Joe Nafis is a filmmaker, video editor, and time-lapse specialist with over 14 years of experience documenting the evolution of urban Asia. Based in Thailand and originally from Southern California, his work blends visual precision with human storytelling, from high-rise megastructures to intimate school communities.
His most widely recognized work, a four-year time-lapse of the Shanghai Tower’s construction, was featured by the BBC, National Geographic, Gizmodo and Mashable. For that project Joe traveled throughout the city, capturing over 350,000 images and dedicating more than 1,000 hours to shooting and post-production.
He also produced a three-year documentary for Johnson Controls’ Asia Pacific HQ, one of China’s most sustainable commercial buildings. The project combined long-term time-lapse coverage, drone footage, and interviews with regional executives to tell the story of a building designed for collaboration and environmental leadership.
In education, he was commissioned by Shanghai American School to create a multi-video series capturing daily life across both campuses in a single day per division. The work included original music by a student and highlighted the diverse learning experiences through candid interviews with students, faculty, and parents.
Joe has also collaborated with brands like Apple, Nike, Ford, and Marriott, including the Ritz-Carlton Stellar Dining Series across Singapore, Osaka, Hong Kong, and Beijing. His award-winning short “Chai (Demolish)” documents Shanghai’s rapid urban transformation and earned recognition at the 2018 Timelapse Film Festival.
Today, Joe continues to develop human-centered visual stories across the region. He holds a work permit in Thailand and operates a registered production company serving brands, agencies, and institutions in need of lasting, narrative-rich content.

Directors of Photography in Bangkok