Carbon
The unauthorised biography
Narrated by Succession’s Sarah Snook, this feature documentary tells the story of life’s core element with a breathtaking and surprisingly unorthodox blend of animation, interviews, and gorgeous location footage. In 2022, the film debuted on CBC TV in Canada, in theatres, on ABC in Australia, and around the world on major broadcasts in French and German versions.
An Australian-Canadian coproduction by Emmy-winning Genepool Productions and Sundance-and-Emmy-winning Handful of Films. More about the film at #thecarbonmovie & thecarbonmovie.com.
the Animation of Carbon
Trailer
How to Make Carbon
Set pieces like this one were a dance of timing between the live action, the scientist’s vocal delivery, and nuances of legibility and memorability in the animation. Here, Astrophysicist Tamara Davis gestures with animated molecules to explain the formation of our hero element.
A Blanket for Earth
Here’s leading climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe and a whole lot of paint, describing carbon’s part in the Greenhouse Effect.
Photosynthesis
This set piece summarizes photosynthesis. It may not be comprehensive, but it’s emblematic of our approach to representing scientific information in animation. The working mantra was for information to make sense to a regular person, but with the factual guts to satisfy scientists. So we consulted with experts, iterated, threw things away, redid them better, until we’d met the needs of the scene. Biologist Carin Bondar’s flowing explanation was the rhythmic base for animation.
Polymers
Who knew? A “mer” is a thing… many of them stuck together? Yup, that’s a polymer. Watch materials scientist Mark Miodownik spell it out.