The Global Search for Education: Barbara Whiting’s Engaging Animated Film Teaches Young People About the Dangers of Climate Change
This month, audiences can screen A Tale of Two Icebergs: Episode 2 on the Planet Classroom Network. The film is directed by Barbara Whiting and co-written by Whiting and Patrick Cotter. It is a beautifully animated film that tells the story of two icebergs, Glacia and Crystal, who have been forced to break away from their glacier community in the Arctic Ocean due to global warming but now face an even greater enemy — warm water that’s causing them to melt. A gang of walruses, however, might prove to be their saviors as they begin a journey together towards the Cold Stream: the purest, coldest, bluest water on the planet.
The Global Search for Education is pleased to welcome Barbara Whiting and Patrick Cotter.
A Tale of Two Icebergs is delightful. Creative storytelling with an important message for all audiences about our environment. What’s the inspiration behind your series and how many episodes do you plan on making?
Living in Canada, we see the effects of Global Warming firsthand. That’s because our country is normally cold for half the year, so when global warming started to heat up the planet, Canada was one of the first nations to feel its damaging effects.
How do you best see your films helping the climate crisis? What do you hope the audience takeaway from this series will be?
Snow no longer falls as much as it used to; much of the ice on our lakes has disappeared and our wonderful huge glaciers are shrinking.…all of this means that animals and people are losing their homes in the north.
This style of storytelling and animation can be used to tackle other important social impact topics. Do you agree and do you have any other projects in the works?
We thought that an animation might be a great way of letting children know about what’s happening in northern communities around the world. But because Patrick and I love writing comedy, we thought we’d produce an animation that was fun, and even silly in places, yet still contained a serious message about the destructive force that is Global Warming.
With funding, we could make as many episodes as there are icebergs in the North Atlantic.
Kids are being bombarded with messages of doom and gloom about climate. Taking a lighter approach to a serious subject could give children a different perspective and a brighter outlook. Smiles can change attitudes — and changed attitudes can lead to positive results.
We believe that this style of storytelling can extend to any number of social and environmental issues. We have a third iceberg episode in the works.
Many young creators want to produce films with social impact themes. What are your top tips for the next generation of storytellers?
If you’re planning on creating an animation, here are a few tips that worked for us. First of all, have fun creating sound effects that get you excited. Choose music that moves you. It’s always fun to include animals that talk.
The actors who do the voices for your characters should sound natural, just like you.
Thank you Barbara and Patrick!
C.M. Rubin with Barbara Whiting and Patrick Cotter
Don’t Miss A Tale of Two Icebergs: Episode 2, now screening on the Planet Classroom Network.