Australian actor David Field has recreated a whaling death to highlight the brutality of the practice in an ad for Sea Shepherd.
The film, called the Ultimate Death Scene, had Field, who has starred in film roles including Chopper, Two Hands and the Inbetweeners 2, take on the role of a whale which is hunted, shot with a harpoon and dragged aboard a whaling ship to die.
Field, a supporter of the organisation, said he wanted to bring the “barbaric practice to the attention of as many people as possible,” in the hope that it can be stopped.
“The cruelty inflicted on whales is shocking and while most people abhor whaling I think many don't realise just how brutal these sea mammals are butchered,” Field said.
The campaign is available on the Sea Shepherd's website, YouTube channels and is supported by cinema, television and print. A radio sport, also voiced by Field, will air across Southern Cross Austereo radio stations.
In addition, a microsite with behind the scenes footage and a donation page has also been created.
The Works creative partner Paul Swann said the ad aims to build awareness of whaling and encourage donations to Sea Shepherd.
“Those who care about marine wildlife really feel something deeply when they see whaling taking place; we sought to harness this feeling to generate the maximum impact,” Swann said.
“The idea of a human experiencing what a whale does combined with a graphic execution will come to life across video, social, radio and print.”
More than 25,000 whales have been killed under the guise of scientific research and commercial purposes by Iceland, Norway and Japan since the International Whaling Commission enacted a moratorium on all commercial whaling.
Sea Shepherd Australia MD Jeff Hansen said the “slaughters of these beautiful and majestic Whales... needs to stop now.”
“No one will ever know the pain and suffering these playful, gentle giants go through from the time the explosive harpoon ripped through their bodies to the time they drew their last breath in a sea full of their own blood, Hansen said.
“One thing is for sure, Sea Shepherd will do whatever it takes to ensure no more whales have to endure pain and suffering at the hands of these whale butchers.”
Credits:
The Works:
Creative Partner: Paul Swann
Creative Leads: Adam Bodfish,Leo Barbosa and Mark Harricks
Digital Strategy Director: Damien Hughes
Planner: Leo Hennessy
Head of Digital Production: Dave Flanagan
Content Production Manager: Tristan Drummond
Senior Digital Designer: Kim Sanders
Social Media Strategist: Vanessa Hartley
Social Community Manager: Anna Lai
Project Management: Catriona Heaphy, Gillian Snowball and Juliette Hynes
Director: Tony Prescott
Director of Production: Robert Morton
Post Production: Method Studios
Sound: Nylon Studios
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