Watch This: The Well Oiled Plan
There's a rich tradition of animation being used for education or to spread awareness on important issues. And there are few more pressing issues in the world today than climate change. Ahead of November's COP 30 conference in Brazil, a darkly satirical short animated film has been released that condemns the public relations industry's role in driving the devastating impacts of fossil fuel extraction and use on human health, through its spreading of disinformation.
The animation is created by Daniel Bird and Adam Levi at Wit & Wisdom in association with the Global Climate and Health Alliance (GCHA). It follows a cynical conversation between a PR executive, Tony and his client, the CEO of Grunt Oil and reveals how the fossil fuel industry used Big Tobacco's tricks and sold poison as 'freedom'.
The film features the voices of internet comedians Michael Spicer and Cody Dahler, as well as actors Sinead Phelps and Jaylah Moore-Ross. It comprises of scenes spun off from My Pet Footprint, an upcoming comedy feature film about climate grief, currently in development with the cooperation of Greenpeace.
“Fossil fuels are making people sick—and the companies behind them are spending millions on advertising and PR to cover it up”, said Shweta Narayan, Campaign Lead at the Global Climate and Health Alliance, a consortium of more than 200 health professionals and health civil society organisations and networks from around the world addressing climate change.
“The PR and communications industry must commit to fossil-free contracts”, added Narayan. “Firms cannot claim to advance sustainability while helping fossil fuel companies greenwash their image or delay climate policy. We call on agencies to adopt fossil-free policies, disclose all fossil fuel clients, and ensure their work does not obstruct the transition to clean, healthy energy systems.”
“My Pet Footprint plays with the idea that consciences are removable,” said Daniel Bird, the film’s director. “Decades ago the fossil fuel industry decided business as usual was worth any price, and it takes an incredible deficit of conscience to be able to do that when that price is the demise of civilisation and possibly even life in general.” Describing the writing process, he said, “we took a direct route from smoking as an evil perpetuated on individuals, and the nascent public relations industry around that, to smoking as an industrial process imposed upon the global population. The only difference now is that the PR machine has become all the more sophisticated, and, dare we say it, successful.”
Michael Spicer is known for his Man Next Door sketches, satirically undermining politicians' public statements, while Cody Dahler plays a variety of characters for a large audience on Instagram.
Cody Dahler said, “It was such fun making this film,” while Spicer added, “It really is an impactful piece. It looks amazing.”
According to Clean Creatives, a movement of advertisers, PR professionals, and their clients cutting ties with fossil fuels, the top 29 fossil fuel companies spend $7 billion a year on PR, media, and advertising.
