Behind-the-Scenes Video Details How Spike Jonze Made HomePod Ad With 'Very Little CGI'
Earlier this month Apple shared a surreal new ad for the HomePod that was directed by filmmaker Spike Jonze and starred artist Tahliah Debrett Barnett, known as FKA Twigs. In the commercial, FKA Twigs arrived home from a long day at work and found a way to unwind by dancing around to Anderson .Paak playing from her HomePod, all while her apartment expanded and shape-shifted in unexpected ways.
Image via Adweek
In a new seven-minute behind-the-scenes video shared today (via
Adweek), director Danilo Parra explores how Jonze shot the video, how the choreography was created, and how the team got the apartment to expand and elongate. On that last point, the production designers on the commercial explain that the team used hydraulics to practically move the sets around as FKA Twigs danced in them -- down to the magazines and tables that she expands in the dream sequence -- all with "very little CGI."
In terms of CGI, VFX supervisor Janelle Croshaw points out that the biggest effect for the ad occurs when FKA Twigs dances with herself in a mirror. At one point in the video it's also revealed that the artist auditioned for Jonze's commercial using FaceTime. To check out the full short documentary on the making of "Welcome Home," visit Adweek right here.
Welcome Home was Apple's first major long-form ad for the HomePod, launching after a series of much shorter,
15-second HomePod videos.
Popular Stories
Despite being more than two years old, Apple's AirPods Pro 2 still dominate the premium wireless‑earbud space, thanks to a potent mix of top‑tier audio, class‑leading noise cancellation, and Apple's habit of delivering major new features through software updates. With AirPods Pro 3 widely expected to arrive in 2025, prospective buyers now face a familiar dilemma: snap up the proven...
Apple plans to release an all-new super thin iPhone this year, debuting it alongside the iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, and iPhone 17 Pro Max. We've seen pictures of dummy models, cases, and renders with the design, but Lewis Hilsenteger of Unbox Therapy today showed off newer dummy models that give us a better idea of just how thin the "iPhone 17 Air" will be.
The iPhone 17 Air is expected to be ...
Apple's iPhone development roadmap runs several years into the future and the company is continually working with suppliers on several successive iPhone models simultaneously, which is why we often get rumored features months ahead of launch. The iPhone 17 series is no different, and we already have a good idea of what to expect from Apple's 2025 smartphone lineup.
If you skipped the iPhone...
A developer has demonstrated Windows 11 ARM running on an M2 iPad Air using emulation, which has become much easier since the EU's Digital Markets Act (DMA) regulations came into effect.
As spotted by Windows Latest, NTDev shared an instance of the emulation on social media and posted a video on YouTube (embedded below) demonstrating it in action. The achievement relies on new EU regulatory...
While the iPhone 17 Pro and iPhone 17 Pro Max are not expected to launch until September, there are already plenty of rumors about the devices.
Subscribe to the MacRumors YouTube channel for more videos.
Below, we recap key changes rumored for the iPhone 17 Pro models as of April 2025:
Aluminum frame: iPhone 17 Pro models are rumored to have an aluminum frame, whereas the iPhone 15 Pro and ...
Apple seeded the third beta of iOS 18.5 to developers today, and so far the software update includes only a few minor changes.
The changes are in the Mail and Settings apps.
In the Mail app, you can now easily turn off contact photos directly within the app, by tapping on the circle with three dots in the top-right corner.
In the Settings app, AppleCare+ coverage information is more...
Apple is preparing a "bold" new iPhone Pro model for the iPhone's 20th anniversary in 2027, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. As part of what's being described as a "major shake-up," Apple is said to be developing a design that makes more extensive use of glass – and this could point directly to the display itself.
Here's the case for Apple releasing a truly all-screen iPhone with no...
If you have been experiencing issues with wireless CarPlay in your vehicle lately, it was likely due to a software bug that has now been fixed.
Apple released iOS 18.4.1 today, and the update's release notes say it "addresses a rare issue that prevents wireless CarPlay connection in certain vehicles."
If wireless CarPlay was acting up for you, updating your iPhone to iOS 18.4.1 should...
