_ Impact Report 2023

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POSITIVE STORIES

FOR EVERYBODY

https://flyingduckstudiolab.co.uk

• How do you know we’ll be any good? Simple. We’ve got decades of combined experience behind us, and our radically different way of working gives us a global pool of talent to choose from. The end results speak for themselves. Just see our projects for proof.

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• We’re a specialist animation and design studio, using our limitless creativity and technical flair to deliver work that really wows. From character creation and brand development to unforgettable storytelling, we produce exactly the kind of loveable art that audiences really engage with.

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• Story first, technology next. We’re different because we dare to put the story centre stage. Yes, we use next-generation creativity and software to make amazing work, but only ever when it’s appropriate. For us, the priority is to truly understand your story then tell it however works best. Never about vanity and ego trips; always about end results.�

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FLYING DUCK IS AN ETHICAL AND INCLUSIVE CREATIVE STUDIO POWERED BY POSITIVE DUCKS.

SHAPE THE FUTURE, JOIN OUR FLIGHT

INDEX

Our Company

The 3 Feathers of Flying Duck

IMPACT REPORT

1. Content with positive impact
2. Care for our people
3. Care for our customers
4. Care for our community
5. Care for our planet

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• Positively better. Enough with the doom and gloom. Even when we’re tackling serious topics for a client, we produce inspiring and uplifting creative work that resonates deeply with today’s doom-weary viewers.�
• Ethically robust. From our green credentials and inclusive recruitment to the meaningful projects we choose to work on: everything we do is designed to help make the world a better place, not just pay our wages.

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• Pleasurable business. We’re lucky enough to love what we do, so working with us doesn’t feel like work. Of course, we’re communicative, professional and process-led, but we’re also refreshingly easygoing and fun.

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• We specialise in animation and design, producing the highest quality of compelling, visually stunning, and story-driven content, with the best team from all around the world. A hybrid duck with a beautiful studio in Hebden Bridge, working on-site and remotely. �
• We cover; Advertisement, Branding, Marketing, Social Media, Short & Feature films, Music Videos, Documentary, Interactive, VFX, Motion Graphics, Movie Titles and anything related to visual media.

OUR COMPANY

We focus on ethical issues paying special attention to diversity, inclusivity, and sustainability.

MORE INFO ABOUT OUR MANIFESTO AND IMPLEMENTATIONS, GO TO https://flyingduckstudiolab.co.uk/ethical-manifesto

We help Brands tell their inspiring and positive stories.

We want to close the gap �between high-quality content �and affordable prices.

THE 3 FEATHERS OF FLYING DUCK

Thank you for visiting our very first yearly Impact Report.

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This report provides an overview of the efforts Flying Duck Studio Lab is making to lessen its adverse impact on the environment. It allows us to communicate with all of our teams, clients, and coworkers around the globe about the initiatives we are working on. It serves as a means of holding ourselves responsible for the job that still needs to be done.

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This report is broken up into five sections, each with our manifesto promise and what we have done or are doing to ensure that we live up to our commitments.

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IMPACT REPORT

1. WE AIM TO CREATE CONTENT WITH A POSITIVE IMPACT

• We focus on working with charities, B-corps and educational entities.
• We support traditional brands in discovering new ways of bringing their messages across.
• We encourage meaningful content that is motivated by more than money.

Last year, we had the privilege of working on significant and influential projects.

Our efforts were dedicated to supporting initiatives aimed at addressing the challenges surrounding migration, as well as promoting awareness on sensitive topics such as "sexual assault," which hold paramount importance for the betterment of society.

IMPACT REPORT

IMPACT REPORT

Flying Duck was commissioned by UN Habitat to produce 16 infographics and a short, consolidated video for local, regional, national, and international levels of governance with NGOs, sponsors, investors, and other stakeholders to use for education and guidance.

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The Mediterranean City-to-City Migration Project (MC2CM) brings together cities and experts on migration issues, human rights, and sustainable urban development in order to improve migration governance at the city level.

UN HABITAT MC2CM PROJECT 2022

The UN Habitat MC2CM (Migration, Cities, and Climate Change) project is a global initiative that aims to improve the management of migration in urban areas affected by climate change. The project focuses on building the capacity of local governments, promoting dialogue between different stakeholders, and developing innovative solutions to address the challenges of urban migration.

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The project is implemented in different regions across the world, including Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. It is funded by various international organisations, such as the European Union and the United Nations Development Programme.

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Through its activities, the UN Habitat MC2CM project aims to achieve several outcomes, including better governance of migration, increased resilience of urban areas to climate change, and improved access to basic services and livelihoods for migrants.

IMPACT REPORT

WWF CHILE, CAMPAIGN

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CONTENT WITH A POSITIVE IMPACT

IMPACT REPORT

NETFLIX - VICTIM/SUSPECT

We were commissioned by Neon Zoo to work on the graphical elements on the documentary Victim/Suspect for Motto Pictures and Netflix.

