Campaign

The Hole Story

the rundown

We brought the documentary The Hole Story to the Web because we wanted to introduce the complex world of mining to a new, younger audience. The easiest way to do this was to let them get their hands dirty. By providing an online, interactive playground, we gave people the tools to stake a claim (right in their own backyard!), dig their mine and face all the obstacles and opportunities this entailed. We strongly believe this kind of collaboration and interactivity are the future of storytelling.

The Building Blocks

This project was a perfect fit for the use of geo-localization. Users enter their postal code (optional) at the beginning of their visit to the site, ensuring a personalized journey through the stages of the mining cycle. We also made use of some tricks from gaming technology, such as voice-over narration incorporated into a playful navigation. The short messages that are automatically generated on social media platforms during the course of the experience serve to promote the website in a fun and engaging manner.

Geo APIs
Google Maps
Social
Facebook
Twitter
Web/Apps
Flash
iTunes

The Votes

The Details

Agency

NFB,
Afufen

Targeted Regions

Global

Marketing Objective

Launch Date

Sept. 2, 2012

The Team

NFB nfb.ca
Hugues Sweeney, Interactive Executive Producer
Colette Loumede, Executive Producer
Nathalie Cloutier, Producer
Frederic Dubois, Research and interactive screenplay
Audree Lapierre-Ffuncion, Interactive screenplay and infographics
Vincent Letellier aka freeworm, Sound Design
Martin Viau, Edimaster
Johanne Dubuc, Administration
Elene Reginbal, Production Coordinator
Carline Fournier, Production Coordinator
Fernando CalderonH, Production Coordinator
Sergiu Suciu, Information Technology
Afufen akufen.ca

The Stats

38K holes dug

The Results

Our transmedia approach to this project was the leading cause of its success. The Hole Story spans two main platforms: film and online. For a complex and controversial subject such as mining, this approach allowed us to rely on the strength of each medium – film for a chronological and historical account of mining in Canada, and an interactive component for an immersive experience in the current state of the industry. While the interactive component draws on elements from the film, it also stands on its own, seamlessly incorporating technology, art and journalism.