• Client: Sonja Henrici Creates Ltd., Edinburgh
• Livestream producer: Ben Kempas, Film & Campaign
• Event producer: Rachel Caplan, Film & Campaign
• Audience platform: Eventive

Central to our campaign 'After THE OIL MACHINE' were several high-profile live online events, which extended our audience reach significantly in the UK and internationally. These also helped to drive interest in the UK theatrical release. For these, we not only provided the technical side of livestream production but also organised the entire events, including speakers, ticketing, promotion and more.

Launch event for the film and the campaign

Our first event was a campaign launch where we invited core contributors in the film to join us for a conversation reflecting on COP27 and what comes next for North Sea oil & gas and the UK’s energy sector. This discussion marked the theatrical release beginning on the same day, so the film itself wasn’t shown online. Over 150 people joined in this invitation to 'ask us anything'.

The event was hosted online by Noga Levy-Rapoport, climate justice activist, organiser and speaker, with the film team and core contributors:

• Emma Davie, director of THE OIL MACHINE, talking about the aims in making the film and its relevance to the current crisis
• Sir David King, former Chief Scientific Advisor to the UK Government, now Centre for Climate Repair and Climate Crisis Advisory Group, looks back at the year since COP26 in Glasgow and gives an outlook on COP27
• Ann Pettifor, economist and author of The Case for The Green New Deal, analyses the current crisis from a critical economic perspective
• James Marriott, Platform London, co-author of Crude Britannia and conceptual contributor to THE OIL MACHINE
• Rachel Caplan, outreach coordinator at Film & Campaign, highlights opportunities to see the THE OIL MACHINE and for communities, organisations and businesses to host their own screenings and discussions

George Monbiot introduces the first online screening of THE OIL MACHINE

Our first online screening followed shortly after, with over 300 people buying pay-what-you-can tickets to see the film and hear speakers including writer George Monbiot, campaigner Tessa Khan, and scientist Professor Kevin Anderson, and to put their questions to the panel after the film.

In this clip, Terry Macalister welcomes George Monbiot, acclaimed columnist with The Guardian and author of Regenesis, for an introductory chat.

Post-screening panel gets 'interrupted by activists'

In the midst of a panel discussion following the first-ever public online screening of THE OIL MACHINE documentary, we were interrupted by activists on a rooftop. For almost three weeks, Dan Edelstyn and Hilary Powell had been sleeping on their roof in Walthamstow in order to raise startup funds for a community-powered solar power and insulation project for their street. And they're making a film, POWER, about it, too.

This (intentional!) 'video-bombing' from the roof gave an unexpected and fun element for both the panel and audience, and helped keep the spontaneous 'feel' of a live event. 

Learn more about THE OIL MACHINE campaign

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