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The documentary exposes the unethical practices of US police departments in interrogating and blaming sexual assault victims, aiming to raise awareness and rectify their approach. Victim/Suspect has received critical acclaim and earned award nominations.

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The documentary highlights the importance of approaching rape victims with sensitivity and without bias, providing solutions such as specialized training for police, empathetic interviewing, avoiding leading questions, obtaining consent, conducting thorough investigations, and treating victims with respect.

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Ultimately, building trust through respectful and empathetic treatment of sexual assault survivors can increase the chances of successful prosecution of perpetrators.

2. WE CARE FOR OUR PEOPLE

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• Our salaries are transparent, openly communicated, and fairly distributed between senior and entry-level roles.
• Everyone is met and treated with kindness and respect. Constructive criticism is always welcome, and we encourage everyone to participate in an active exchange within the team.
• We dedicate time and budget to internally developing personal/passion projects.
• We have and are constantly working on improving transparent workflows and work ethics for the Flying Duck team, freelancers and clients.
• We make sure our team and freelancers have proper working hours and paid overtime.
• We always want to support and protect our artists. They are the ones doing the incredible job of bringing stories to life.
• We pride ourselves on having our employees decide the way our company is flying. Our work policies are being created by the team, so they fit everyone’s needs and make for a safe and happy workplace.
• We run as a hybrid team, having most of our employees and freelancers working remotely, but we make sure to maintain a close relationship through Flying Duck online get togethers and our monthly Flying Duck online Drinks.
• We prioritise underrepresented talent when we build a team for a project.
• Alixe, our founder, is receiving some certification in coaching that she will put in practice with the team.

IMPACT REPORT

MEMBERSHIPS & UNIONS

• Women in Animation (https://womeninanimation.org/)
• Animated Women UK (https://www.animatedwomenuk.com/)
• A-P-A (https://www.a-p-a.net/)
• UK Screen Alliance (https://www.ukscreenalliance.co.uk/)
• Animation UK (https://www.animationuk.org/)
• Ecologi (https://ecologi.com/)

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WE CARE FOR OUR PEOPLE

RESOURCES

• We have a resource page on our website https://flyingduckstudiolab.co.uk/resources/ for everyone to use because we believe that sharing knowledge, research, techniques, tools and industry knowhow is key to a healthy and caring work environment.
• We try to be on top of health, mental health, physical health and inclusive/ethical research and implementation in our company, so everyone is feeling heard and seen.
• We have a mental health first aider on hand for any employee concerns, ready to support and signpost them to other services, should they need extra support.
• We have created blogs https://flyingduckstudiolab.co.uk/blog/ to provide information for employers, employees, creatives and clients on a range of subjects, from mental wellbeing, sustainability, to creating show/demo reels.

IMPACT REPORT

3. WE CARE FOR OUR CUSTOMERS

• We work on a transparent basis, and we help clients comprehend our budgets and quotes better.
• We support and guide our clients by providing valuable tools that they can use to understand our processes. This helps them get the most competitive options available to them.
• We want to work with people who love what they do and want efficiency and quality creative work.
• We use innovative workflows to optimise efficiency, helping our clients reduce waste in resources, time, and budget.

IMPACT REPORT

WORKFLOW

• We help brands to reduce waste in the animation process through innovative, and tailored workflows for their needs.
• Versioning and Automation
• Adapting videos to different specifications for a digital campaign is achieved manually. Flying Duck has created automated processes and tailored workflows as a solution for you. It is more profitable for us and for the client.

WE CARE FOR OUR CUSTOMERS

NEW METHOD

Optimise productivity pipelines

Flying Duck is offering some training for clients to optimise their pipeline and advise them on the right set of tools to use to reduce the time and effort dedicated to a project without affecting the final quality.

TRADITIONAL WORKFLOW

4. WE CARE FOR OUR COMMUNITY

• We promote new artists, to create awareness of the amazing talent that is out there.
• We dedicate 5% of our annual profits to providing pro and low-bono work to non-profit organisations or charities.
• We have frequent internal training to educate our team on current topics close to our hearts.
• We offer work experience to members from disadvantaged communities, paying special attention to young people at risk and within the neurodiversity spectrum.
• We share our studio with creatives from our local area, providing a coworking space that is warm and welcoming. https://flyingduckstudiolab.co.uk/coworking/
• We are producing content that focuses on creating awareness about several topics that are important for the community. Children's education / pregnancy in the work environment / dealing with Loss / female stories and equality.

