Behind the Scenes of 'Be Their Voice'
Creating the animation to help save millions of lambs
The 'Be Their Voice' campaign is a global campaign to raise awareness about the dark secret behind wool: live lamb cutting (also known as mulesing). The campaign was launched due to the 20th anniversary of the Australian wool industry’s broken promise to end live lamb cutting. Through their imaginative story of Sunny, an Australian Merino lamb, people can learn the harsh reality of live lamb cutting. With the help of Hollywood actors Danielle Macdonald and Scott Evans, Catsnake: The Story Agency, and 3D stop motion animations from Bewilder, Sunny's story comes to life, with the hope of inspiring millions to be Sunny’s voice and demand a ban on live lamb cutting.
What goes into the making of such a piece of storytelling? Let’s dive behind the scenes and explore the creative process that brought this powerful animation to life.
A Global Call for Change: 20 Years of Lambs’ Suffering
The 'Be Their Voice' campaign marks 20 years since the Australian wool industry abandoned its commitment to end live lamb cutting. In 2004, sheep industry bodies in Australia announced the phase out of this practice by 2010. Due to a failure to adequately act, they broke this commitment in 2009, and still today Australia continues to allow over 10 million lambs to be subjected to live lamb cutting – that is roughly 19 lambs per minute.
Rebecca Picallo Gil, Animal Welfare in Wool Campaign Lead at FOUR PAWS says, “Australia remains the sole nation clinging to the inhumane practice of cutting skin and flesh of lambs’ buttocks without anaesthesia. The pain of live lamb cutting lasts for days, wounds take weeks to heal, and the scars last a lifetime.”
In response to the 20 years of broken promises, FOUR PAWS has launched this campaign with the goal to raise public awareness and to urge international fashion brands and policymakers to ban live lamb cutting. The star-studded animated video and Sunny’s story is the golden thread of this campaign, featuring the voices of Hollywood actors Danielle Macdonald, best known for Dumplin’ and Bird Box, and Scott Evans, recognised for his roles in Grace and Frankie and the blockbuster Barbie.
The short animated movie centres around a fictional lamb named Sunny and a science student named Jesse, who invents an AI translator to give lambs a voice. By lending their voices to these characters, Macdonald and Evans help convey the urgency of banning live lamb cutting.
“Supporting FOUR PAWS and Giving Sunny a Voice Was a No-Brainer”
Supporting FOUR PAWS and giving lambs like Sunny a voice was a no-brainer for me. The idea to explain a brutal animal welfare issue in an easy to understand and creative way really resonated with me. I think people often don’t know the extent of what goes on in industries involving animals, and as human beings we naturally want to look away and shield ourselves from some of the horrors of it. That’s why I loved this idea of educating and explaining an archaic practice through the medium of an animated video that strikes a great balance between raising awareness and telling a compelling story. ," says Danielle Macdonald who quickly connected with the campaign’s cause, finding it an important and necessary initiative.
“I was shocked when FOUR PAWS told me about live lamb cutting, something I have never even heard of before. I had no idea that such a barbaric practice could still exist in 2024. As an animal lover, I knew I had to do something to help end this. I was more than happy to support FOUR PAWS with their animated video by providing the voice for Jesse," Scott Evans echoes this sentiment, noting his shock at learning about live lamb cutting.
The Making of 'Be Their Voice': From Script to Animation
Creating the 'Be Their Voice' animation video required collaboration between FOUR PAWS and creative teams dedicated to delivering a compelling message with heart and clarity. The video production was led by Catsnake, the creative agency specialising in cause-driven storytelling, with the stop-motion animation produced by Bewilder, an animation studio that prides itself on creating hand-crafted visual narratives.
“We wanted to capture people’s attention with humor and emotion before delivering the hard-hitting truth about live lamb cutting,” says Rowena Wyles, Creative Director at Catsnake. “Animation allowed us to bring Sunny’s story to life in a way that felt tangible and relatable. The sets, props, and lighting were crafted in Bewilder’s in-house studio, with the 3D-animated characters seamlessly added in later.”
For Ruan Vermeulen, Creative Director at Bewilder, the project was not just a job but a mission to make a difference. "This animation is more than just a video. It’s a tool to inspire change on a massive scale," says Vermeulen. “We’ve taken great care in creating every detail of Sunny’s world, making sure her emotions, movements, and expressions connect deeply with the audience.”
Sunny: The Heart of the Story
At the centre of the animation is Sunny, the lamb representing millions who suffer through live lamb cutting each year. The creative team placed significant emphasis on bringing Sunny’s emotions to the forefront, ensuring viewers form a strong connection with her story.
Macdonald, who voices Sunny, found the role especially meaningful. “Sunny’s fate is a representation of the fate of millions of other lambs and by giving her a stage, we can shine a light on all the suffering lambs in Australia. I hope that people will watch the video and learn that there are other ways, pain-free ways, of achieving the same end result. Most importantly, I hope there will be a shift in the Australian wool industry and that farmers, and I know there are many who love their animals, will follow in New Zealand’s footsteps and switch to the pain-free alternatives that are available, and that live lamb cutting will finally be phased out.”, she says.
For the animation to have maximum impact, the characters’ emotions were portrayed with subtle yet powerful gestures. Through close-up shots of Sunny and Jesse, viewers can witness the distress and hope that runs throughout the narrative. It’s through these emotional moments that the audience is driven to take action.
The Power of Animation: Why Stop-Motion?
Choosing stop-motion animation as the medium for the campaign was a deliberate decision by the creative team. Stop-motion allows for a visually captivating experience that blends reality with imagination, making the subject matter accessible while still delivering a serious message.
“We knew we needed something that would capture attention while also making an emotional impact,” explains Vermeulen. “Stop-motion gives us that magical balance of charm and authenticity. It draws the viewer in, and once they’re invested, we can reveal the deeper truth about live lamb cutting.”
The Role of Voice Actors: Bringing the Characters to Life
Macdonald and Evans were both excited about the opportunity to lend their voices to such an important cause. Their commitment to the project extended beyond their voice acting; both actors have long been advocates for animal welfare, and their passion is evident in the final product.
Evans, who provides the voice for Jesse, was also happy to discover that an Aussie accent wasn't required for his role. “It was a blast getting to hang out in the studio with my friend Danielle to bring Sunny’s story to life. Hopefully, Sunny’s story will bring awareness to people around the world and be part of the change that will lead to better protection of lambs in Australia," Evans shares.
Global Support to End Live Lamb Cutting
The global movement among fashion brands opposing live lamb cutting is rapidly growing, with over 300 brands now publicly committed to only source certified live lamb cut-free (mulesing-free) wool. Among them, 90 international companies, including Hugo Boss, Adidas, and the most recent addition, Mango, have signed FOUR PAWS' Brand Letter of Intent. These brands are not only committed to a future without live lamb cutting but are also actively urging the Australian wool industry and government to phase out the practice by 2030.
FOUR PAWS is also advocating for legislative change in Australia, urging policymakers to follow in the footsteps of other countries like New Zealand, which has already adopted pain-free alternatives. “We cannot allow another 20 years of lambs suffering due to inaction,” says Rebecca Picallo Gil, Animal Welfare in Wool Campaign Lead at FOUR PAWS. “This video is a crucial step in ensuring that people around the world understand what’s happening and are motivated to demand the necessary change.”
As the campaign continues to gain momentum, it’s clear that the fight to end live lamb cutting will require continued global awareness, support from brands, and legislative action. With Sunny’s story at the forefront, FOUR PAWS is determined to ensure that the voices of lambs are finally heard.
