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Save Ralph
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| Save Ralph | |
|---|---|
Promotional release poster | |
| Directed by | Spencer Susser |
| Written by | Spencer Susser |
| Produced by |
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| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Tristan Oliver |
| Edited by | Spencer Susser |
| Animation by | Tobias Fouracre |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by | Humane Society International |
Release date |
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Running time | 4 minutes |
| Countries |
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| Language | English |
Save Ralph is an Australian-American-British stop motion animated mockumentary short film written and directed by Spencer Susser. It stars Taika Waititi, Ricky Gervais, Zac Efron, Olivia Munn, Pom Klementieff, Tricia Helfer, and Rodrigo Santoro. The plot follows an interview with Ralph (Waititi), a rabbit who details his life as he is used for animal testing and the damages it has caused to his body. Produced by Jeff Vespa, the 4-minute short film was released by Humane Society International on April 6, 2021, to critical acclaim. It is an international co-production of Australia, United States and United Kingdom.
Plot
[edit]Ralph is a rabbit. Speaking with Humane Society International for a documentary, he talks about his life as a "tester" for cosmetic products. Ralph tells the production crew how he is blind in one eye, partially deaf and has chemical burns on his back that are still tender and sting if he breathes or moves a certain way. While preparing for work, Ralph explains with a sad tone how he does not necessarily care about his life, as he feels sacrificing his body to help humans is worth it. At a laboratory, Ralph's rabbit friends beg for the production crew to free them from their trials as Ralph is injected with an unknown chemical into his only working eye. Now completely blind and visibly in pain, Ralph says his final remarks; without animal testing, he would be out in a field "like a normal rabbit". As the video ends, Ralph gives a worried thumbs-up towards the camera, painfully claiming "It's all good".
Voice cast
[edit]- Taika Waititi as Ralph, a rabbit
- Ricky Gervais as the interviewer
- Zac Efron as Bobby, a rabbit
- Olivia Munn as Marshmallow, a rabbit
- Pom Klementieff as Cinnamon, a rabbit
- Tricia Helfer as Cottonballs, a rabbit
- Rodrigo Santoro as a rabbit
In the Spanish and French dubs, George Lopez and Pom Klementieff lend their voices as Ralph respectively. Additionally, Santoro, Wilmer Valderrama, Denis Villeneuve, and Rosario Dawson also appear in the Portuguese, Spanish, French, and Vietnamese iterations.[1][2]
Production
[edit]The animated project Save Ralph was announced on March 24, 2021, "conceived as part of the #SaveRalph campaign", in an effort from Humane Society International to ban animal testing around the world.[3] That same day, a teaser video for the short film was released, with actor Taika Waititi sharing the official promotional poster for the film and writing on Twitter that the project was "a cool thing that is coming soon. If you don't watch it and love it then you hate animals and we can't be friends anymore. #SaveRalph".[4][5]
The models of each character were hand-made and created by puppet maker Andy Gent from Arch Model Studio based in United Kingdom, who said that the process of creating Ralph took over four months and covering him in fur took five weeks.[6] On producing the short film, Jeff Vespa said he wanted to create a project where people would want to watch and learn about the dangers of animal testing, deciding an animated film would be the best approach. In casting an actor to portray Ralph, Spencer said the first person he contacted was Waititi, who quickly agreed to star.[7] Filming for the short took place over 50 days, with each day accounting for the making of approximately four seconds of the film.[6]
Reception
[edit]Upon its release, Save Ralph was met with critical acclaim. From /Film, Ben Pearson praised the high level of detail in the short and compared the characters' designs to those in the 2009 film Fantastic Mr. Fox, writing that the film was "disturbing and heartbreaking and manipulative and powerful, all at the same time."[8] Josh Weiss, writing for Syfy Wire, gave positive remarks to the voice acting and humor, stating that "Waititi once again proves that he is among the most prolific entertainers working today".[2] For Animation Magazine, Mercedes Milligan complimented the story's main message and referred to the short itself as "powerful".[9]
Save Ralph won the Grand Prix for Good award at the 69th Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity in 2022. The award recognises creative work that benefits the world at large.[10][11]
References
[edit]- ^ Otero del Río, Mariel (April 14, 2021). "Why the Save Ralph short went viral". Entrepreneur. Archived from the original on April 19, 2021. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
- ^ a b Weiss, Josh (April 14, 2021). "Taika Waititi voices a stop motion rabbit in Humane Society short about animal testing". Syfy Wire. Archived from the original on April 14, 2021. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
- ^ Grobar, Matt (March 24, 2021). "Save Ralph Teaser: Humane Society International Aims To Combat Animal Testing With Starry Stop-Motion Short". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 24, 2021. Retrieved March 24, 2021.
- ^ Lezmi, Joshua (March 27, 2021). "Taika Waititi, Zac Efron, Ricky Gervais, Olivia Munn and More Lend Voices to Save Ralph". Collider. Archived from the original on March 28, 2021. Retrieved March 28, 2021.