IMPACT REPORT

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COLLABORATION

In Flying Duck, we believe there is strength and success in numbers. Sharing each other's knowledge and resources can only lead to remarkable creations, and so we delightfully present our collaborators

• Hoxton 253 Art Project Space: https://www.hoxton253.com/
• IOU Theatre: https://ioutheatre.org/
• Sister Motion: https://sistermotion.com/
• Altered Images Festival: https://www.alteredimagesfest.com/

WE CARE FOR OUR COMMUNITY

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WORKSHOPS

• In collaboration with IOU Theatre in Halifax, Flying Duck has developed workshops and masterclasses in animation, taking place in Yorkshire. IOU Theatre
• Our masterclasses and workshops will take place online and on site and we intend to expand to all of the UK.
• Together with the Independent Film Trust, Flying Duck is hosting an expert session on the film industry, and we hope to continue this collaboration with IFT in the future. https://www.independentfilmtrust.org/

WE CARE FOR OUR COMMUNITY

IMPACT REPORT

Pro bono work with Verd de Gris Arts

Our producer, Sam Gill, also works for Verd de Gris Arts, which is a non-profit, award-winning creative arts company based in Hebden Bridge. Set up in 1997 by artists Sharon Marsden and Jeff Turner, they specialise in creating participatory arts projects with marginalised groups and individuals.

Verd de Gris use the creative arts to help local people find their voice—whether as individuals or as part of a wider community.

Many of their projects are for women and children from all backgrounds, races, and cultures, some of whom have experienced domestic violence, poverty, poor mental health, addictions, and difficulties due to their race, religion, or culture.

They work in Calderdale, within local schools, and with local communities to bring people together and break down misconceptions regarding race and other cultures.

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Flying Duck has helped document and edit footage from events and projects created by Verd de Gris pro bono. We are also looking to collaborate with Verd de Gris in the future on a documentary, which they will then be able to use for publicity and PR purposes.

IMPACT REPORT

• Flying Duck Studio Lab takes on 1-3 pro and low bono projects per year as we believe that organisations and clients with important stories to tell but with no or limited budgets should still have a chance to be heard.
• When approached by an organisation/institution/client, we consider the project proposed, duration, complexity, distribution and most importantly, the message/story to see if it fits the Flying Duck ethos.
• Pro and low bono work clients are normally: Independent art institutions, charities, NGO’s, educational institutions, independent organisations, start-up businesses working within social / cultural / political / sustainable / ethical / organic areas.

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PRO & LOW BONO WORK

• 1-2 PRO BONO projects per year.
• PRO BONO work has no budget and are free projects with no or limited resources.
• 1-2 LOW BONO projects per year.
• LOW BONO work has a small budget and limited resources.
• PRO/LOW BONO work with full creative freedom falls under the LAB department as it is part of our in-house productions in collaboration with the client. Flying Duck gets to develop and design the project.
• PRO/LOW BONO work where the client is assigning us the project based on their brief/frame/structure/treatment/guidelines, falls under the STUDIO as it is a commissioned project based on client requirements.
• Flying Duck STUDIO can take on projects from charities, NGOs, social enterprises and educational organisations/institutions with higher or normal budgets and offer a 15-20% discount, depending on the project and according to our core values of being ethical and supporting our community. This however, is NOT seen as low or pro bono work, but a general discount to normal budgets.

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PRO VS. LOW BONO WORK

5. WE CARE FOR OUR PLANET

• We choose projects that share our environmental values and morals.
• We educate our team on current environmental issues on a regular basis.
• We create the world we want to live in by finding more sustainable ways of working and living.
• Our goal is to become net zero by reducing consumption, waste and offsetting everything else.

IMPACT REPORT

IMPACT REPORT

SUSTAINABILITY

At Flying Duck, we are not big fans of CO2 emissions, which is why we are members of Ecologi. In 2022, we celebrated yet another Ecologi milestone: 12 tonnes of CO2 sequestered!

We also track our carbon footprint with Zero.ecologi and we measure it against our offsetting to become a net zero company.

We are members of AdGreen, one of the leading sustainable production tool advisers. On top of that, we have attended several seminars and workshops on sustainable business and production alongside seminars on becoming a B-Corp.

At Flying Duck, we also believe in buying, creating, and using sustainable and recycled supplies and merchandise. That is why our business cards come from a local supplier and are CO2 neutral. We encourage our employees and freelancers to use recycled materials.

Our studio in Hebden Bridge complies to our ethos of inclusivity and sustainability. Our furniture and appliances are second hand purchases, donated to us by Birchcliffe, and bought at IKEA. Our tea/coffee, milk, toilet paper, cleaning products, office supplies, etc. are fairtrade, sustainable, organic, locally sourced, and recycled.

IMPACT REPORT

It has been a challenging start to Flying Duck, but the Duck team is working hard to ensure that we build the foundations of our business on the manifesto promises that we have made.

We are moving towards our aim to become a B Corp and continuing with our commitments socially and environmentally in order to protect people and the planet!

FINALLY….

All the content of this document, graphical, visual or text, is confidential and belongs to Flying Duck Studio Lab.

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Any ideas and information on this document are based on the previous experience from the flying duck team. For these reasons, this material shall not be used, reproduced, copied, disclosed, transmitted, transformed or commercialised or communicated, in whole or part, neither to third parties or to the public, without the express and written consent of Flying Duck Studio Lab.

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this presentation doesn’t intend to be used as a contractual proposal and has no binding effects with Flying Duck Studio Lab until a final and written contract is entered into between Flying Duck Studio Lab and the client.

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© 2022 Flying Duck Studio Lab LTD, all rights reserved.