Meet Phil Dupée: Deauville Green Awards 2021 Winner
Interview
It is with great pleasure I am introducing Phil Dupée from Hello Love whom I have been working with for years on video creation & production and is part of our partners at The Earth Agency for videography services.
A BAFTA and Multi-Awards winner, Phil just received a new gold award with a fresh win at the Deauville Green Awards 2021 for the most wonderful video documenting the sustainable initiative of Sport Apparel Brand ASICS who have developed a new yarn material from ocean waste plastics in Sri Lanka.
Read on to know more about it...
1. Last year you completed two projects that were both shot in Sri Lanka for two different brands who are passionate about giving back. Was it a new departure for you and your team?
Yes, it was... We have been working on projects for years in London and for the most part, brand messaging has been commercially focused and it was rare to get a brief where a brand wanted to invest solely in talking about their CSR journey. It may be coincidental, but it was when we started working in Amsterdam that the conversation around the health of the planet started to work its way into our brief.
The most important message
“It is extremely important to share best practice in this area to educate people so that they see that there is an alternative way of doing things”
2. You specialise in film-making and one of these two films has just won an award at the Deauville Green Awards 2021. Can you tell us more about this documentary in particular and why do you think it made a difference with the jury?
I think the first thing to say is that ASICS are way ahead of a lot of brands in their commitment to improving sustainability and reducing impact. They have real, tangible examples of how they are putting sustainability at the heart of their business. They have interesting and exciting stories to tell and for us as film makers and story tellers, this is a real gift.
In an extremely forward thinking move, the Hirdaramani group in Sri Lanka who manufacture the ASICS products have heavily invested in new production systems that make a massive difference to the impact of their manufacturing process on the environment. This is a big story and one that we need to share so that consumers can make more informed choices, as well as encouraging other manufacturers to follow suit.
I think it is extremely important to share best practice in this area to educate people so that they see that there is an alternative way of doing things and that it is possible to have the stuff we want without harming the planet. For me, this is the most important message of all.
I think the jury at the Green Awards understood and responded to this sentiment and the overall messaging in the film. I think that we need more brands and storytelling content to share these kinds of engaging and inspirational stories to encourage brands and consumers to do the right thing.
Brands & Storytelling content
“We need more to share these kinds of engaging and inspirational stories to encourage brands and consumers to do the right thing”
3. What did this project involve technically & humanly and was there any challenges you and your team needed to overcome whilst filming in Sri Lanka or afterwards?
After meetings in Amsterdam the next time we met the client was in Sri Lanka where the filming of each project would take place. We had a small core team supported by a local fixer in Colombo who put together a local support team. It was important to me to work with local people.
We filmed over a period of one week on each project. During the second week, the devastating terrorist attacks on Sri Lanka occurred, with bombs going off in neighbouring streets, churches and high-end tourist hotels. It was an extremely frightening time for everyone. We tried to continue filming but it was difficult and we were advised to leave the country as soon as we could. We returned later, once we were given the all-clear, to complete the filming.
The terrorist attacks were a devastating blow for Sri Lanka and all those caught up in the bombings. The situation brought us closer to those we were working with on the ground who were able to share their stories with us so that we could gain a broader understanding of the impact. It actually made me more determined to get the projects completed and delivered, as a sign of my support to such wonderful people in such a fantastic country.
4. How do you think these two documentaries will influence your work in the future? Is it an area you would like to develop and contribute to?
Being commissioned to produce these two films is such an honour for me and the team. It reignited my passion for my craft and helped me to understand how important storytelling remains today.
My ambition is to continue to work with likeminded brands as partners in their storytelling journeys. I think that brands are beginning to give us stories of hope; that we can change our old ways and create processes that don’t harm the environment, and also that we can recycle and repair.
Stories of hope
“That we can change our old ways and create processes that don’t harm the environment, and also that we can recycle and repair”
5. How important do you see the role of film-making in supporting people who want to participate in the wellness of the world?
We are filmmakers, creative problem solvers and collaborators. We tell brands stories. If a film can get to a person via their own personal cinema... their phone, with messaging that is easy to understand and view yet is also inspiring and impactful so that they want to share it, then I think we are an important part of this chain.
Personally, I think that message of hope and empowerment that we are all responsible for the wellness of the world have more impact than sharing bad news stories and will encourage more people to take action.
The health and wellness of our planet sits with all of us, we can all play a part. My ambition is to leave the world in a better place than when I entered it.