- ^ Prosser, Keegan (March 28, 2021). "Save Ralph: Taika Waititi Drops Poster for Anti-Animal Testing Short". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on March 29, 2021. Retrieved March 29, 2021.
- ^ a b Tangcay, Jazz (May 7, 2021). "How Save Ralphs' Set Designer Built the Stop-Motion Short Film Voiced by Taika Waititi and Ricky Gervais". Variety. Archived from the original on May 7, 2021. Retrieved May 7, 2021.
- ^ Save Ralph Premiere and Panel Discussion. The Humane Society of the United States. April 6, 2021. Archived from the original on April 6, 2021. Retrieved April 6, 2021 – via YouTube.
- ^ Pearson, Ben (April 12, 2021). "The Quarantine Stream: Save Ralph Will Make You Read the Fine Print on Your Cosmetics". /Film. Archived from the original on April 19, 2021. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
- ^ Milligan, Mercedes (April 7, 2021). "Stop-Mo Save Ralph Spot Delivers a Star-Powered Message from Humane Society". Animation Magazine. Archived from the original on April 19, 2021. Retrieved April 19, 2021.
- ^ "Final Lion-winners announced at the 69th Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity". Cannes Lions. Retrieved April 18, 2025.
- ^ "Cannes Lions 2022: The Grand Prix winners so far". The Drum. June 23, 2022. Archived from the original on June 24, 2022. Retrieved April 18, 2025.
External links
[edit]Save Ralph
View on GrokipediaProduction
Development and creation
Humane Society International commissioned Save Ralph in 2020 as a central element of its #SaveRalph global campaign to prohibit cosmetic animal testing worldwide, targeting countries where such practices continued despite regulatory progress elsewhere.[1] The initiative responded to ongoing testing in jurisdictions lacking comprehensive bans, building on precedents like the European Union's prohibition on animal testing of finished cosmetic products effective September 11, 2004.[8] Funding originated from HSI's advocacy resources, positioning the film as a tool to mobilize public and policymaker support for legislative change.[9] Spencer Susser was brought on as writer and director, initiating work on the project in 2020 amid COVID-19 lockdowns that influenced remote collaboration aspects.[10] Produced by Jeff Vespa through entities including Alldayeveryday Productions and Blue-Tongue Films in partnership with HSI, the effort prioritized advocacy efficacy over commercial aims.[2] Susser's vision centered on a mockumentary format to humanize the animal testing experience, selecting stop-motion animation for its capacity to convey physical realism and emotional weight, as he noted the need for the protagonist to "feel real" in representing actual laboratory animals.[1] This stylistic choice aimed to differentiate the film from conventional advocacy videos, enhancing its potential to drive empathy and action against industry practices.[10]Technical aspects and animation
Save Ralph employs stop-motion animation, utilizing handcrafted physical puppets for the anthropomorphic rabbit protagonist and supporting characters, alongside custom-built sets mimicking cosmetics testing laboratories. This technique involves capturing thousands of individual frames by incrementally adjusting the models' positions, creating fluid motion that underscores the tangible, physical nature of the depicted experiments. The production, handled by London-based Arch Model Maker, focused on intricate detailing to convey realism in the animals' modeled injuries, such as scarred tissue and impaired features achieved through specialized puppet modifications rather than digital effects.[11] The film's runtime totals approximately four minutes, enabling a concise yet impactful presentation of its advocacy message within the constraints of a non-profit initiative funded by Humane Society International. Completed in early 2021 ahead of its April 6 release, the animation process prioritized efficiency, leveraging practical effects to simulate the aftermath of toxicity tests—like blindness and skin damage—on the rabbit models, thereby avoiding reliance on CGI while amplifying the advocacy's call for empirical alternatives to animal-based methods. This hands-on approach, as noted in production insights, fosters a visceral viewer connection to the causal consequences of testing practices, aligning technical choices with the goal of promoting cruelty-free innovation.[1][12]Voice cast and contributions
The principal voice cast of Save Ralph centers on Taika Waititi as Ralph, the laboratory rabbit who narrates his experiences as a cosmetics tester in a mockumentary style interview.[2] Supporting roles feature Zac Efron as Bobby, a fellow rabbit; Ricky Gervais as the interviewer; Olivia Munn as Marshmallow, another rabbit; Pom Klementieff; and Tricia Helfer as Cottonballs, a hamster.[13] These actors' involvement, drawn from a multinational lineup, leveraged their established fame to extend the short film's visibility beyond niche advocacy audiences.[4]| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Taika Waititi | Ralph (rabbit) |
| Zac Efron | Bobby (rabbit) |
| Ricky Gervais | Interviewer |
| Olivia Munn | Marshmallow (rabbit) |
| Tricia Helfer | Cottonballs (hamster) |
| Pom Klementieff | Lab animal |
