What you need to know
- Shelter-in-place orders have stopped production of American Idol.
- The show must go on; Contestants and judges are filming at home.
- Everyone gets three iPhone 11 Pro devices to film their performance.
Over the past few months, we've watched as the entire entertainment industry has been flipped upside-down over shelter-in-place orders brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. As proof of just how creative entertainers are, many have come up with ingenious ways to keep their shows going while protecting the health and wellbeing of everyone involved. American Idol is one such project. Its current season was abruptly halted earlier this year, but things are looking up for the talented stars-to-be.
The last few episodes of American Idol are being filmed right now, from home, with the best mobile camera around: iPhone 11 Pro.
The contestants and judges were each sent their own at-home studio, which includes a ring light, a tripod, and three iPhone 11 Pros (for different angles, of course). American Idol's production team will help everyone set up their cameras and lighting. Performances will be shared with the judges, who will also be filming themselves reacting to each performance. All of this will then be sent off to the editing team and we'll finally be able to see who the winner of American Idol Season 18 is.
In a statement, Apple said,
We know that people are relying on their favorite shows while staying at home, and we are happy to be a part of that process with the team at American Idol. iPhone offers a unique solution to deliver broadcast-quality video, in the palm of your hand, while keeping production staff and on-air talent safe and in their homes.
American Idol isn't the first show to use iPhones to keep the cameras rolling. Shows like The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Conan O'Brien, and Keeping up with the Kardashians all shoot on iPhone. The recent special reunion episode of Parks and Recreation was also accomplished by each actor getting an iPhone, a ring light, and a tripod to film their scenes (which explains why their video feed looked so good — they weren't using the built-in webcam). And, of course, no one can forget the amazing at-home performances by so many talented artists for Global Citizen's One World: Together At Home concert.
