Apple's 2026 CNY Film Merges Live Action, Stop-Motion on iPhone 17 Pro
Apple's 12-minute CNY film combines live action with handcrafted stop-motion, showcasing iPhone 17 Pro's 8x zoom, 4K 120fps, and low-light capabilities in brand storytelling.
Apple has released its 2026 Chinese New Year film "Glad I Met You," a 12-minute production shot entirely on iPhone 17 Pro that combines live action with stop-motion animation. Directed by award-winning filmmaker Bai Xue in collaboration with TBWA\Media Arts Lab, the film showcases multiple camera features while telling a story about unexpected companionship during the festive period.
Production Showcases Technical Capabilities
The film follows Lin Wei, who feels trapped in monotonous routines, and Little White, a stray dog she encounters during Chinese New Year. The narrative tracks Lin Wei's transformation from reluctantly helping the lost dog to ultimately adopting him after discovering his family abandoned him.
Stop-motion sequences represent the characters' inner voices, with Little White encouraging Lin Wei to stand up for herself. The film concludes with real-life anecdotes about pet companionship, emphasizing themes of love and connection.
The production demonstrates several iPhone 17 Pro features, including 8x optical-quality zoom via the 48MP Telephoto camera, 48MP Ultra Wide camera, 4K 120fps slow-motion, Cinematic mode, Action mode, and low-light performance. Director Bai Xue highlighted how slow motion extended emotionally impactful moments, while lead animal coordinator Hao Shuai noted the iPhone's compact size made capturing natural animal performances easier than traditional equipment.
Handcrafted Animation Adds Physical Authenticity
Creative studio BUCK produced the stop-motion segments using handcrafted puppets with custom internal armatures designed for thousands of micro-movements. Over 20 unique mouth expressions per character were 3D printed, hand-painted, and swapped frame-by-frame.
Mission Media
BUCK creative director Ege Soyuer emphasized the tactile authenticity achieved through physical, millimeter-by-millimeter movements. This approach contrasts with digital animation techniques, creating a tangible quality that complements the live-action footage.
Integrated Campaign Extends Beyond Hero Film
Beyond the main production, Apple launched an integrated campaign encouraging users to photograph their pets during Chinese New Year. Douyin creator Ke Ming hosts behind-the-scenes content using Dual Capture, while additional videos demonstrate features like 8x zoom and Center Stage.
The campaign runs across broadcast, digital, and social platforms as part of Apple's Shot on iPhone initiative. This follows Apple's 2024 Chinese New Year campaign featuring the iPhone 16 Pro, continuing the company's annual tradition of releasing culturally relevant content during Asia's most important consumer moment.
Want to stay up-to-date on the stories shaping Asia's media, marketing, and comms industry? Subscribe to Mission Media for exclusive insights, campaign deep-dives, and actionable intel.
