LONDON – NOVEMBER 7, 2024
- Creative minds behind The Sphere, The Mill and Technicolor Group, design interactive storytelling experience to show how innovation can tackle malaria
- Zero Malaria Experience launched at the giant screens at The Outernet in London on 4th November alongside new awareness-raising film featuring David Beckham, Malaria No More UK ambassador
- Mark Benson of The Mill proud of “bold, beautiful…tapestry of data” they’ve created to tell the story of the malaria fight in “new, innovative and compelling way”
A new awareness-raising film, launched by David Beckham, had its live premiere at the Outernet in London on the 4th November alongside the Zero Malaria Experience to highlight the importance of scientific innovation in tackling malaria.
The data-led Experience uses new research to allow guests to select different combinations from a ‘toolbox’ of cutting-edge innovations to demonstrate how many millions of lives can be saved from malaria when used together.
David Beckham, Malaria No More UK ambassador, launched it to nearly 150 million on his social channels, alongside an alliance of malaria scientists, campaigners and global health experts to tell the story of how scientific innovations helped reduce malaria over the past 60 years and the life-saving potential of future tools when we work together.
The Outernet, sitting in the heart of London is the city’s most visited tourist attraction. The experience launched in their main space, the Now Building, generously provided by Outernet’s official charity partner, the ADOT Foundation.
Over 100 high profile guests attended including leaders in malaria science and global health, as well as a range of a campaigners working to fight the disease.
Led by Creative Director Will MacNeil, the global creative production and experiential entertainment studio, The Mill, developed the concept for The Experience and the new film. The creative force behind the iconic Sphere in Las Vegas made famous by U2, The Mill have a rich heritage in creating unforgettable moments for their audiences.
The Experience was built at The Mill and filmed at ZeroSpace in New York in partnership with 4Wall Entertainment, with cutting-edge LED stages with advanced virtual production technology, providing a visually dynamic environment that filmmakers can customize in real- time. In collaboration with Imperial College London, The Mill utilised a creative and data- driven approach to tackling awareness of the fatal disease.
Mark Benson, President, The Mill said:
“At The Mill and the Technicolor Group we are passionate about harnessing new technologies to tell stories and narratives in compelling, new and innovative ways, and to engage with audiences in the changing ways in which the world consumes content.
When it came to telling the story of malaria, our feeling was that a new approach could drive a stronger set of messages. Something bold and beautiful, but firmly rooted in facts; a rich tapestry of data that encapsulates the terrible reality of the disease. We have designed the Malaria No More UK immersive experience with The Outernet space in mind. It’s not an easy story to tell, but we hope we have found an effective and impactful way to do so.”
Philip O’Ferrall, CEO, The Outernet said:
“Being part of a mission to end this terrible disease is a great honour and it’s a privilege to use the immense screens at Outernet to convey such an important and vital message.”
ADOT Foundation said:
“At ADOT, we believe in the power of ‘unity’ – a core principle of the Zero Malaria Experience, which emphasizes the vital need for collaboration to defeat this deadly disease. We are proud to support this immersive experience and hope that by using Outernet’s interactive platform we can shift perspectives and appreciate a collective effort- a resource to experience oneness.”
David Beckham, Zero Malaria Ambassador and child rights advocate, said:
“As a long-time ambassador of Malaria No More UK, I understand the urgent need to get the malaria fight back on track. The Zero Malaria Experience and film aim to show the power of teamwork to beat one of the world’s oldest and deadliest diseases. It reminds us that we really can do incredible things when our scientists work together with leaders from around the world.”
Dr Astrid Bonfield, CEO of Malaria No More UK, said:
“Ahead of the G20 this year, I hope the Zero Malaria Experience demonstrates to leaders around the world the life-saving power of teamwork to provide the support our scientists need. We need governments around the world to fully fund Gavi and the Global Fund so our life- saving tools can reach those who need them, as well as investing in a pipeline of future innovations. And we need the UK government in particular to maintain its global leadership by funding these critical organisations and backing world-leading British-backed malaria science.
This can save millions of children’s lives and help to foster greater stability across economies, health systems and societies for years to come.”
