Top animators around globe collaborate on Coalition of the Willing

Coalition of the Willing is a collaborative animated film and web-based event set in our 'post-Copenhagen' world exploring the role of the Internet. Directed and produced by Knife Party, it brings together a network of 24 artists using a range of different filmmaking styles and techniques including the likes of Decoy, World Leaders, Foreign Office and Parasol Island.

In the gloom post-Copenhagen chill, this 'optimistic and principled film' explores how we could use new Internet technologies to leverage the powers of activists, experts, and ordinary citizens in collaborative ventures to combat global environmental disaster. Through analyses of swarm activity and social revolution, Coalition of the Willing makes a case for new online activism and explains how to hand the fight against global warming to the people. And as a global collaboration presenting a coherent narrative, it also practices exactly what it preaches. Indeed the animations and films can be viewed as they are created via various other sites (featured above and below) - and discussed in their forum.

Like a moving jigsaw falling into place over many weeks, the film has a staggered online release. From 3rd February 2010 the script for the film has been fully available on the site. The completed animated sections will be uploaded in 6 different ‘waves’ 2 weeks apart, over a 12-week period, as they are finished by the contributing artists.  Each wave of uploads will introduce 3-5 new sections of the film. The film’s staggered release and the online forum will allow the site to be a crucible for debate on the issues it raises, and allows the audience to collaborate in re- defining the argument even as the film is being made. The film will be complete by mid-April 2010.

Director / Producer:
Simon Robson aka Knife Party is a multi award-winning animation director and producer. His work has been shown at festivals around the world including Edinburgh, Toronto, Raindance and the Brooklyn International Film Festival. Simon won ‘best animated short’ film for his debut film ‘What Barry Says’ at Brooklyn and London in 2004. He was animation director on BAFTA nominated ‘Taking Liberties’, a feature documentary released in 2007 addressing the decline of civil liberties in the UK.

Writer:
Timothy Rayner teaches philosophy at the University of Sydney and the University of New South Wales. He is the author of leading-edge academic articles, and his book, Foucault’s Heidegger: Philosophy and Transformative Experience is available on Continuum.

Full list of collaborators:
Knife Party
Adam Gault & Stefanie Augustine
Bran Dougherty-Johnson
Cassiano Prado
Mario Sader & Ralph Pinel
Dave Baum
Decoy
Dom Del Torto
Dylan White & Andy Hague
Echolab
Foreign Office
Andreas Gebhardt
James Wignall
Loyalkaspar
Sehsucht & Mate Steinforth, Mighty Nice
Parasol Island
Thiago Maia
World Leaders
Yum Yum London

www.coalitionoftheWilling.org.uk

www.facebook.com/coalitionfilm

(thanks Laurence!)