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Art Direction
The Tension
Climate doom was turning people off, rather than on
Faced with relentless bad news, people were disengaging. The world needed to see a future worth fighting for: hope, not just horror, to move people from paralysis to action.
The Idea
A story of hope that doesn't shy away from the truth
Set in a future where change was possible, the film was designed to reach anyone – regardless of age, background or politics – who cares about the world they're leaving behind.
The Idea
A self-initiated film made with Extinction Rebellion
During Covid lockdown, I developed the concept, brought the idea to XR, assembled the team and led the project from a seed of an idea through to release.
The Film
Story & concept
Starting from a single idea – a bedtime story told from the future – I developed the grandmother / granddaughter framing, the 2050 setting and the emotional arc, then built the team around it.
The Film
Animation style
Hand-made and textured – deliberately human in feel. Nicola created every frame in Photoshop using 2D frame-by-frame techniques. The visual world moves from muted, neutral interiors to vivid blues and corals as hope blooms through the child's imagination.
The Film
Voice
We wanted gravitas and reach. Whoopi Goldberg, outspoken on environmental issues, with a global following, responded to the script with a simple:
"I'm in."
The Website
A sliding scale of action for everyone
Knowing people often feel helpless after impact films, the companion website offered a structured call to action – from individual lifestyle changes to joining collective movements.
The Impact
Global reach from a self-initiated idea
Released on World Environment Day. 150 pieces of coverage, 3.3 million estimated views, 100k+ YouTube views. Featured in the New York Times, Rolling Stone, Reuters, Creative Review and VOX Nachrichten across 20+ countries.
150
Pieces of coverage
Estimated views across all platforms
100k+
YouTube views
Credits
Grandmother:
Whoopi Goldberg
Granddaughter:
Livia Nelson
Directors:
George Lewin & Nicola Jane Francis
Story:
George Lewin
Screenplay:
Nicola Jane Francis & Josh Hughes
Producer:
Serena Schellenberg
Executive Producer:
Belle Palmer at Passion Pictures
Designer & Animator:
Nicola Jane Francis
Sound Design:
Chris Banks
Music:
Simon Chamberlain
Casting Director:
Nicci Topping Casting CSA
Livia Nelson Represented by Creative kidz and Co
VO Record:
Factory Studios
Partnership Consultant:
Sarah Greenfield Clark
Website Design:
Erik Hartin
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