Director Jon Favreau says a specialized app let him better frame IMAX shots using a virtual theater environment in Apple Vision Pro. He cites it as one method to cut back on reshoots and reduce costs.
Filmmaking has only become more and more expensive even as commercialized tools make the medium more accessible. It's easier than ever to grab a smartphone and shoot some footage, but reaching Hollywood calibre isn't so simple.
In an interview conducted by The Town podcast during Cinemacon, Jon Favreau discussed ways that technology was helping reduce costs in filmmaking. One of the tools he mentioned was Apple Vision Pro.
"So I'm making an IMAX movie and I'm looking at a TV screen," shared Favreau. "No matter how big your TV screen is, it's not an IMAX screen."
The solution was building software that would let Favreau frame a shot while viewing it in a virtual IMAX theater.
"I could watch that take and see what people will see. That's a piece of technology that existed without us," he continued, discussing how the film industry benefits from consumer tech.
Apple Vision Pro might be an expensive headset with its own tradeoffs, but it offers a unique feature set. The resolution of the displays combined with the fully immersive experience allows for better shot planning and realization.
Tools like Apple Vision Pro cut back on overall costs because they prevent reshoots. Favreau says that one of the more expensive aspects of filmmaking is the shots that sit on the cutting room floor.
The director has been known to utilize emerging technologies when making films. The Lion King was filmed on a virtual set where Favreau could direct shots from VR, for example.
The Mandalorian is a show and soon-to-be Star Wars movie that is filmed almost entirely via virtual sets. The actors perform in spaces surrounded by green screens, which provides its own challenges.
The ability for Favreau to view a shot of the live actors in a pre-vis environment through Apple Vision Pro simulating an IMAX theater is quite the accomplishment. The use might be unique to Favreau, but with how TV and film creation are evolving, it could become a go-to method.
Apple Vision Pro has, so far, been a product without a killer feature. It seems that it might actually be great for many specific use cases instead of one flashy feature.
At the least, Apple has sold one to Jon Favreau.
