Film journalists rarely interview a film’s cinematographer. The attention almost always goes to the director and the actors. But in a sense the camera—an iPhone 5—is one of the stars of ” Tangerine,” a feature getting rave reviews.

In an IndieWire interview, the film’s cinematographer Radium Cheung lists a variety of pluses shooting with a smartphone: mobility, ease of set up, and low cost.

But perhaps most important is something that might be called “invisibility.” Because the production was low budget, the filmmakers could not control streets and other public locations. Had they shot with a large camera and big crew, passers-by would have interfered with the work, and especially would have distracted the actors. But few people paid attention to the “Tangerine” shoot because it was just a guy with a phone.

Cheung also discusses an innovative anamorphic (wide angle) lens used to shoot the movie. You can read the entire interview here .