The Weeknd’s Upcoming Music Video Was Shot on the New iPhone 16 Pro

Sep 09, 2024

A person with curly hair, wearing sunglasses and a dark jacket, stands in a foggy, blue-hued setting. They are being filmed through a camera, which is visible in the foreground, held by two hands. Leafless branches can be seen in the background.

The Weeknd and Apple revealed that the pop star’s latest music video has been shot entirely on the just announced iPhone 16 Pro.

The video for Dancing in the Flames is from director Anton Tammi and director of photography Erik Henrikkson.

A film crew member leans into a convertible car, holding a camera close to the actor inside. Another crew member stands behind, also operating a camera. The scene is lit with a blue tint, creating a moody atmosphere. A timestamp is visible at the bottom.

Apple says the new iPhone 16 Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max are powered by the A18 Pro Chip and built for Apple Intelligence are “the most advanced iPhone models we’ve ever made.”

Tami and Henrikkson used the iPhone 16 Pro’s features to record in 4K 120 frames per second (fps) in Dolby Vision for smooth slow-motion video capture.

A person holding a camera and an umbrella films another person standing in a foggy, blue-lit environment. The scene is mysterious and atmospheric, with silhouettes and scattered light sources in the background.

In a behind-the-scenes video, The Weeknd (real name Abel Makkonen Tesfaye) sings fast to a sped-up version of the song so the crew can render the video at 120 fps — a technique known as speed ramping.

“When we were told that the iPhone can now shoot in 4K, 120 fps we wanted to do a music video shot in slow-motion,” says Henrikkson.

“Shooting 4K 120 really helped us slow down reality; slow down the elements; slow down The Weeknd’s movements.”

A person holding a mounted smartphone recording video in a blue-lit room. The phone screen displays the image of another individual who appears to be sitting on a couch, partially visible through the screen.

The crew says they were “very impressed” with how the iPhone 16 performed, noting its ability to pick up the strong highlights and deep blacks.

“Using iPhone 16 Pro is starting to erase the line between what’s considered a ‘professional camera’ and what’s not. And I think this is really really going to help young filmmakers coming up,” says Henrikkson.

“We were shooting with very bright HDMI backlights hitting the rain and that was something I was worried about. ‘How will the iPhone pick these lights up, how will the contrast be managed, how will this look on the Weeknd’s face?’ And when I saw the results, I was blown away, to be honest.”

A black and white image showcasing a film set. Multiple crew members are seen operating cameras and other equipment, capturing a scene with a person performing a dynamic action on a mechanical rig shrouded in smoke. A ladder and film lights are also visible.