Volunteers. Hard working individuals that put themselves on the front line like no other charity to protect our ecosystems. The idea was to was to put a fresh spin on the identity of the organisation, and create a portrait of the crews that underlines the volunteering aspect of their lifestyle. To harness the emotional philosophies and intensity of their work, and create a wider relevance for the public outside of their subculture. This is where we came up with the concept of Part Time Heroes; everyday people like you and me that walk the corridors of these ships determined to protect our oceans. Our planet. Our home. And contrast their extraordinary feats with the everyday mundane, to showcase them as relatable individuals from different walks of life.

Various content teasers and trailers were launched ahead of the Sea Shepherd’s 40th anniversary, where it was to be screened at events in both Berlin, Germany and Sydney, Australia. Simultaneously, we forged a partnership with CNN’s Great Big Story to launch the film on their Great Big Film media platform, additionally it was selected as part of St. Louis International Film Festival line-up, where it opened for The Island & The Whales - an environmental documentary feature about whaling in the Faroe Islands.

With no real media budget or access to high profile supporters, we felt that – given the current landscape – we needed a credible entertainment partner with a dedicated audience who appreciated well-crafted storytelling. CNN’s Great Big Story were the perfect partners, hosting the full-length film on their channels.

From there we cut nine different edits, each one focused on different aspects of the story – from excerpts on the volunteers involved and the importance of education, to emotional calls to action.

All these edits drove to the full-length film and Sea Shepherd site, with a coordinated PR effort ensuring the film was also picked up by media like Fast Company and Shots and selected as a Vimeo Staff Pick.

The content was viewed 642,000 times – with 373,000 of these views coming from the various excerpts. The films attracted 490 comments, with users describing them as “amazing” and “inspirational”.