A New 'The Wind in the Willows' Trailer Is Actually a PSA for Protecting the Environment

As climate change and nature conservation continue to drive intense global conversations, one aspect that stands out is the rising interest in environmental issues amongst our youth. Young people are currently leading the charge when it comes to taking our government officials to task and demanding change that will hopefully save our planet from further decline. Just recently, Swedish teen and climate activist Greta Thunberg was nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize for leading a global youth movement to halt climate change. While adults remain gridlocked in debate, it seems that the children we know now will ultimately be the driving force behind substantial environmental change. [kickout id="2"] So when creative agency Don’t Panic partnered with the animation house Rowdy to retool a classic children’s tale into a call-to-action campaign for The Wildlife Trusts in the U.K., what transpired was an end result that was as fitting as it was captivating. The team produced a “trailer” for a new (and imaginary) Wind in the Willows films based on the classic Kenneth Grahame tale. The whimsical stop motion moment (which, by the way, might remind viewers aesthetically of the Wes Anderson film Isle of Dogs, which Rowdy also produced) shows just a bit of the lives of Badger, Ratty, Mole and Toad. Rather suddenly, their spring day is disrupted by bulldozers and pollution. What was once an actual fairy tale has been forever destroyed by the harsh realities of hostile climate change. [kickout id="1"] The campaign enlisted the help of Sir David Attenborough, Stephen Fry, Catherine Tate, Alison Steadman and Asim Chaudhry to not only voice the characters, but to utilize their collective star power to call for immediate nature recovery in the U.K. Stephanie Hilborne, CEO of The Wildlife Trusts, hopes that the short film will inspire a massive call for change at the highest level. “If we want to put nature into recovery we have to create a mass movement of people calling for change,” Hilborne said. “Our film is a sad version of The Wind in the Willows—showing how Ratty and Toad have hit the buffers—but it ends with a message of real hope. It’s not too late to create strong laws which will help our wildlife make a comeback—and it’s not too late to establish a Nature Recovery Network which will enable us to plan a wilder future.” The PSA will air in theaters and on various social media platforms. The campaign is also encouraging viewers to contact their local politicians about policy change, check for volunteering opportunities, and to simply “walk in the pawprints of others” and think critically about their needs of our neighboring wildlife, much like Toad, Ratty, and Badger. CREDITS: Client: The Wildlife Trusts Campaign: Wilder Future CEO: Stephanie Hilborne Director of Campaigns & Policy: Nikki Williams Campaign Co-ordinator: Joanna Richards Agency: Don’t Panic Founding Partner: Joe Wade Founding Partner: Mark Whiteway Creative Partner: Rick Dodds Client Services Partner: Jane Marshall Senior Creative: George McCallum Creative: Alice Dowdall Strategy and Media: Ellie Moore Senior Project Manager: Louise Boyd Account Manager: Thea Deakin Agency Producer: Huw Allen Head of Artwork: Paul Howard Designer: Ellen Crowther Production: ROWDY Director/Producer/DOP: Matthew Day Director/Producer: Thomas Harnett O’Meara Animation: Andy Biddle, Tobias Fouracre, Anthony Farquhar Smith, Max Martin 1st AC & BTS: Toby Goodyear Additional motion control: Max Halstead Gaffer: Aldo Camilleri Head of Puppets: Ciara McClean Puppet department: Stefano Cordioli, Jade Gerrard, Petrarycja Cichocka, Carlos Padilla, Saskia Martindale, Claire Lever, Sofia Rodriguez Costume: Janet Knetchell Art Directors: Sarah Crombie, Yossel Simpson Little Modellers: Catherine Prowse, James Owens, Colin Armitage, Ben Cote Art Department: George Warren, Renata Corillo Martin, Colette Pidgeon, Nathan Ward, Jessica Vogot, Dewie Evans CNC and laser cutting: Jack Kirby, Almost Everything Painter: Richard Davidson Scenic Painter: Angela Pang Post Production: Alasdair Brotherson Graphics: Flaminia Rossi, Leaun Davis Rigging: Robin Jackson Kingston University Students: Lulu, Saskia Tomlinson Norwich University students: Amara Norman, Emma Niemis, Michael Chapman, Cheznie Walters, A Middleton Central St Martins University Students: Brad Gilbert Production Assistance: Vasliki Sound: String and Tins Original music: Will Cohe Sound design: Will Cohen Orchestra: Fames Project Lead Violin: Dorry Macaulay Music preparation: Simon Whiteside Additional music: ‘Speed Toad’ by Andy Stewart Additional sound design: Lawrence Kendrick Audio post-production producer: Eimear Ni Ghuaire Re-recording mixer: Tim Cavagin Thanks to: Gordon Allen, Vasliki P