Just Speak and ActionStation joined forces to present to Kiwis their vision for Aotearoa in 2040.
Taking the script provided, we focused on creating some great characters and environments. We decided on a stylised paper cut illustration approach which was overlaid with textured brushstrokes to position the look and feel with the project's objectives and required tone. We set the animation mood to be soft, friendly and have an approachable, Kiwi can-do, grassroots feel.
The protagonist was a young Māori wāhine with a powerful and determined nature, who took viewers on a six-minute journey exploring the history of social change in Aotearoa, and showed what a better future could look like – one where we build communities, not prisons.
The narration by actress Ana Scotney brought the animation to life and we collaborated with music and sound designer Emi Pogoni to shape and emphasise the story arc with drama and some humorous moments.
We effectively responded during the development of the project by amalgamating two major global social events which took place in 2020. The Black Lives Matter movement and the unprecedented effects of Covid-19 were written into the script, helping to highlight the power of collective social action in response to social and political inequalities.
Within 48 hours of the launch in August 2020, the animation reached 44.5K views across Just Speak and ActionStation social channels, with 461 shares. Five months on the organic reach had hit over 130.5K views with social engagement reaching over 3K in reactions, shares and comments.
