Australian actor portrays the death of a whale in graphic campaign for Sea Shepherd

Marine conservation organisation Sea Shepherd is graphically showcasing how a whale is killed in a new campaign created by The Works which sees an actor take on the role of a hunted whale.

Australian actor David Field, who has starred in Chopper, Two Hands, The Inbetweeners 2 and Catching Milat as well as Oak’s ‘Kill Hungry Thirsty Dead’ campaign, takes on the role of a hunted whale, acting out the whale’s struggle after being pursed to the point of exhaustion and then shot with a harpoon.

At the end of the video he reappears in a Sea Shepherd shirt and pledges his allegiance to the cause.

Paul Swann, creative partner at The Works, said in a statement: “Those who care about marine wildlife really feel something deeply when they see whaling taking place, we sought to harness this feeling to generate the maximum impact. The idea of a human experiencing what a whale does combined with a graphic execution will come to life across video, social, radio and print.”

The film aims to raise awareness of  whaling while also encouraging donations to Sea Shepherd. It is housed on Sea Shepherd’s website and YouTube and is supported with a cinema, television, print and radio campaign.

In a statement Field said: “The cruelty inflicted on whales is shocking and while most people abhor whaling I think many don’t realise just how brutally these sea mammals are butchered. As a supporter of Sea Shepherd I want to bring this barbaric practice to the attention of as many people as possible in the hope that we can get it stopped.”

Jeff Hansen, managing director from Sea Shepherd Australia said in a statement: “The slaughter of these beautiful and majestic Whales is horrifying, it needs to stop now. No one will ever know the pain and suffering these playful, gentle giants go through from the time the explosive harpoon ripped through their bodies to the time they drew their last breath in a red sea full of their own blood. One thing is for sure, Sea Shepherd will do whatever it takes to ensure no more whales have to endure pain and suffering at the hands of these whale butchers.”

• The Works:
• Creative Partner: Paul Swann
• Creative Leads: Adam Bodfish, Leo Barbosa and Mark Harricks
• Digital Strategy Director: Damien Hughes
• Planner: Leo Hennessy
• Head of Digital Production: Dave Flanagan
• Content Production Manager: Tristan Drummond
• Senior Digital Designer: Kim Sanders
• Social Media Strategist: Vanessa Hartley
• Social Community Manager: Anna Lai
• Project Management: Catriona Heaphy, Gillian Snowball and Juliette Hynes
• Director: Tony Prescott
• Director of Production: Robert Morton
• Post Production: Method Studios
• Sound: Nylon Studios