From ARRI to iPhone: SXSW Filmmakers Explain Their Camera Picks

Another year, another SXSW comes to Austin, Texas to showcase some of the best, most creative, and always up-and-coming films and filmmakers in the industry. This year’s Film and Television lineup is no different, as the 2025 SXSW Conference brings a wide variety of innovative storytellers and passionate talent.

And while there’s no secret formula or camera decision that will ever replace the art of cinematic storytelling itself, it’s always interesting to get insights from festival filmmakers into what cameras they chose to shoot their projects on and why.

This year saw an impressive array of different camera systems used for a wide variety of reasons. There were some consistent names (mostly ARRI Alexa 35s—mirroring trends we’ve seen at Sundance 2025 and past SXSW Film Festivals) of course, but it’s always encouraging to hear that the vast majority of filmmakers were simply looking to find the best tools at their disposal to help bring their creative visions to life.

So, without further ado, let’s hear from 2025 SXSW Film and TV filmmakers about what cameras they used and why.

'I Really Love My Husband' (Narrative Feature)

Camera(s) used: We shot primarily on the Alexa 35, but also had some moments that were shot on the iPhone as the character is seen taking videos of her vacation throughout the film.

Reason why: Our film was shot on a small Island off the coast of Panama and so I knew we needed a camera we could all trust. The Alexa 35 was such an easy choice because of its large dynamic range and enhanced sensitivity modes, especially because we knew our ability to use larger lighting fixtures on the island would be fairly limited. Having that extra dynamic range and sensitivity really changed how much crew and equipment was needed.

— Ryan Thomas, DP on I Really Love My Husband

'Ash' (Narrative Feature)

Camera(s) used: ARRI 35

Reason why: I wanted this film to be DARK, and this camera was able to produce really great images in low lighting without much grain at all.

— Flying Lotus, director of Ash.

'The Baltimorons' (Narrative Feature)

Camera(s) used: 2 FX6’s

Reason why: Because we own them and they were free to use.

— Jay Duplass, director of The Baltimorons.

'Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie' (Narrative Feature)

Camera(s) used: Sony Camcorders

Reason why: Most of the film was shot in public places with real people so we wanted to look like we weren’t making a real movie. A couple goofs running around with glorified handycams was a good way to stay under the radar. On top of that, the cameras have a small sensor, which means they are capable of an unbelievable zoom range. If you see the film, you’ll see that those colossal, long range zooms are a huge part of the language.

— Jared Raab, DP on Nirvanna the Band the Show the Movie

'We Beg to Differ' (Documentary Short)

Camera(s) used: Sony FX3 & FX9

Reason why: We chose the FX series primarily for its dual ISO, which was a huge advantage since we shot a lot in low light. Our DP often worked without a camera assistant, and the FX series is very manageable for a solo operator. The DP also owned the FX9, so that became our main camera, and we rented the FX3 as a secondary.

— Ruairi Bradley, director of We Beg to Differ

'The Infinite Husk' (Narrative Feature)

Camera(s) used: The Sony A7rV with g-master lenses

Reason why: Aaron Silverstein and I did a very small commercial project for a shoe company last year and I took all the money I made from that and bought a used Sony A7rV. We rented a second one and a set of G-master primes for our main production days. Autofocus and low light performance were important factors as we had a very small crew – just Aaron and me on several shoot nights, so we knew we’d be working with minimal lighting setups and no big monitors or follow focus.

The A7rV can also shoot 8k which we mostly used to maximize our macro chemical photography captures, hard drives be damned. The advanced image stabilization, which I discovered on the second or third night of production, was also clutch as we pivoted to a more hand-held, organic style of shooting. It also enabled us to pull off some longer roaming takes without the bulk or setup times of gimbals or Steadicam.

Our equipment was the right combination of what we had on hand, what we could afford, and what we could use with minimal fuss on an aggressive shooting schedule. The g-master lenses were sharp and fast and we used diffusion filters to soften the look and add some fuzziness to make things feel less digital.

