MenuClose
SERVICES
Production
Branding
Art Direction
Video
Website
Strategy
CLIENT
Envoy: Shark Cull
YEAR
2020 – 2022
THIS FILM WILL SHOCK YOU TO ITS CORE…AND IT SHOULD
Envoy: Shark Cull, narrated by Eric Bana, is a shocking film that exposes the world’s longest marine cull right here in Australia. Fat Wombat produced and marketed the feature-length impact documentary in partnership with Sea Shepherd, the Australian Marine Conservation Society and Humane Society International.
The film’s goal was to expose the shark culling practices and raise awareness around the issue to instigate worldwide change. The film was released on Discovery in the USA and UK and on Stan in Australia before a later global TVOD release.
RESULTS
- The film was distributed by Stan and Discovery
- 7.8 IMDb rating 255 reviews
- 19,880 social media followers
- $172,250 paid media value
- $528,000 earned media value
The government is turning a blind eye and putting us all at risk
- Seven years of covert footage was utilised to shock the audience.
- Evidence and legal findings showed that the current “Shark Control Programs” were overwhelmingly ineffective.
- Horrific by-catch data showed juvenile and harmless sharks, dolphins, whales, rays, turtles and orcas as victims of a needless cull.
- Trips to Hawaii, Fiji, Bahamas and South Africa showed how humans could interact safely with sharks and the importance these creatures play in a healthy marine ecosystem.
“It’s great to see the work the team behind this documentary is doing to help give voice to an important issue. It seems unimaginable to me that a system would be put in place to punish an animal for roaming in its natural habitat.”
– Eric Bana
The Approach
We knew that most people were unaware of the issue. The film’s structure was designed to take people on a journey from their socially conditioned fear of sharks to a fascination and respect for sharks. From there, the audience is treated to an undercover and covert exposé of these government culling programs, something they would not have been open to hearing until their fear has been dismantled. The film ends by showing all the modern technologies that could be used to solve this problem more humanely and a visceral call to action as the credits roll.
We worked with world-renowned underwater cinematographers Keoni Bowthorpe, Andy Brandy Casagrande IV and Juan Oliphant to showcase the beauty these powerful creatures offer the world and how that can positively impact tourism worldwide.
Layne Beachley, Juan Oliphant, Ocean Ramsey, Madison Stewart, Tom Carroll and Paul De Gelder, to name a few, lent their voices to the film’s cast.
The range of public personalities and scientific expertise was well balanced, going hand in hand with the cut-through engaging script crafted by film Director and Writer Andre Borell. It was the perfect storm to tackle such a complex issue.
The Campaign
The film’s message took flight pre-release. We nurtured a carefully structured marketing and PR strategy that garnered national and international media attention, driving hundreds of thousands of views to the film’s trailer and the underlying campaign.
Post-release, the hype continued with appearances on national television shows Today, The Project, and Sunrise, underpinned by almost all major broadcast outlets running stories.
What we did
Production – concept ideation, budget, scriptwriting, casting, production design, storyboarding, shooting, editing, sound design, colour design, visual effects
Strategy – Market analysis, business strategy, distribution strategy
Digital – UX & UI design, Motion design, User testing & experience, full-stack development
Branding – Research, Naming, Values & purpose, Language & tone of voice, Messaging, Copywriting, Visual identity, Art direction, Brand animation, Design systems and guidelines
The fight continues...
To this day, the film and its campaign continue to gain significant interest and following. You can follow these efforts by visiting www.envoyfilm.com.au
