Tiny World

This Apple Original series showcases nature’s lesser-known tiny heroes. Spotlighting small creatures and the extraordinary things they do to survive, each episode is filled with surprising stories and spectacular cinematography.

Trailer for Tiny World

Filming Strawberry Poison Dart Frogs

I filmed a large part of the “Jungle” episode’s main character sequence in which a strawberry poison dart frog mother scales a tall tree to take care of her tadpole and males fight for her attention. For “The Making of Tiny World” I found myself on the other side of the camera to talk about filming the fighting males.

Filming for the “Meadow” episode

I worked on a number of sequences for the “Meadow” episode in different capacities. For two shoots I did the production and direction. But mostly I worked as DP, which included filming many of the episode’s flying insects with high-speed cameras and drone shots for the opening sequence.

Compilation of a few of the insect flight shots filmed in the wild with a Phantom high-speed camera for Tiny World, “Meadow”.

Technical details

Some of the equipment used:

  • Phantom 4K high-speed camera

  • Red Gemini 5K camera

  • Red Helium 8K camera

  • Specialty micro and macro scope lenses

  • Canon CN20×50 lens

  • Prosup jib

  • Motion control systems

  • DJI Matrice and Inspire drones

Joris van Alphen DP with Prosup Jib and Red Gemini
Joris van Alphen DP in studio with Phantom high speed camera
Joris van Alphen DP with Phantom high speed camera and CN20
Joris van Alphen DP with Red Helium and CN20
 

Production Details

Documentary series
12 × 30 minutes, 1.78:1

Produced by Plimsoll Productions

Released as an Apple Original series on Apple TV+ in two seasons, 2020–2021

Watch Tiny World on Apple TV+

Credits

S1 E2 “Jungle”: Photography for the strawberry poison dart frog sequence

S2 E1 “Meadow”: Photography and Direction for several sequences

Apple Tiny World poster