A Humorous Flight: Animation as Advocacy

Welcome to the Black-chinned Hummingbird storyboard, a creative collaboration by Team Hummingbird's Sol and Mae. This storyboard outlines our approach to shedding light on the often-unseen daily lives of these dynamic, tiny creatures, focusing on humor and heart to engage our audience.

Our decision to use animation and humor is inspired by the successful engagement strategies of major eco-justice organizations. A prime example is Greenpeace and their collaboration with Aardman Animations on the "Turtle Journey" short (McCallum). That campaign successfully used lighthearted animation and a relatable character family to discuss the grave issue of ocean plastic, demonstrating that humor can be a powerful vehicle for serious environmental messaging. 

Similarly, this storyboard uses a humorous lens to explore the bustling, secret world of hummingbirds. By injecting comedy into their routine, we hope to forge an immediate, emotional connection with viewers. This approach allows us to then address the sobering reality of window collisions by presenting the consequences in a way that is impactful, yet non-graphic. 

Ultimately, this storyboard sets the stage for a short animation that aims to be both entertaining and educational, inspiring viewers to take simple, protective actions for their local hummingbirds.