— Mitchel Mckenzie, DP on The Infinite Husk

'Summer of 69' (Narrative Feature)

Camera(s) used: We shot on the Alexa 35 with G series Anamorphic lenses

Reason why: We have a lot of neon colors in our movie, and the new color science of the Alexa 35 captures saturated colors with an accuracy and flexibility I haven't found in other cameras. As for lenses, our movie masquerades as a raunchy high school comedy but is ultimately a heartfelt coming-of-age movie. By using anamorphic lenses, we used the visual language of recent teen comedies as a bit of a trojan horse so that the tenderness of the characters sneaks up on you. The softness and focus fall off around the edges of the G series lenses lend a timeless feel, which supports the softer moments of the movie.

— Maria Rusche, DP on Summer of 69

Billy Strings - 'Seven Weeks In County' (Music Video)

Camera(s) used: We shot on Alexa Mini 35 and Alexa Mini LF with a film out.

Reason why: Mainly ease of use because we needed to shoot the video fast, (in two days) but we shot knowing we needed a film out to mimic the Spaghetti Western look.

— Bryan Schlam, director of Billy Strings - 'Seven Weeks In Country'

'Dear Tomorrow' (Documentary Feature)

Camera(s) used: I filmed the entire film on a RED HELIUM (EPIC-X) with a DZO 20-55mm Zoom Lens and a Canon Zoom 70-200 mm.

Reason why: I’ve owned and used this camera since it was released in 2016 and still love it a lot. The look and feel of the Helium is to me quite unique and I’ve also shot some films with old lenses which looked amazing. Different lenses have different magic, but I think this camera handles all very well. The post is also always very smooth and the possibilities of color grade are awesome, when it’s just me as a one-man-band doing everything onset.

— Kaspar Astrup Schröder, director of Dear Tomorrow

'Clown in a Cornfield' (Narrative Feature)

Camera(s) used: We shot on the ARRI ALEXA 35 camera with Arri's DNA lenses.

Reason why: The Alexa 35 has a 4.6k sensor that has a similar feel to 35mm film. We wanted Clown in a Cornfield to have a modern but slightly old-school vintage feel and this camera/lens combo really got us there. We were always hoping to play the film theatrically so we framed it for the cine widescreen 2.40 look. We tested some anamorphic lenses but ultimately decided to go with the spherical DNA lenses because they had such a sultry feel to them. It was also nice in post to have a little extra data to work with if we needed to reframe a shot just slightly.

Also, the Alexa 35 is just a workhorse. We never experienced a dropped frame. It doesn't have to be rebooted all the time like some other cameras I've worked with. It just works in tough situations.

— Eli Craig, director of Clown in a Cornfield

'F*ckUps Anonymous' (Independent TV Pilot)

Camera(s) used: ARRI Alexa Mini LF

Reason why: ARRI makes reliable and flexible cameras. The Alexa Mini LF gave us an opportunity to be creative in challenging locations, it's a camera that handled all the conditions we threw at it; single digit temperatures, small locations, vibrant colors, and high-contrast lighting.

— F*ckUps Anonymous

'Fucktoys' (Narrative Feature)

Camera(s) used: 16mm, Arri SR3

Reason why: The innovation of 16mm really was the first step in democratizing the medium and from that produced a long lineage of new voices and subversive storytelling. When I first read the script for "Fucktoys" back in 2019, it was immediately clear that this campy, self-referential, grindhouse narrative fit squarely in the spirit of those films. Wanting to pay homage to the cult classics of John Waters and Gregg Araki, both visually and philosophically (and by default financially), 16mm was the perfect format for us. I love the way film renders natural light, but more importantly how it reproduces artificial, industrial sources and their often shallow visible spectrums. This offered such a gorgeous foundation when photographing our different New Orleans locations and helped establish the rich, pulpy, grungy texture we were looking for.

— Annapurna Sriram, director of Fucktoy.