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Notes to editors
Contact
- For The Mill, contact cristiana.grassi@technicolor.com
- For Technicolor Group, contact sara.davies@technicolor.com
- For The Outernet and ADOT Foundation, contact Nikki.Worth@adot.com
- For Malaria No More UK, contact Louie Freeman-Bassett louie.freeman- bassett@malarianomore.org.uk / 07748102192 or Kate
Pattison kate.pattison@malarianomore.org.uk or media@malarianomoreuk.org.uk
Assets
- Photography from the Zero Malaria Experience event (Credit: Alastair Fyfe)
- Hero Film featuring David Beckham
- Key visuals featuring David Beckham (Credit: Malaria No More UK / Flo Ngala)
- Malaria No More Behind the Scenes Film featuring David Beckham
- Additional technical press release available on request
Asset link: https://malarianomoreuk.canto.global/v/ZeroMalariaExperiencePress
Organisations
The Mill
- The Mill creates and delivers world-class content & visual experiences.
- The Mill focuses on leveraging creative technology to deliver famous, trail blazing work, across any screen, app, theatrical, art, ride, event, fashion, sport, and immersive experience with an unwavering commitment to creative excellence in all that we do, across every stage of the process.
- Our content creators and experience makers, directors, artists, animators, technologists and producers partner our clients to bring their vision to life and delight consumers world-wide.
Asset: The Mill Behind the Scenes Film link: https://f.io/pKGmYuco
Outernet
- Outernet London is the most visited cultural attraction in the UK and home to the most advanced screens in the world.
- Outernet is an immersive entertainment and culture district designed to provide experiences for audiences and brands the likes of which have never been seen before.
- It features the world’s first of its kind space – The Now Building – containing an immense digital canvas: a 4-storey high, floor to ceiling, 360 degree, 16k screen surface. London kicks off a global roll out.
ADOT Foundation
- ADOT is the official charity partner of Outernet, London. We are a collective movement, dedicated to making a difference and creating positive change in the world.
- ADOT has provided dynamic support to charities for over a decade to help them achieve their goals. Creating meaningful, thought-provoking experiences that ultimately inspire unity.
- Through Outernet’s platform we illuminate isolated issues, collectively. Together we spotlight pressing issues of today, and drive impact through a change of perspective.
ZeroSpace
- ZeroSpace is known for blending technology and art, with immersive exhibits and installations that integrate interactive digital art.
- With its advanced in-camera visual effects technology, ZeroSpace enables filmmakers to achieve complex visuals during filming, reducing the reliance on post- production.
- Virtual production setups like ZeroSpace can also help reduce the carbon footprint of filmmaking, minimizing the need for location shoots and elaborate set constructions.
Additional details
- Zero Malaria is a global movement, born out of the grassroots pan-African campaign Zero Malaria ‘Starts with Me’, that is committed to ending malaria in a generation.
- Together we are lifting the voices of people impacted by malaria, connecting communities with leaders and providing platforms and campaigns that unite everyone in solidarity to end malaria, one of the world’s oldest and deadliest diseases. For more information visit https://zeromalaria.org/
- David Beckham became a dedicated supporter and founding member of Malaria No More UK’s Leadership Council at its foundation in 2009. David has been the face of the Malaria Must Die campaign since 2018, using his platform to raise awareness and amplify the voices of everyone living with the threat of malaria.
- The Zero Malaria Experience film featured a range of malaria ambassadors, scientists and leaders including: David Beckham (Zero Malaria Global Ambassador), Dr Michael Charles (CEO, RBM Partnership to End Malaria), Krystal Birungi (Field Entomology Coordinator, Target Malaria), Dr Sania Nishtar (CEO, Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance), Prof. Azra Ghani (Director of the MRC Centre for Global Infectious Disease Analysis and Professor in Infectious Disease Epidemiology at Imperial College London), Dr Philip Welkhoff (Director of Malaria, The Gates Foundation), Dr Elvis Eze (Malaria Champion), Stephanie Rodriguez (Global Fund Changemaker), Tala Al- Rahami (Chief Strategy Officer, Reaching the Last Mile, UAE), Chido Cleopatra Mpemba (Special Envoy on Youth to African Union Chairperson and Cabinet for the African Union).
- ‘The Outernet is now London’s most visited tourist attraction’, The Times, 07.12.23, https://www.thetimes.com/article/outernet-now-londons-most-visited- tourist-attraction-77rwqqzv3
