If you take a minute to look closely at the world around us, you’ll notice that it’s the things we don’t immediately see that actually hold some of the most fascinating stories about our universe. I’m talking about the tiny, hidden world of the smallest creatures that live all around us, which Disney+, and National Geographic have brought to life in the second series about these little inhabitants.

Yep, I’m talking about A Real Bug’s Life, Season 2, premiering Jan 15th on Disney+: check out the trailer here:

Sure, we’ve all seen the animated Bug Lifes movies before, but this time, you get to get real close to the actual bugs.

The show is split into four episodes, Love in the Forrest, Life’s a Beach, Tiny Heroes Down Under, and Once Upon A Pond,  where they take you up close and personal with bugs, creatures, and the different environments they call home. Jumping Spiders, Army Ants, Tiger Beetles, Orcas Bees (check out the drone footage on that one) Damsel Flys, all have a starring role in this series.

And the visuals are all thanks to some seriously talented cinematographers who know how to capture this hidden world in ways we often miss.

The series is narrated by none other than Awkwafina (yes, her!) and she takes you on a journey through the tiny lives of creatures—showing how they travel, build homes, evolve, and go through the cycles of life. As a filmmaker, I’m totally hooked on this show. After watching series like these, I usually do this thing where I try to break down the shots—basically reverse-engineering the whole film.

Lucky for me, I got to chat with Chris Watts,  a BAFTA-nominated cameraman who has worked on many productions ranging from TV to IMAX. He  was the lead cinematographer for the Once Upon A Pond episode.That one is especially interesting because it’s all about the bustling world inside one pond. A single location, with an amazing amount of things going on below the surface.

Director of Photography Chris Watts films common frogs gathering and spawning in a pond during a shoot for the “Once A Pond A Time” episode of “A Real Bug’s Life.” (National Geographic for Disney/Matt Haworth)

The number of creatures in one small area is mind-blowing, and thanks to some incredible camera work, we get to see their separate lives up close. They shot most of the underwater scenes with a Red Gemini camera, which is super sensitive to light—essential when you’re shooting underwater. And when they needed more light, they used Phantom Dragon lights, mounted on magic arms, floating in on a dinghy.

Director of Photography Chris Watts films young actor Menna throwing a sandwich into the pond for the “Once A Pond A Time” episode of “A Real Bug’s Life.” (National Geographic/Matt Haworth)

To make sure they didn’t disturb the water while filming, they also used underwater robots with motion control rigs to capture the action. Plus, they’d sometimes wade waist-deep into the pond and rely on a tech genius on the tam to make sure everything ran smoothly.

But honestly, what makes this series truly amazing isn’t just the tech—it’s the stories of these creatures. Each one has a beginning, middle, and end, just like us. Watching how they move through the world takes real skill and a lot of patience because, let’s be honest, the crew can’t control the creatures. All they can do is anticipate what might happen and work with whatever comes their way.There is one funny moment where they release one of the fastest bugs you’ve ever seen in front of the camera, hoping to capture its speed as it zips across a beach.  They got the shot!

Camera assistant Nick Widdop and camera operator Dale Hudson film during a beach shoot in Kota Kinabalu, Borneo for the “Life’s A Beach” episode of “A Real Bug’s Life.” (National Geographic/Euan Smith)

To be honest, they did recreate some environments to accommodate the cameras and lights needed to get the shot. You just can’t control the bugs.

Assistant producer Euan Smith, animal wrangler Tim Cockerill, and Director of Photography Rob Hollingworth film a praying mantis during a shoot for “The Big City” episode of “A Real Bug’s Life.” (National Geographic/Tom Oldridge)

So, if you’re looking for your next binge watch , dive into the tiny world of a bug’s life and prepare to be amazed. I definitely was!