Apple’s AirPods 4 making-of video reveals how Spike Jonze and Pedro Pascal built Someday, a branded short film for AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation. The official Apple video connects the breakup story to music, mood, two-tone costumes, and practical scenery transitions that visualize ANC as a change in perception.
The film is campaign content rather than a new AirPods announcement. Apple introduced AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 with ANC in September 2024; the behind-the-scenes release explains how the existing ANC message became a stylized short-film idea.
Key takeaways
- Apple’s “The Making of ‘Someday,’ a film by Spike Jonze | AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation” is a behind-the-scenes campaign video, not a new AirPods launch.
- Someday is an AirPods 4 with ANC branded short film directed by Spike Jonze and starring Pedro Pascal in a breakup story.
- The campaign turns Active Noise Cancellation into a cinematic shift in the character’s perceived world through music, production design, costumes, and in-camera transitions.
- Kym Barrett’s two-tone costumes help people appear to change with the scenery during a shot.
- AirPods 4 launched in the United States on September 20, 2024, at $129, while AirPods 4 with ANC launched at $179.
What exactly did Apple share?
Apple shared a behind-the-scenes video for its AirPods 4 short film Someday, directed by Spike Jonze and starring Pedro Pascal. Watch the official Apple upload, “The Making of ‘Someday,’ a film by Spike Jonze | AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation”, to see Jonze, Pascal, and the production team discuss how the advertisement was constructed.
The making-of film is campaign follow-up content. It does not announce a new AirPods model or report a new hardware feature. The available secondary coverage dates its report to March 26, 2025, but Apple’s YouTube metadata should be checked at publication time because upload dates, titles, and availability can change or differ by region.
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- REBUILT FOR COMFORT — AirPods 4 have been redesigned for exceptional all-day comfort and greater stability. With a refined contour, shorter stem, and quick-press controls for music or calls.
- ACTIVE NOISE CANCELLATION — AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation help reduce outside noise before it reaches your ears, so you can immerse yourself in what you’re listening to.*
- HEAR THE WORLD AROUND YOU — The powerful H2 chip comes to AirPods 4. Adaptive Audio seamlessly blends ANC and Transparency mode — which lets you comfortably hear and interact with the world around you exactly as it sounds — to provide the best listening experience in any environment.* And when you’re speaking with someone nearby, Conversation Awareness automatically lowers the volume of what’s playing.*
- IMPROVED SOUND AND CALL QUALITY — Voice Isolation improves the quality of calls in loud conditions. Using advanced computational audio, it reduces background noise while isolating and clarifying the sound of your voice for whomever you’re speaking to.*
- MAGICAL EXPERIENCE — Just say “Siri” or “Hey Siri” to play a song, make a call, or check your schedule.* And with Siri Interactions, now you can respond to Siri by simply nodding your head yes or shaking your head no.* Pair AirPods 4 by simply placing them near your device and tapping Connect on your screen.* Easily share a song or show between two sets of AirPods.* An optical in-ear sensor knows to play audio only when you’re wearing AirPods and pauses when you take them off. And you can track down your AirPods and Charging Case with the Find My app.*
What is Someday about?
Someday is a branded short film made for AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation. Pedro Pascal plays a man dealing with a breakup, and the film uses music and ANC as storytelling devices: when the character puts on the AirPods, his surroundings are presented as changing with his chosen soundtrack and emotional state.
That premise matters because the commercial does not explain ANC through a conventional specification list. Apple presents ANC as a subjective listening experience associated with focus, mood, and temporary emotional escape. The changing world is a creative interpretation of what the feature feels like, not a literal claim that AirPods alter the appearance of a room or guarantee complete silence.
How did the production create the visual transformation?
The behind-the-scenes video shows that the visual shifts were built through practical filmmaking decisions rather than treated as a purely digital product demonstration. Production design, wardrobe, timing, and movement work together to make the character’s surroundings feel as though they are changing when the music takes over.
Costume designer Kym Barrett describes the use of two-tone costumes that can blend with, separate from, or transform alongside the scenery. By matching portions of clothing to parts of the set, the production creates the illusion that people change with their surroundings during a shot. The technique makes the emotional transition visible while keeping the AirPods at the center of the idea.
