Eurogroup For Animals
Animation
In 2020, citizens across Europe signed the “End the Cage Age” petition, which called for reform of the practices surrounding caged farming. 1.5 million signatures were collected across Europe and submitted to the European Commission. As of this date, the European Commission has not taken any of the steps promised.
Eurogroup for Animals at the End the Cage Age march in Brussels
Brief
We were commissioned by Eurogroup for Animals (an animal protection lobby group based in Brussels, Belgium) to produce an animated film highlighting the persistent issues surrounding caged farming and the unnecessary suffering caused by the practice. The film aimed to maintain momentum behind the ‘End the Cage Age’ petition, apply more pressure to the European Commission, and engage more members of the public.
Approach
We worked closely with the client to understand this complex and controversial issue. Understanding the facts and the target audiences was key to the success of the film. Through a workshop, we identified the key target audiences and how to approach each.
The decision was made to primarily aim the film at members of the public with a general understanding of the issues, who needed that extra push to add their voices to the growing cause. To this end, we decided to tell the stories of three species of animals — chicken, pig and rabbit — comparing their lives as nature intended with the grim reality faced by many caged animals.
Creating the Characters
The animations were completed in-house by our team, creating hand-drawn, frame-by-frame animations with post-production in After Effects. Working with the client, we created robust characters for each of the animals, from initial moodboards to full character sheets.
We carefully balanced the line between real-life animals and stylistic cartoons, allowing us flexibility and expression while remaining grounded in reality.
Along the way, we discovered interesting facts and behaviours about these animals, which were woven into their stories. We created Hilda, the warm and loving mother pig, who likes nothing more than bathing in the sun; Hoppy, the cheeky but naïve rabbit; and Henrietta, the hen, who loves to dance and sing.
Character key poses: Hilda the pig, Hoppy the rabbit and Henrietta the chicken
Challenges
The main issue we faced was depicting what is sometimes a gruesome practice in a way that would shock and educate viewers without having them immediately turn off or scroll past — often the case with real photography and footage.
It was also key to help people separate fact from fiction, answering questions such as: How much room does each animal have? What injuries do they sustain? And what natural behaviours are inhibited or prevented by caged farming?
In short, we needed people who didn’t know they were angry about caged animals to become so.
Animation process
Solution
We created a series of warm and inviting animated stories that put emphasis on each of the animals’ characters and natural behaviours and environments. Each animation takes a dark twist as the contrast and horror of their caged counterparts is revealed.
This approach draws on the viewers’ empathy and helps them move away from a vague understanding of the issue towards being armed with the facts.
Watch the Hoppy and Henritta Animations below:
Impact
The video was shared across Eurogroup for Animals’ 100-plus member organisations across Europe, with the animation translated into several different languages. The push for change is still ongoing, with hopes for a vote in the coming years. The films have now been officially selected for the Big Syn Film Awards in London.
