For Chinese New Year, Apple returns with a quietly emotional new chapter in its annual Shot on iPhone series. Titled Glad I Met You, the mixed-media short is directed by Bai Xue and captured entirely on iPhone 17 Pro, blending live action with stop-motion animation to tell a story about connection, chance, and finding home.
Created by TBWA\Media Arts Lab Shanghai, the film follows Lin Wei and a lost dog named Little White. What begins as a fleeting encounter during the bustle of Chinese New Year unfolds into a series of funny, intimate moments as the two navigate crowded streets, family gatherings, and the emotional noise of the holiday. Along the way, Lin Wei’s spark for life is gently rekindled. At its core, the film is a tribute to the quiet, life-changing bond between humans and animals. Watch the 11-minute film below:
Visually, Glad I Met You leans heavily into the iPhone 17 Pro’s cinematic capabilities. Live-action sequences make use of the 48MP Telephoto camera’s 8x optical-quality zoom, 48MP Ultra Wide, 4K 120fps slow motion, Cinematic mode, Action mode, and enhanced low-light performance. The result moves effortlessly from kinetic street scenes to hushed, emotional close-ups. Apple released a BTS video as well:
“The most important shot in this film comes when the dog, Little White, runs toward Lin Wei,” Bai Xue explains. “Using slow motion magnifies the emotional impact by extending the moment.”
Animal coordinator Hao Shuai points to a practical advantage of shooting on an iPhone. “Large devices tend to distract animals during takes, but the iPhone is so small that it eliminates many of the hurdles we’d normally face.”
The film’s stop-motion sequences introduce an inner dialogue for both Lin Wei and Little White, giving voice to their thoughts and emotions. Produced with handcrafted puppets, sets, and props by BUCK, the animation highlights the still-image precision of the iPhone 17 Pro’s 48MP rear camera. Each miniature world was built by hand, with custom armatures designed for thousands of micro-movements and more than 20 interchangeable mouth expressions per character. The characters were 3D-printed, painted, and swapped frame by frame.
“Everything you see on screen in the stop-motion portion was built by hand, with care and love,” says BUCK creative director Ege Soyuer. “There’s something magical about knowing that what you see on screen actually exists in the real world, moved millimetres at a time by real people.”
Beyond the hero film, the campaign extends across broadcast, digital, and social channels. Douyin pet creator Ke Ming, who also voices one of the animated characters, fronts a behind-the-scenes vlog using Dual Capture, filming both himself and the set while speaking with the production team. Additional creator collaborations spotlight features such as 8x zoom and the Centre Stage front camera.
The result is a warm, craft-driven Chinese New Year campaign that showcases iPhone’s creative power while celebrating the outsized role animals play in bringing comfort, connection, and joy into our lives.
CREDITS:
BRAND: Apple
AGENCY: TBWA\Media Arts Lab – China
PRODUCTION COMPANIES: BUCK USA, Shooting Gallery, Mackinnon & Saunders
- Director: Bai Xue
- Director: Hao Shuai
- Director: Jason Kahgiap
- Director of Photography: Gao Weizhe
- Producer: Areta Mak
- Editors: Qiao Lin, Yuqing, Kang Kang
- Camera Operator: Huang Hai Bo, Liang Jun, Sura Tian, Fan Fei
CHARACTER DESIGN: Mackinnon & Saunders
POST / VFX: Heckler China
MUSIC/SOUND: CODA Music
MUSIC: Gao Xiaoyang
Colin Costello is the West Coast Editor of Reel 360 News. Contact him at colin@reel360.com or follow him on LinkedIn.
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