Danny Boyle Says Shooting on iPhones Let Him Capture ‘Startling’ Violence in 28 Years Later

The British director tells WIRED nimble cameras are ideal for creating apocalyptic vibes and says he doesn’t watch zombie movies, despite his massive influence on the genre.

In 2001, Danny Boyle had a problem. To make his new postapocalyptic horror movie, 28 Days Later, he had to capture footage of a then-unknown Cillian Murphy wandering the abandoned streets of London. Shutting down the city wasn’t an option for the low-budget production, however, and neither was re-creating it on a studio set. Instead, the 68-year-old director made a surprising choice: He filmed with lightweight, low-resolution Canon digital cameras. The technology, which was cutting-edge at the time, made it possible to record scenes at iconic locations like Westminster Bridge and Piccadilly Circus in under an hour each. It also gave 28 Days ...