The Kennedys Urge Marine Conservation Through Docu-Short

Sea Shepherd grabbed headlines last year with Ultimate Death Scene, a shocking advert in which actor David Field graphically recreates the dying moments of a harpooned whale.  

But in its latest film, Part-Time Heroes, the marine conservation charity has swerved the shock tactics in favour of a documentary-style approach, aiming to shed light on its identity, dispel prejudices and celebrate the crew who put themselves on the front line to fight illegal poaching.

Created by The Kennedys Amsterdam (Wieden+Kennedy's creative accelerator program) to mark the charity's 40th anniversary, the 12-minute film offers a fly-on-the-wall perspective of life at sea and the challenges involved in policing the oceans from overfishing and habitat destruction, compounded by the fact that outside territorial boundaries, the open sea is a lawless place. 

Director Quentin van den Bossche intercuts dramatic boat chase sequences, with the charity racing to intercept poachers masquerading as 'research vessels', with heartbreaking footage of dolphins entangled in fishing nets and bloodied carcasses of whales laid out on deck,  to drive home the message that it isn’t up to one country or entity to protect our seas, it’s everyone’s responsibility.

A new global website is being launched alongside the film, encouraging viewers to become a Part-Time Hero and join in the movement to defend, conserve and protect our oceans and marine wildlife through volunteering and donations.