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- REBUILT FOR COMFORT — AirPods 4 have been redesigned for exceptional all-day comfort and greater stability. With a refined contour, shorter stem, and quick-press controls for music or calls.
- PERSONALIZED SPATIAL AUDIO — Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking places sound all around you, creating a theater-like listening experience for music, TV shows, movies, games, and more.*
- IMPROVED SOUND AND CALL QUALITY — AirPods 4 feature the Apple-designed H2 chip. Voice Isolation improves the quality of phone calls in loud conditions. Using advanced computational audio, it reduces background noise while isolating and clarifying the sound of your voice for whomever you’re speaking to.*
- MAGICAL EXPERIENCE — Just say “Siri” or “Hey Siri” to play a song, make a call, or check your schedule.* And with Siri Interactions, now you can respond to Siri by simply nodding your head yes or shaking your head no.* Pair AirPods 4 by simply placing them near your device and tapping Connect on your screen.* Easily share a song or show between two sets of AirPods.* An optical in-ear sensor knows to play audio only when you’re wearing AirPods and pauses when you take them off. And you can track down your AirPods and Charging Case with the Find My app.*
- LONG BATTERY LIFE — Get up to 5 hours of listening time on a single charge. And get up to 30 hours of total listening time using the case.*
Producer Jorie Feldman’s comments, as reported by 9to5Mac, help frame the breakup narrative and emotional premise behind the shifts. Jonze provides the directorial context, while Pascal discusses the central character and the changes in tone. These names identify key creative contributors; they should not be treated as a complete production-credit roster.
Why does the effect matter to Apple’s AirPods message?
The visual effect gives Active Noise Cancellation a memorable advertising language. Instead of showing only a technical control or describing how much outside sound is reduced, Someday depicts the character entering a different perceptual and emotional space through music.
The making-of video strengthens that message by revealing the deliberate construction behind the effect. Costumes that merge with scenery and coordinated set transitions turn an audio benefit into something viewers can see. The campaign therefore sells an idea of listening: ANC helps the user make room for the music or focus they have chosen, while the film dramatizes that idea through stylized world-building.
Real-world ANC performance is more limited and situation-dependent than the advertisement’s transformation suggests. Outside-sound reduction depends on fit, the type of noise, the environment, and listening conditions. The commercial demonstrates Apple’s creative interpretation of ANC; it is not an independent test of AirPods performance.
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- LIVE TRANSLATION — Communicate across language barriers using Live Translation,* enabled by Apple Intelligence.*
- EXTENDED BATTERY LIFE — Get up to 8 hours of listening time with Active Noise Cancellation on a single charge. Or up to 10 hours in Transparency using the Hearing Aid feature.*
Which AirPods 4 model is represented?
The campaign is specifically associated with AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation, not with every AirPods 4 model. Apple introduced two versions in September 2024: AirPods 4 and AirPods 4 with ANC. Both use Apple’s H2 chip, while the ANC version adds Active Noise Cancellation, Transparency mode, and Adaptive Audio, according to Apple’s September 9, 2024 launch announcement.
| Model | Relevant campaign context | U.S. launch price | Availability announced by Apple |
|---|---|---|---|
| AirPods 4 | Open-ear AirPods 4 design; not the direct ANC model shown by the campaign | $129 | September 20, 2024 |
| AirPods 4 with ANC | Open-ear design with Active Noise Cancellation, Transparency mode, and Adaptive Audio | $179 | September 20, 2024 |
| AirPods Pro | Separate, more feature-rich in-ear alternative with silicone ear tips | Check Apple’s current regional store page | Varies by current model and region |
The $129 and $179 figures are historical U.S. launch prices announced on September 9, 2024, not guaranteed current purchase prices. Apple says AirPods 4 use an open-ear design rather than silicone ear tips, and the launch announcement listed up to 30 hours of listening time with the charging case. Current price, availability, regional features, and operating-system requirements should be checked on the official AirPods 4 product page.
What does the making-of video reveal—and what does it not prove?
The video reveals the creative mechanics behind Someday: how Spike Jonze approached the story, how Pedro Pascal handled its tonal changes, and how the crew used production design and Kym Barrett’s two-tone costumes to stage scenery-matching transitions. It also clarifies why the ad looks like a short film while remaining branded advertising.
