Launched during COP28 by WWF, 'Up in Smoke' visually articulates the urgent need to phase out fossil fuels. The film, shot entirely in-camera, uses real smoke in stop-motion animation, to reflect the uncontrollable and destructive nature of fossil fuel emissions. It tells a poignant story of a young girl in a smoke-filled world, symbolizing the grave consequences of environmental neglect. The film's innovative approach in visual storytelling drove awareness and inspired action for a sustainable future for the planet and humanity.

"Up in Smoke" was created at a pivotal moment in environmental negotiations. COP28 represented a historic opportunity to negotiate humanity's decoupling from fossil fuels. WWF's aim with the film was to contribute to the momentum building around this critical issue, adding a powerful voice to influence the negotiations at a key moment in international efforts to address climate change.

"Up in Smoke" follows the story of a young girl navigating through a world overwhelmed by smoke, symbolizing the dire consequences of ongoing environmental degradation and the urgent need for action against fossil fuel emissions. This stop-motion animated film vividly portrays the uncontrollable and destructive nature of pollution, presenting a visual narrative that underscores the critical state of our planet and the imperative for sustainable change.

Situation:

Launched at COP28 by WWF, "Up in Smoke" addresses the urgent global challenge of climate change, focusing on the need to phase out fossil fuels.

Brief:

WWF assigned us the task of crafting a visual narrative that spotlights the dire consequences of fossil fuel emissions. Our aim was to vividly convey the environmental impact and engage global audiences, urging them to act for a sustainable future.

Objectives:

- Innovatively communicate the critical need to eliminate fossil fuels.

- Increase global awareness about the severe effects of environmental neglect and the uncontrollable nature of emissions.

- Inspire action towards climate change, especially during COP28 negotiations, and influence international efforts to combat environmental issues at a crucial time.

"Up in Smoke" was shot entirely in camera. It was crafted using a blend of stop-motion animation and real smoke. We employed a full-colour 3D printing process to create over 700 unique poses of the main character. For the smoke effects, various types and viscosities of smoke were used, controlled through several techniques like shooting upside down and using transparent blocks to control the smoke.

"In this project the craft was a direct reflection of the issue we were trying to communicate. The absurd difficulty of trying to control smoke in combination with stop-motion, which notoriously requires control, reflected the uncontrollable and devastating nature of pollution in real life. We wanted the underlying message to inform the production design and overall look and feel of the film."