Didn’t catch I AM NUMBER FOUR?

Me neither. But, the cool news coming from that show is director DJ Caruso’s burgeoning love affair with the iPad during filming.

Caruso fills us in on his new filmmaking BFF;  “I got it, I don’t want to say as a toy, but then I realized about a week into prep my storyboards were coming in on it, my previs was on it, my script was on it- I don’t carry my script anymore. I started getting emails from two of my storyboard artists working in Los Angeles, and I have an app where I can mark up the ‘boards — I’m a terrible drawer– and I can mark up the boards and send them back. It (the iPad) jut became this amazing production tool.”

Apparently, Caruso has even talked over fav production app’s with Steven Spielberg; another fan of the iPad as a film tool. Director DJ bubbles in excitement:  “In fact, when I talked to Steven, because I was sending him something from my iPad and he sent something back from his iPad and I thought, ‘Oh you got one!’ and he’s like, ‘Yeah.’  I told him all these things I was using and he was like, ‘Which apps do you have?’ so here you are sending back which apps you have to Steven Spielberg. Everyone’s starting to use it because it really is an amazing tool.”

Yeah, THAT Steven Spielberg.

Who wouldn’t kill to compare app’s with Spielberg? That alone would be worth getting an iPad, don’t ya think? Hell, I might even get out to see I AM NUMBER FOUR to see what all director Caruso managed with his iPad…

Obviously, the iPad sales numbers prove these guys are not alone. Filmmaking folks by the barrel are finding the other end of the rainbow lands on an iPad, and loving it. Assistant Director’s are using them, DP’s are using ’em, and of course, Actors are using them- scripts, email, game app’s, etc are all there on hand with minimal fuss, and a lot less baggage to tote around, on set & off.  The iPad even has a part to play with the on-set special effects crew. Check this-

On set, Alien Protagonist John Smith (WHO IS NUMBER FOUR), wore a flashlight-type gizmo under his sleeve to augment his supernatural light controlling visual effects sequences. That flashlight contraption was hence controlled off screen by non other than … a special effects tech working his magic with an iPad.  Isn’t this stuff just the neatest thing?

(by way of MacStories & TUAW)