'Sweetness' (Narrative Feature)

Camera(s) used: ⁠Alexa 35

Reason why: The dynamic range and colour rendition is the best in our DOP Mat Barkley’s opinion. Our film is a true indie with limitations of budget and time, so having the extended sensitivity came in handy in some of our exterior night scenes allowing us to work quickly and efficiently.

— Emma Higgins, director of Sweetness

'The Singers' (Narrative Short)

Camera(s) used: Arricam LT (3-perf)

Reason why: From the initial spark of the concept, The Singers was always going to be shot on film. We loved the subtle irony of capturing a cast comprised of unlikely viral video stars with the highest quality of cinematic craft, and the reverence that film lent their performances. Film also accentuated the soul and grit of the faces and setting, and offered the movie a timeless, fable-esque quality.

— Sam Davis, director of The Singers

'Creede U.S.A.' (Documentary Feature)

Camera(s) used: Sony FX9, Sony 28-135mm, Sony 70-200mm, Sigma primes

Reason why: Ensconced in a very small Western mountain town within a tight-knit community, we shot a lot of handheld verite in intimate settings. We needed a camera that could work well in any kind of available light and one that could then in the next moment capture the most breathtaking landscapes. The Sony Fx9 served us well in all situations with its 6K full-frame sensor, capturing the stunning natural beauty of Colorado, with the 15-stop dynamic range allowing us to capture both tricky small-town theatre lighting and town hall meetings. Most of our interviews were done with natural light, which looked rich and warm with the camera’s bokeh capabilities.

— Creede U.S..

'The Sentry' (Narrative Short)

Camera(s) used: Arri Alexa Mini LF / Sigma FF High Speed

Reason why: This was always our first choice bc of the color science/ dynamic range - we are doing a 70s spy thriller pastiche, so going for the most filmic looks was important - however up until 3 days before production we were planning to use the fx6 bc of budget. There aren’t many Arri’s in Cambodia where we shot, and they can often be more expensive to rent than in the States. But at the last minute, the rental house decided to cut us a huge deal - I know my DP was happy on that one. We like the fx6, and were also looking at the fx3, for maneuverability, in fight sequences and shooting on a moto, but we ended up finding a way to jerry-rig a process trailer so everything turned out ok!

— Jake Wachtel, director of The Sentry

'Take No Prisoners' (Documentary Feature)

Camera(s) used: Alexa Mini and Amira + Angenieux Optimos

Reason why: We chose the Alexa Mini for all of our verite work and used the Amira for our B cam in our interview setups. We used the Alexas + Optimos combo because we wanted this documentary to look as polished as a Hollywood political thriller, but working within the constraints of a fly-on-the-wall embed. It's not the lightest camera setup out there, with a motorized zoom, and no sound person (so the camera was also wearing a shotgun and preamp), but the tradeoff in image quality and color is worth it.

— Víctor Tadashi Suárez, DP on Take No Prisoners

'One More Shot' (Narrative Feature)

Camera(s) used: One More Shot is set on New Year's Eve 1999. Director Nichols Clifford was keen to reference the look of movies from that era, which were all shot on film. However, Australia currently doesn’t have any labs for processing rushes, so film was never an option. Instead, we settled on the Alexa 35 and utilized its inbuilt texture setting, Soft Nostalgic, to help push the image toward a more filmic aesthetic.

Reason why: I have long favored Arri cameras for their outstanding image quality. The Alexa 35 has become my favorite for its incredible dynamic range and its ability to shoot at very high ISOs with negligible image compromise. The advantage of using a high ISO is especially valuable when shooting low-budget films, as it allows me to work in very low light levels, saving both time and money.

— Simon Ozolins, DP on One More Shot

'O'Dessa' (Narrative Feature)

Camera(s) used: Our DP Rina Yang shot on an Alexa 35.

Reason why: I wanted the film to be vibrant, cinematic, and psychedelic. Rina liked the Alexa 35 because it was great for retaining information in the highlights - we wanted to see the details in the sky on the farmland, and once we enter the world of neon colors in the stranger land, we wanted a wide range of nuance in colors without clipping, and Alexa 35 was perfect for that.

— Geremy Jasper, director of O'Dessa