Before Anora, Sean Baker Shot an Actual Masterpiece on iPhone & It Cost $100k

With an estimated $100.000 for his 2015 film, Sean Baker made a decision that would change our view on how good movies can be made.

Sure, fancy gear can elevate the feel of the movie to a certain extent (script and directory choices are still the most important, though), but this is not the end-all and be-all for everyone. Some of us can't afford to spend $50K for an “affordable” ARRI.

The independent film scene always had a way of improvising due to financial constraints, so it's no surprise Sean Baker chose to use an iPhone instead of a professional camera to shoot his Award-Winning Tangerine (2015).

So, let's dive into this move, the one he made before going on to create works like The Florida Project (2017) and Anora (2024).

Tangerine (2015): A Christmas Story Like No Other

Set against the sunny streets of Los Angeles on Christmas Eve, Tangerine follows Sin-Dee (Kitana Kiki Rodriguez), a transgender sex worker who's just been released from prison, only to discover her boyfriend/pimp has been unfaithful.

Accompanied by her best friend Alexandra (Mya Taylor), they both navigate friendship and betrayal in a way that feels so authentic and real you forget you're watching a movie.

This is truly a fierce, funny and deeply human story with the less glamorous side of Hollywood.

Rodriguez and Taylor are both first time actors, but it feels like they've been doing this for their whole life. And Baker, in an interview to Four Three Film, explained that it could be due to the usage of an iPhone instead of a camera:

“But when we were shooting I thought we were going to have to get over that hump that all first time actors have...This time, though, there was no hump. They were as comfortable from the first take as they were all the way through the film. It was because the intimidation factor was removed by using one of these.”

Sean Baker Shot Tangerine With iPhone

And, honestly, the usage of iPhone in the movie was the smartest decision not only money-wise, but also context-wise. It served the story in unexpected ways. In the same interview, Baker reflected:

“I would love to say I was completely conscious and aware of it [using iPhone] going into the film, but to tell you the truth it made itself apparent to me – as we were shooting – how beneficial the iPhone was in terms of, as you just said… levelling the playing field and making it a democratic film.”

We can definitely say that the iPhone itself became an invisible character in the film. It allowed Baker to capture the more intimate side of moments that expensive cameras might have sanitized.

For aspiring filmmakers watching their dreams fade due to budget constraints, this film screams: "Your story matters more than your equipment." And that's true. We are all hungry for new visions, always.

The best part about all of this is that you can experience Tangerine completely free on both Hoopla and Plex right now.