Film / Air pollution
Short film shows the dangers of cars idling near schools
An east Bristol action group has commissioned a provocative video to inform people of the negative consequences of idling.
Idling, when people sit in their cars with the engine still running whilst parked,
Set to Wash by Bon Iver, the film which was commissioned by St George Breathe Better, hopes to put a human touch on the frightening statistics about the effects pollution has on children.
“My intention was to spread awareness of what idling is to people but as well as that kind of make it grounded I feel like with a lot of these videos you can have facts fired at you but you won’t take it in because of the format,” says Ewan French, director of The Invisible Made Visible and co-founder of Sanctum Presents.
“So I wanted to create something that was down to earth and accessible but still felt educational.”
The 21-year-old admits that before being approached by St George Breathe Better he had not put a lot of thought into the issues of idling.
“For me, it was a whole educational process making this video, that’s one of the things I loved about making it is I learned so much myself that now I’m an advocate for it as well,” Ewan says.
“I’m not just the filmmaker, I’m now trying to pass on the message because it’s such a problem. I learned so much myself that now I’m an advocate for it as well.”
The film also unveils disturbing statistics such as breathing Bristol’s air as a child does equivalent lung damage to smoking one and a half cigarettes a day.
“That was what shocked me, I don’t smoke, every time I’ve ever tried smoking it’s always felt disgusting,” says Ewan, “It’s crazy to think that if I was a kid again, say eight years- old, smoking a pack of cigarettes. It’s a horrifying thought.”
His hopes for the video are for it to reach as many people as possible to encourage people to reevaluate their actions, saying: “I think people need to see this. Not because I want people to see my work as a filmmaker but because people need to see this as an important message.”
Main photo: Ewan French
Read more: New music videos from Ewan French and Slowie & Komposa
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