Rivers are lifelines — but what if they've been straightened, concreted and cut off from their floodplain over centuries? With Europe's largest river restoration on the Lower Havel, NABU shows how to get back to nature. In this 2:30 minute explanatory film, five specific measures are explained in detail — from altar connection to flood gutter reactivation to floodplain forest development. Each shows the transformation from “back then it went wrong” to “today it's going” to “success for everyone.” The result: more than 1,100 endangered species find a habitat again, plus crystal-clear water, natural flood protection and CO2 storage. A film that doesn't come with a raised index finger, but shows that restoration works.
Havel needed a look that captured the beauty of nature without becoming cheesy. We have lovingly developed hand-drawn illustrations that show lots of details of the local fauna and flora — from lapwing and black tern to reed belts and floodplain forests. In doing so, we had to stick to NABU's existing corporate design. The challenge: combine scientific accuracy with visual creativity. Every plant, every animal should be recognizable, but at the same time fit into a harmonious, calm image structure. The composition is deliberately kept relaxed — not hectic cuts, but smooth transitions that give the feeling of standing on the riverbank yourself.
In addition to classic camera shots and parallax effects, the animation focused on character and animal animations. Lapwing sounds the alarm, beavers gnaw on branches, storks stalk through wet meadows, and reeds sway in the wind. Each animal was animated to move naturally — not robotic birds, but real life. In explanatory areas, we used schematic illustrations to make even complex relationships understandable. But the whole thing remains calm: selective animation that sits exactly where it supports the story.
CLIENT: NABU (German Conservation Association) e.V.
PRODUKTION: Theresa Schwierske
CONCEPT & SCRIPT: Theresa Schwierske
DESIGN: Michelle Acosta
llIllustration: Michelle Acosta, Anneke Wieduwilt, Marcel Vockrodt
ANIMATION: Michelle Acosta, Anneke Wieduwilt, Marcel Vockrodt
SOUND: Kim Venus
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