The Coalition of the Willing (COTW 2010) is an ambitious project introduced by a 15min motion graphics documentary manifesto arguing for the development of open source and collaborative architectures capable of crowd sourcing solutions to climate change. The film and site is produced by The Knife Party (AKA Animator/Designer/Film Maker- Simon Robson) and the New Zealand born, Sydney based, philosopher, author and consultant Dr Tim Raynor. In this account I will treat the film as the manifesto and first iteration of a larger project aimed at encouraging the development of this network ‘solution’ to climate change.
The Video and accompanying website and mobile app is an impressive collaborative effort involving 33 listed collaborators many of whom are commercial motion designers or motion design firms, web developers, and interest groups. The narrative of the film is framed by the failure of the 2009 CopenhagenSummit on Climate Change to finalise an international agreement on the reduction of Carbon Pollution. The film claims that an effective ‘War on Climate Change’ must be also ‘War on Consumerism’ – a war our governments are unwilling and perhaps unable to fight. The film then proceeds to argue that we require a return to the form of Swarm Intelligence that was characterised by the counter-cultural movements of the 60′s that were undermined by their (superficial) reduction to a marketable ‘individualism’. The internet and specifically Web2.0 and Open Source development are figured as providing and demonstrating the potential for a return to the true and marginalised potential of 60′s collectivism. This new found potential will provide the potential for open source solutions to Climate Change.
Six short ‘essays’ accompany each of the films in order to develop its themes and to provide a basis for ongoing discussion. They provide some more detailed insight into the claims made by the film. More importantly they detail the specific qualities and models of web2.0 and Open Source development figured as being the basis for this new counter-cultural efficacy. The film and accompanying essay argues for a three tier architecture for harnessing and motivating a ‘swarm’ intelligence to act on Climate Change. The first of these tiers is an open source, collaboratively developed, Green Knowledge Base – an engine with which to share both simple and complex solutions and contributions to reducing CO2 emissions and approaching sustainability more generally. The model for this tier is the Wiki. The second tier is rather less detailed and appears to be a collaborative engine along the lines of a version control system - where I ideas could be shared, fleshed out, developed, and implemented in a collaborative environment. The model for the second tier is, rather predictably, Linux. The third tier is a socially driven engine of promotion, networking and information, to quote; ‘This is where green activism 2.0 is expressing itself’. Somewhat disturbingly/tellingly the relevant model here is described as Facebook meets Indymedia.
The film project is divided into the six chapters mentioned above. The release of the film was staggered to promote discussion of each section of the film while the film was still in production. It is clear from the COTW website, however, that this was a social media promotion strategy designed to give consumers a sense of ownership over the film and its ideas and in the service of developing an ‘environmental brand in itself’.
Amongst the mostly UK based designers and producers listed as collaborators the film also lists the Betterment Bureau- a team of likeminded media producers and designers working to ‘make the world a better place through design’, and Ladyverd.com an online magazine ‘that was created to promote inspiring information for organizations and individuals committed in the war against climate change who want to fight for a better world.’