The Guardian is celebrating its 200th birthday with three rousing movies
Tony Barry directs the films, which show a montage of stunning photographs that highlight the greatest challenges facing our planet
Oliver created the campaign to mark a major milestone for the British newspaper founded in 1821. Each film is devoted to a different theme, all tied to the Guardian's editorial mission. The environment studies the ecological impact of humans on the future of the planet and its climate. Equality deals with civil rights and gender issues; and Stories looks back on important world events.
The idea is simple but effective. The films show a range of historical and contemporary photographs that deal with each subject. Many of the images have become icons and are sure to please Guardian readers – for example, the photo of Black Lives Matter protester Patrick Hutchinson bringing an injured white man to safety.
They are accompanied by three eye-catching voiceovers: by the British writer and speaker Alan Watts, who has authored a variety of books on religion and philosophy; American author Ursula Le Guin, best known for her seminal science fiction novel The Left Hand of Darkness; and English writer and activist Salena Godden, known for her performance poetry. The trio gives the films a rousing presence.
While the campaign is inherently straightforward, it is surprisingly moving, evoking a mix of hope and concern for the future that cleverly mimics the feeling most of us have when we top up the headlines of the day every morning.
Credits:
Agency: Oliver
CCO: Rodrigo Sobral
ECDs: Rob Kavanagh, Ben Longden
Creative Directors: Sam Jacobs, Rae Stones
Production company: Independent Films
Directed by Tony Barry
Sound Design: Parv Thind, Wave Sound
Colorist: Seamus O’Kane, Youngster Post Production
Music: Jon Hopkins, Domino Publishing