with a phone?

Shooting on a phone is very freeing. Since the phone is so small, it’s very easy to “steal” shots and work in a nonintrusive way. I strive to make films with performances that are super realistic, almost documentary-like and shooting on a phone really helps aid in this process.

Has making the film changed your life in any way?

It’s been said many times over, but there’s really nothing holding you back from making films anymore. Everybody has a studio in their pocket.

With a little creativity and gumption, one can make wonderful, moving films with their phone, sometimes even better than what would otherwise be made with traditional film cameras because of the intimacy shooting on a phone provides.

So that’s been the lesson for me with this short. Nothing’s holding you back.

How successful was the film, personally and in gaining an audience for your work?

I tried to take a lot of creative risks with “January 18, 2022” and the audience response to it has mostly been polarized. You either love it or hate it. But it did get a great response from many in the industry here in LA so we’ve been in the process of trying to expand the concept into a feature-length film.

Looking back on the movie, is there anything you’d have done differently?

Since I was shooting the film as well as acting in it with no crew, it was very difficult. If I had even one more person I feel I could have done a lot more. So if I could do it over again, I would have more of a crew.

How important are film festivals that give these kind of films a platform for you?

Extremely important. I feel there’s a growing number of really great stories being told that are shot on phones or small cameras for no budgets.

One can put them up on YouTube or Vimeo, but they can often get lost in the glut of content. So there’s nothing like have a festival that can curate and ultimately put these types of films up before a live audience.

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