350
Antarctica is melting
Philippe Boissonnet, En perdre le nord, 2008, Photograph
This animation, Antarctic 350 was inspired by many people who have shared their knowledge of Antarctica, and by the global climate change campaign, 350.org.
The animation is short and, I hope, easy to read, and share around.
October 26th, 2009 at 11:52 am
Hi Lisa,
Love your animation. Good way to get the idea of reducing carbon emissions through our sometimes “thick skulls” and a good fit too.
Cheers and keep up the good work.
GW
October 26th, 2009 at 1:18 pm
Loved the idea of putting the Antarctic ‘tadpole’ as a brain inside the head.
Then animating the 350, representing a realisable goal of 350 parts per million of carbon dioxide (we’re currently sitting at 385 I think).
Setting goals in terms of measurable quantities makes for a better focus for action.
Mind you, that being said, I am very pessimistic that there’ll be sufficient action to achieve that globally before we reach a catastrophic tipping point and by then the world will have erupted into “resource wars”.
I look at my grandkids with some sadness, as that point will almost certainly come within their lifetime.
Bill Burch
October 26th, 2009 at 3:21 pm
Lisa ,
Your graphic is great, but is the ice really melting in Antarctica?
Rupert Murdoch’s media say no, others say yes.
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,27574,25348657-401,00.html
http://www.theage.com.au/environment/antarctic-ice-melting-faster-than-expected-20090405-9t9v.html
Who knows?
Owen Holmwood
October 27th, 2009 at 10:02 am
Lisa,
I loved the animation as well. Very elegant and simple but conveying SOOOO much. I think Antarctica as brain is a master/mistress(?) stroke so much better than the body analogy.
Just one suggestion on the text. For me it is too academic. Why not use the animated text type of 350 to say “Antarctica is melting” to give it a more personal feeling and embody it in the figure???
Just my 2cents
October 27th, 2009 at 10:15 am
Hi Peter, great minds think alike, as they say. I had the same idea, of animating the words, ‘Antarctica is melting’, but resisted. I wanted the type-written text to appeal more to the mind than the body. I wanted to do this to balance the visceral connection evoked through the thicker hand-drawn lines at the start.
I believe that images of the whole body and the brain can work together to connect viewers to Antarctica. The body appeals to sensory awareness and the brain intellectual understanding.
Another thing that could be done is to add the sound of a pencil drawing the first thick lines. I will look again at this after the next chapter is more happily re-shaped!
…
October 27th, 2009 at 6:38 pm
Simple, elegant and says it all…I support your passion to visually educate us all on the important issues of global warming
October 27th, 2009 at 7:34 pm
Hi Melissa,
Thanks for your comment.
Global warming is a very complex issue!
My passion is to reflect thoughts and feelings that people have shared with me about Antarctica, and, through animating, and writing about that process, to clarify my own!
Although it may appear very simple, this last animation was one of the most challenging to make.