The video does not establish a new AirPods 4 feature, independently measure ANC, or prove that every AirPods 4 model delivers the same experience. The standard AirPods 4 model should not be presented as equivalent to the ANC version. AirPods require compatible hardware and current operating-system software for full functionality, and availability can vary by country.
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- REBUILT FOR COMFORT — AirPods 4 have been redesigned for exceptional all-day comfort and greater stability. With a refined contour, shorter stem, and quick-press controls for music or calls.
- ACTIVE NOISE CANCELLATION — AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation help reduce outside noise before it reaches your ears, so you can immerse yourself in what you’re listening to.*
- HEAR THE WORLD AROUND YOU — The powerful H2 chip comes to AirPods 4. Adaptive Audio seamlessly blends ANC and Transparency mode — which lets you comfortably hear and interact with the world around you exactly as it sounds — to provide the best listening experience in any environment.* And when you’re speaking with someone nearby, Conversation Awareness automatically lowers the volume of what’s playing.*
- IMPROVED SOUND AND CALL QUALITY — Voice Isolation improves the quality of calls in loud conditions. Using advanced computational audio, it reduces background noise while isolating and clarifying the sound of your voice for whomever you’re speaking to.*
The campaign’s music is associated with “Conticinio” by Guitarricadelafuente and “Perfect” by Sam i and Tropkillaz featuring Bia and MC Pikachu. The available Apple-associated listing identifies those tracks but does not establish every song’s exact placement in each campaign video, so track-to-video assignments should not be stated more precisely without checking the individual official uploads.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Where can viewers watch the campaign?
Start with the official Apple behind-the-scenes upload. If Apple keeps the original campaign film available, watch Someday alongside the making-of video to compare the finished illusion with the practical techniques used to create it. Apple may unlist, relocate, or region-limit campaign videos after the marketing cycle, so availability should be rechecked at publication time.
For launch context, Apple’s official AirPods 4 launch video and the AirPods Newsroom topic page provide the broader product timeline. The original hardware announcement came in September 2024; the Pedro Pascal making-of film is a creative look back at that campaign, not a current-generation product announcement.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Apple’s AirPods 4 making-of video a new product announcement?
Apple’s video is a behind-the-scenes film for the AirPods 4 with ANC advertisement Someday; it is not a new AirPods product announcement. The hardware campaign launched in 2024.
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- ACTIVE NOISE CANCELLATION—AirPods 5 offer improved Active Noise Cancellation to help reduce outside noise, at their best value yet.
- HEAR THE WORLD AROUND YOU—Adaptive Audio blends Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency for the best listening experience in any environment.* Conversation Awareness automatically lowers the volume of what’s playing if you start talking.*
- LIVE TRANSLATION—Communicate across languages using Live Translation, enabled by Apple Intelligence.*
- NEW SIRI AI—Get more done every day with hands-free access to an even more powerful and personalized AI assistant on your iPhone.* Ask open-ended questions, brainstorm, and have full conversations.
- IMPROVED SOUND AND CALL QUALITY—Next-generation Adaptive EQ for better sound quality. Voice Isolation improves call quality in loud conditions,* using advanced computational audio to reduce background noise and clarify your voice.
Can AirPods 4 with ANC literally transform your surroundings or block all outside sound?
No. The visual transformation is an artistic depiction of the character’s changing perception when he listens to music with ANC. Real-world noise reduction varies with fit, noise type, environment, and listening conditions.
Which AirPods 4 model is shown in the Someday campaign?
The campaign is specifically tied to AirPods 4 with Active Noise Cancellation. Standard AirPods 4 do not provide the same ANC experience and should not be described as equivalent.
Where can I watch Apple’s Someday behind-the-scenes video?
The official Apple behind-the-scenes upload is available at the Apple YouTube link, subject to Apple’s future availability and regional restrictions.
The Bottom Line
Apple’s AirPods 4 making-of video shows how Spike Jonze’s Someday turns ANC into a visual metaphor for changing mood and focus. The film’s scenery-matching costumes and practical transitions explain the illusion, while the product context remains specific to AirPods 4 with ANC—not a new hardware reveal or a promise of total silence.
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