Case Study: Spindle use 3D animation to create a low carbon campaign for Greenpeace
Ella Gancarz, Executive Producer at Spindle, shares their approach to low carbon production, creating a global campaign which doesn't cost the earth... and if you are looking for the actions where you can make an impact, check out the carbon calculator to help you measure, and the AdGreen resources to help you reduce!
As soon as we received the Shark Video brief from Greenpeace, we knew that the subject would require a special creative treatment. The campaign needed to reach global audiences and raise awareness about disappearing shark populations in the Atlantic. It was a huge subject to approach but the campaign production couldn’t cost the planet.
When developing our ideas we were aiming for a maximum global outreach but minimal environmental impact. We based the film language on emotional messaging that would resonate with audiences of all ages living in different countries. A beautiful song from Thom Yorke, Bloom, made the shark story even more impactful and emotional.
Through the whole process, from the creative development to final delivery, we produced 0.73 tonnes MtCO2e - that is less than one European flight for a crew member. If we had chosen to execute the film differently, for example by flying 3 crew members abroad and serving meat meals on set, that would have produced almost 15 times more CO2!
We reduced our carbon footprint by working remotely and not using cars and taxis, or renting offices and hotels. The music track was licensed from the artist, hence no new recording was needed, and we used 3D animation and archive footage from Greenpeace which helped us to keep our carbon footprint to an absolute minimum. All our files were then exchanged digitally, without the need for hard drives and couriers.
No sets were built so our material output was low, and to top it all the production process didn’t generate any waste, with no materials or catering for the crew to dispose of. Our production was paperless and plastic-free!
Throughout the process we relied on the AdGreen carbon calculator to estimate our potential footprint. Based on the information, we could make informed decisions on how to reduce our carbon emissions. All of our producers had previously joined AdGreen training, hence we had the entire team fully aware of the impact that choices at different stages of production could have on the planet.
At Spindle we are making a concerted effort to reduce our impact on the environment, and we hope this campaign case study will be the first of many we share with AdGreen
We are still learning and trying to reduce our carbon footprint to an absolute zero, but we are happy that we’ve managed to make significant reductions on The Lonely Shark project. The film had an amazing response from the global audience, and it has been shared by Greenpeace offices around the world, reaching thousands of people across many platforms.
