Apple A Critter Carol — Cacá Barabás

APPLE

A CRITTER CAROL

A CRITTER CAROL IS APPLE’S 2025 HOLIDAY FILM, A STORY ABOUT UNEXPECTED FRIENDSHIP TOLD THROUGH A WORLD BUILT ALMOST ENTIRELY BY HAND. SHOT ON IPHONE 17 PRO, THE FILM FOLLOWS A GROUP OF WOODLAND CREATURES WHO DISCOVER A LOST IPHONE IN THE SNOW AND USE IT TO CREATE THEIR OWN MUSIC VIDEO: A PLAYFUL RENDITION OF FRIENDS BY FLIGHT OF THE CONCHORDS.

CRAFT BECAME THE VISUAL LANGUAGE OF THE ENTIRE CAMPAIGN. NINE PUPPETS WERE INDIVIDUALLY DESIGNED AND HANDMADE, WITH IMPERFECT FUR, HAND-PAINTED DETAILS AND DISTINCT PERSONALITIES. THE FOREST AROUND THEM WAS ALSO PHYSICALLY BUILT, USING MINIATURE SETS, PRACTICAL EFFECTS AND MATERIALS THAT GAVE THE WORLD A TACTILE, LIVED-IN FEEL. DIGITAL EFFECTS WERE KEPT TO A MINIMUM, ALLOWING THE HUMAN TOUCH TO REMAIN VISIBLE IN EVERY FRAME.

THE SAME PHILOSOPHY SHAPED THE TYPOGRAPHY. STARTING FROM APPLE’S SF PRO, WE CREATED SF WOOD, A CUSTOM TYPOGRAPHIC SYSTEM MADE FROM DIFFERENT WEIGHTS AND SIZES OF THE TYPEFACE, HAND-PRINTED FROM WOODBLOCKS AND THEN DIGITIZED. THE NATURAL INK VARIATIONS, TEXTURES AND IMPERFECTIONS WERE INTENTIONALLY PRESERVED, MAKING THE TYPE FEEL AS HANDCRAFTED AS THE FILM ITSELF.

THE DIFFERENT WEIGHTS, PROPORTIONS AND PERSONALITIES OF THE LETTERFORMS ALSO BECAME A REFLECTION OF THE CHARACTERS: EACH ONE DISTINCT ON ITS OWN, BUT COMING TOGETHER AS PART OF THE SAME FAMILY. A PLAYFUL EXPRESSION OF FRIENDSHIP THAT CONNECTED THE TYPOGRAPHY DIRECTLY TO THE HEART OF THE STORY: DIFFERENT ON THEIR OWN, BETTER TOGETHER.

2025

TBWA\MEDIA ARTS LAB

CREATIVE & DESIGN: TBWA\MEDIA ARTS LAB
BRAND: APPLE
PRODUCTION STUDIO: SMUGGLER US & UNIT SOFA
DIRECTOR: MARK MOLLOY
SOUND DESIGN: BARKING OWL
VFX: UNTOLD
COLOR: TRAFIK
MUSIC COMPOSITION: WALKER
MUSIC EDITORIAL: MODEL CITIZEN
PUPPET MAKER: PUPPETS MAGIC STUDIO
WOOD TYPE: TYPE HIGH DESIGN
MUSIC: FLIGHT OF THE CHONCORDS

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LOS ANGELES, CA