Irrawaddy Dolphin Appeal
...
Background
Fauna & Flora approached us to help them with their appeal for a critically endangered species. The Irrawaddy River Dolphins numbers have plummeted 50% in the past 20 years. Only 72 remain in the Irrawaddy River, Myanmar.
Very little usable footage of the dolphins and the local communities exists, and with challenges surrounding the opportunities to film and capture the necessary shots it was determined that animation would be the most effective route to creating a compelling film to support fundraising activities.
Approach
The local fisherman have a symbiotic relationship with the dolphins that had enabled both to thrive for generations. We used this story as the framework for the animation to show the story arc from the past, the the present where pollution and damaging modern fishing techniques are driving the dolphins to extinction. The story paints a picture of a future with support and one without.
The story is brought to life with the wonderful narration of Stephen Fry, a friend to Fauna & Flora, and an active supporter of near extinct species through his work including the Last Chance To See series which featured the now extinct Yangtze River Dolphin.
Creatively we chose an illustration style that would bring to life the watery world of the river and the local accents of Myanmar. This was then brought to life with 2D and frame-by-frame to create natural motion. The animation was then pulled together with a custom soundscape based on local sounds and instruments.
If you would like to support the appeal and help save the Irrawaddy Dolphin you can find more information here
