Featuring a reinterpretation of Billie Eilish and Finneas’s song "When the Party's Over", WWF and NOMINT launches "Up in Smoke" at COP28, a stop motion film that urgently addresses the global climate crisis driven by fossil fuel emissions.
This is the third year in WWF’s series of films created by NOMINT and directed by Yannis Konstantinidis, following in the footsteps of critically acclaimed works "Can’t Negotiate the Melting Point of Ice" and "Flammable Planet", launched in COP26 and COP27 respectively.
Employing innovative stop-motion animation with real smoke, "Up in Smoke" immerses audiences in a world where a young girl confronts a smoke-filled environment, symbolizing the catastrophic consequences of fossil fuel emissions. The film was shot entirely in-camera and employed a unique production process, integrating stop-motion animation with real smoke and using a full-colour 3D printing technique to create over 700 unique sculptures for different poses of the girl.
To learn more, we spoke to Yannis Konstantinidis, Co-founder of NOMINT and the director of Up in Smoke.
What was the brief?
The brief from WWF for "Up in Smoke" was to create a film that addresses the global climate crisis, specifically highlighting the devastating impact of fossil fuel emissions. This project, unveiled at COP28, was part of WWF and NOMINT's ongoing collaboration to use animation as a tool to simplify complex environmental issues for global understanding and action.
How did the initial pitch/brainstorming phase go?
During the brainstorming phase, we worked closely with WWF to understand the issue's complexity and nuances. The goal was to distil these complex themes into a universally understandable message that could drive behavioural change worldwide. This collaboration gave us considerable creative freedom to explore various ideas.
What was the process behind ideating the concept?
The concept's ideation involved finding an element that was challenging to control yet visually impactful. This led us to choose smoke, following the pattern of using physically challenging elements in our animations, as seen in our previous projects with ice and fire. The idea was to reflect the message through the craft – using uncontrollable elements to symbolize the uncontrollable nature of climate change.
What was the production process like?
The production process was quite intense. It involved a unique blend of 3D-printed stop motion and real smoke, creating over 700 unique sculptures for various poses of the central character. The whole process took a year to complete and the shoot itself took a whole month. The overall production, set making, prop making, 3d printing was very demanding but nothing compared to the challenge of trying to control smoke.
What was the biggest challenge during production? How did you overcome it?
The biggest challenge was manipulating smoke in stop-motion animation, an unpredictable and intangible medium. To achieve the desired effects, we experimented with various types of smoke, viscosities, pumping speeds, and even shooting the set upside down. The only thing that saved the day was perseverance and serendipity. Especially in the last week of the shoot we were extremely close to giving up.
What kit/tools/software were used to create the project?
We used Blender to first animate the girl and animals in 3D. Then we 3D printed the girl in full colour (the animals in single colours). We then used all the traditional techniques to build the sets and props before going into the shoot where we used a pretty standard stop-motion setup - using Dragonframe to capture the images. We used one medium size and two small size smoke machines to create the desired effect.
What is one funny or notable thing that happened during production?
The most notable thing about this production was during the shoot. Because of the unpredictable nature of smoke, it meant that we had to shoot each frame multiple times until we serendipitously stumble on the right look that would work with the previous ones in the sequence. This meant that unlike every other shoot we have produced, some of the days started at 8 in the morning and lasted a full 24 hours.
What’s the main message of this project and why does it matter?
"Up in Smoke" emphasizes the urgent need for action against the climate crisis, highlighting the critical role of fossil fuels as a primary driver of climate change. The film is a compelling call to global leaders and audiences to shift towards 100% renewable energy. This message is crucial for inspiring change and addressing the irreversible impacts on the planet and humanity.
How long did it take from inception to delivery?
The project took one year to complete.
What do you hope it achieves for the brand?
For NOMINT, this film represents a continuation of our commitment to environmental activism through artistic creativity. We hope it not only strengthens WWF's environmental advocacy but also inspires a broader audience to understand and act on the urgency of the climate crisis.
Credit list for the work?
CLIENT: WWF
AGENCY: NOMINT
CAMPAIGN: “Up In Smoke”
PRODUCTION: NOMINT
CREATIVE DIRECTION: Yannis Konstantinidis, Christos Lefakis
DIRECTOR: Yannis Konstantinidis
EXECUTIVE PRODUCER: Marilena Vatseri
MUSIC SUPERVISION: Twelve Decibels
MUSIC ARRANGEMENT: Hughie Gavin
PERFORMANCE: The Social Singing Choir
LABEL: Manners McDade
MUSIC/ LYRICS: Finneas O’Connell
SOUND DESIGN/ MIX: Rabbeats Music
COLOUR GRADING: George Kyriacou (at Black Kite Studios)
MARKET: Global
