Apple has rolled out a new holiday film, A Critter Carol featuring a cast of handcrafted woodland puppets, bringing them to life on an iPhone 17 Pro. 

Directed by Mark Molloy and shot entirely on the iPhone 17 Pro, the film uses the phone’s upgraded capabilities to capture textures and the expressive micro-movements of each critter character, down to each whisker.

Conceptualised by TBWAMedia Arts Labs, at its core, the film is about connection, and creating something joyful together. While Apple’s holiday films have long been showcases of creativity and emotion combined with product capability, this year’s film marks a departure. Instead of polished realism or animation, the brand embraces the delightful imperfection and playfulness of a handmade holiday universe -  all in a tiny forest built three feet off the ground. The story revolves around nine woodland critters who stumble upon a lost iPhone, and use it to film themselves singing a song of friendship as a gift, before returning it to its rightful owner.  

What we think about it: In an era crowded with AI-assisted picture-perfect visuals, Apple’s choice to go with whimsical handcrafted characters to showcase its latest tech capabilities feels refreshingly charming, and is an unexpectedly playful pivot for a holiday brand film, which are normally associated with emotional heavy-handedness. 

CREDITS

Agency: TBWAMedia Arts Lab, Los Angeles, California, USA

Production Company: Smuggler, Los Angeles, California, USA

Production Designer: Andy Keller
Director of Photography: Joost Van Gelder
Service Production Company: Unit+Sofa, Prague, The Czech Republic
Post Production and VFX Studios: Untold, Los Angeles, California, USA
Sound Design and Music Studios: Barking Owl, Los Angeles, California, USA

Puppet Makers: Magic Studio, London, UK