[From the web site: http://www.themeatrix.com]
When The Meatrix (www.themeatrix.com)
launched in November 2003, the viral film broke new ground in online
grassroots advocacy, creating a unique vehicle by which to educate,
entertain and motivate people to create change. The Meatrix has been
translated into more than 30 languages and is now the most successful
online advocacy film ever with well over 15 million viewers worldwide.
The Meatrix is a four-minute online animation that spoofs The Matrix
movies while educating viewers about the problems with factory farming
and today’s meat and dairy supplies. The film is a humorous and
creative satire that uses pop culture and entertainment to educate
viewers about the food they eat and where it comes from. The film
features three superhero farm animals including Leo, the young pig who
wonders if he is “the one”, Chickity, the feathered family farm
defender, and Moopheus, the trench-coat-clad cow with a passion for
green pastures.
The movie website links to Sustainable Table (www.sustainabletable.org) and the Eat Well Guide (www.eatwellguide.org),
which offer information on the issues surrounding factory farming, as
well as alternatives to conventionally-raised meat, poultry, dairy, and
eggs. The Meatrix website also features The Meatrix 360° interactive
feature (www.themeatrix.com/interactive).
Roll a cursor over objects on a factory farm and the surrounding area
to discover what the issues are; click on the objects for more in-depth
information.
Background:
In early 2003, Free Range Studios awarded a grant to GRACE’s
Sustainable Table program to create a Flash animation. The studio was
impressed that Sustainable Table not only educated viewers about
factory farming but also offered simple solutions to support
sustainable food and agriculture – including the Eat Well Guide, an
online directory of sustainable meat, poultry, dairy, and eggs from
farms, stores, restaurants, and other outlets in the United States and
Canada.
The Meatrix has received worldwide critical acclaim and has been
honored with more than a dozen major film and Web awards, including the
prestigious Webby Award, Annecy International Animated Film Festival
Award, South by Southwest Interactive Award, and Environmental Media
Association’s Best Documentary Short Film award, among others. In
response to the overwhelming public response, Sustainable Table and
Free Range Studios launched the sequel The Meatrix II: Revolting in
March 2006, to explore the dark side of the industrial dairy industry.
And in November 2006, in partnership with Participant Productions, The
Meatrix II 1/2 was released to help promote the social action campaign
around the Fast Food Nation movie and to show what happens inside a
meat processing facility.
Since its launch, The Meatrix has been shown at festivals,
conferences, meetings, events, and local gatherings, while thousands of
DVDs have been distributed to teachers, students, parents, and
individuals worldwide.
Watch the video:
