In the television industry, the show must always go on. And when the name of your talk show is On n’est pas couché, or in English, “We’re Still Awake,” it’s even more crucial to keep the cameras rolling, no matter what the circumstances. So when the show’s equipment died about an hour and 45 minutes into taping, the team had to make a game-time decision. And who was there to save the day? The trusty iPhone, of course.
While you may use your smartphone to shoot home videos and record notes for yourself (or is that just me?), the team at Power to France 2 had slightly bigger plans for their little devices. After a few hours of handwringing, the crew decided to use limited lighting and a number of Plus-model iPhones. And lo and behold, that footage made it to broadcast –and onto YouTube as well. According to Apple Insider, the stunt “may represent one of the first times a major TV show has been shot on iPhones without it being an intentional gimmick.” All hail the “iEmpire.”
It may also be one of the best accidental marketing campaigns for Tim Cook and company, who have recently launched a series of campaigns showing photos and videos shot with various iPhones. But now, they have a real-life application of the technology, proving that their marketing is more than just good advertising — it’s actually, well, pretty realistic.
For years, Apple has touted its video-recording quality as one of its winningest features on its iPhones. The iPhone 6s Plus has the capacity to shoot in 4K resolution with optical image stabilization. And while France 2 hasn’t revealed which iPhone in particular was used in their impromptu filming (only that it was a Plus model), it’s pretty impressive all the same.
So if the lights ever go out when you’re filming your own footage, you know where to turn. Unless, that is, you’re already using your iPhone.
