British farming likes you to imagine green pastures and idyllic barnyard scenes of years gone by but this film for PETA depicts a brutal reality. Today, most British meat comes from animals that are factory-farmed. The vast majority of animals raised for the table and fast food takeaway live absolutely rotten lives.
Biscuit Filmworks partnered with Grey London and PETA to create “Pig Farm,” a dark but humorous look at the realities of where our pork comes from. Directed by Jeff Low, the animated film draws inspiration from Cuphead and Ren & Stimpy. By weaving together elements of fantasy and reality, it seeks to spark conversations and inspire people to change their eating habits.
The cartoon film–with Andrei Sopon as animator–follows the journey of the pig farmer as he explains to his daughters just what his day at the factory entails. Initially, it looks like an idyllic existence for the pigs, but as the film progresses the truth behind the industry’s practices begins to be uncovered. The film is set to an upbeat song (also written by Jeff Low) that drives memorability and further immerses the audience in what they’re seeing.
Director Low said, “100 years from now people will not understand how we could have done what we do to these animals. I hope you “enjoy” the cartoon we made.”
“Pig Farm,” a call for people to go vegan, is running across PETA-owned channels globally.
CreditsClient PETA Agency Grey London David Wigglesworth, executive creative director; Tarek Sioufi, chief strategy officer; Cameron Sutherland, Mel Shergold, Joanna Simpson-Howe, creative; Maxine Hose, head of production; Ant Borkett, sr. producer; Liam Thomas, head of design; Jo Wahono, Stefan Klasener, Tanmayee Ingale, Felix Townsend, Tyrone Zall, designers; Ollie Flux, editor/titles. Production Company Biscuit Filmworks Jeff Low, director; Kwok Yau, producer; Rupert Reynolds-Maclean, managing director/exec producer; Hanna Bayatti, exec producer; Emily Atterton, head of production. Animation Andrei Sopon, animator. Audio Factory Studios Jon Clarke, sound design & mix; Ciara Wakley, sr. audio producer. Music Supervision Wake the Town
Filmmaker Natalie Johns Creates Spec Gun Violence Prevention PSA
Her social media feed is filled with frustration and “prayers” for families torn apart by yet another mass shooting as filmmaker Natalie Johns is engaged in the morning ritual of negotiating school attendance with her 4½-year-old. Between laughing and arguing with their daughter, the Johns think deeply about the prospect of waking up without her--deeply enough to feel an inch of what it might be like to lose her--a feeling profound enough inspire her most personal commitment to date as a filmmaker.
“Gun violence should not be a normalized part of life in America,” she noted. “I felt it was worth putting my whole heart on the line to deliver this message.”
The director invited her long-time collaborator and cinematographer, Bill Kirstein (Mean Girls, Happyend), to capture their family’s experience over several mornings in a spec PSA. She wanted to capture her own joy and truth as a parent with a view to inspiring action from the deepest love she has known.
On the third day of filming, Johns received an email from their daughter’s preschool notifying parents of a lockdown that had occurred due to a gunman outside the school. The children, aged 2-5, were gathered in a small bathroom for an hour, singing songs with their teachers while the man was apprehended by law enforcement. This was the family’s first narrow escape from tragedy.
“The coincidence of filming this PSA and experiencing my family’s first lockdown was both shocking and surreal. I simply could not wrap my head around it,” said director Johns.
Even more terrifying for Johns was discussing the incident with other parents who had already experienced several lockdowns with their older children. This reality is all too common and far too... Read More