Building a future for the reef. A multi collaboration project spanning The Big Build, the Sheba Advocate Programme and the Mars Advocate Programme, alongside trailer and social film editing for Mars Sustainable Solutions, Ocean Culture Life and The Oceans Trust.
CLIENT: Mars
PRODUCTION PARTNER: Ocean Culture Life
LOCATION: Indonesia
PRODUCTION PERIOD: July - Sept 2023
TERRITORIES: Worldwide
CHANNELS: Digital Platforms
CREDITS: Creative Development, Director, Producer, Director of Photography, Post Production
DELIVERABLES:
The Big Build (Trailer Social Edit, Hero, Mini Doc, Interviews)
Sheba Advocate Programme (Hero, Mini Doc, Interviews)
Mars Advocate Programme (Hero, Mini Doc, Interviews)
Mars & The Oceans Trust (3 x Social Edits)
BRIEF & APPROACH:
Create a body of film and photographic work that brings Mars Sustainable Solutions’ coral restoration initiatives closer to audiences, spanning The Big Build, the Sheba Advocate Programme and the Mars Advocate Programme.
Working on location across the projects, the approach brought together personal interviews with underwater and topside cinematography. The storytelling explored the people, practical work and partnerships behind restoration, making the initiatives accessible through the voices and experiences of those involved.
My role extended across creative direction, crew coordination and client communication through to filming and editing.
SHEBA ADVOCATE PROGRAMME. Hero film documenting an international programme that brought ocean advocates to Hope Reef to participate in coral restoration. Through practical training and collaboration with Indonesian restoration specialists and local communities, participants gained the skills to contribute to the work and share its story.
MARS ADVOCATE PROGRAMME. Hero film documenting a programme that gave Mars associates direct experience of coral restoration. Learning from the Indonesian Mars Sustainable Solutions team and working alongside the Bontosua community, they developed restoration skills and a connection to the work.
THE BIG BUILD. Short documentary capturing the science and local collective effort behind the world’s largest coral reef restoration event. The film explores the collaboration between Indonesian restoration teams, local communities and partner organisations, connecting scientific understanding with the practical work of rebuilding a reef. It reveals the knowledge, coordination and commitment behind an effort of this scale. Across four days, partners planted 30,000 coral fragments across a 2,500 m² restoration area.
CREDITS
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: Elise Gibbins (Big Build, SAPS & MAPS) & Mads St Clair (The Oceans Trust)
DRONE PILOT: Ricky Adiarmita (Big Build), Mads St Clair (Big Build) & Joseph Stephano (SAPS & MAPS)
2ND CAM: Mia Stawinski (Big Build)
PRODUCER: Tamsin Raine & Elise Gibbins
PRODUCTION: Ocean Culture Life
EDITOR: Elise Gibbins
ARCHIVE: Jono Allen (Big Build)
