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Destination Campaign Concept

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PAPUA NEW GUINEA

OBJECTIVE

Aligned with the goals of PNG Tourism Promotion Authority, this Destination Campaign aims to further boost the awareness of Papua New Guinea as a popular destination for nature lovers and travelers in quest of extraordinary cultural experiences, and stimulate demand particularly within the European market. Although of a much broader appeal, the campaign takes into account especially the preferences and sensitivities of MATURE SOPHISTICATED WESTERN TRAVELERS. Affluent, wide-traveled and curious to explore less known places, they are comfortable with the relatively high cost of international and domestic airfare, and willing to pay premium prices for tourism products that contribute to nature conservation and benefit local communities.

 

While primarily designed to unleash the imagination of foreign travelers by showcasing Papua New Guinea's astonishing biodiversity and rich cultural heritage,  the film series also strives to preserve the island's fascinating tribal rituals as part of the country's cultural heritage archive. Screened in schools and local community centers, the series further aims to inspire pride in ancestral wisdom and time-honored traditions among the country's young generation that is due to the rapid development and western influence extremely vulnerable to losing touch with their roots.

Entered in the annual PATA Gold Awards, the prestigious Webby Awards and National Geographic contests, the film series aspires to put a spotlight on PNG in the industry context, generate free media coverage and foster collaborations with travel agencies that enable PNG to penetrate new markets. 

PREAMBLE

Humming volcanoes, towering mountains, dense jungles, crocodile-infested wetlands, and rugged coastlines . . .  The difficult terrain not only kept the secrets of Papua New Guinea safe from the outside world for thousands of years, it also isolated the indigenous tribes from one another - fostering the rise of distinct cultures whose daily routines, customs, and spiritual beliefs were directly shaped by the landscapes they inhabited and the nature they were surrounded by. A fact that inspired the overall concept & structure of this Destination Campaign.

CONCEPT

At the very heart of the campaign is a film series consisting of 10 sequels. Each episode will celebrate the fascinating customs of one individual tribe that inhabits a distinct eco-system, while revolving around a theme of deep cultural significance that resonates across all cultures. 

 

While the tribe's bond and reverence to their natural surroundings will illuminate the source of beliefs and philosophical principals behind the rituals featured in each sequel, moving from one landscape to another, the series will gradually unveil the breathtaking sceneries and fascinating flora and fauna of highlands, rainforests and islands. . . to eventually provide a captivating 360-degree view of the entire country. 

 

Focusing on emotions shared across humanity, and universal themes such as healing,  the welcoming of a new life or the rites of passage, the series build a bridge between cultures - inviting the audience to look beyond the obvious fascination with the exotic & unknown, feel a genuine connection and discover an ancient wisdom that may hold the key to many riddles the modern world is facing today. 

 CULTURAL THEME

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TRIBE

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1

HOMECOMING CELEBRATION

Kinavai ceremony honoring the tribe's arrival to the island and the seafarer tradition of shell money. 

2

PROTECTION 

Mythical origins, mask making, ritual wear 

3

REVERENCE TO NATURE SPIRITS

Praying mantas, dragonflies, sago beetles - totem worship & sacred carvings inhibited by spirits 

4

SACRED SITES

Caves as a safe haven, place of sacred rituals and an  ancestral sanctuary

5

TRADITIONAL HEALING

Glass Man communicating with spirits, herbal remedies & healing rituals

6

RITE OF MANHOOD

Crocodile in mythology, architecture, carvings, hunt

7

FEMALE RITES OF PASSAGE

Facial tattoo, beauty rituals & courtship ceremony

8

WELCOMING OF NEW LIFE

Fire dance ceremony celebrating the birth of a child

TOLAI

PEOPLE

ASARO MUDMEN

NGALA

PEOPLE 

KOSUA

TRIBE

NOGOPA

TRIBE

CHAMBRI

TRIBE

KORAFE

TRIBE 

BAINING PEOPLE

9

PASSING OF KNOWLEDGE

3 months-long ritual, jungle seclusion, elders sharing their secrets

10

ANCESTOR WORSHIP

Smoked mummies looking after their descendants. Occasionally consulted on difficult matters. 

 HULI

WIGMEN

ANGA

PEOPLE

LANDSCAPE

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ISLAND

East New Britain

VALLEYS

Eastern Highlands

Goroka

SWAMP LAND

East Sepik

Sawagap Village

CAVES

Southern Highlands

Bosavi region

MOUNTAINS

Simbu Province, 

Tokua Village

RIVER

East Sepik

COAST

Oro Province

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VOLCANO

East New Britain,

Rabaul Mountain

JUNGLE

Hela Province

ROCKS

Morobe, villages of Aseki, Koke and Watama

PRODUCT SPECIFICATION

Number of episodes: 10

Length:  10-12 min, story-driven

Format:   Full Definition, MP4

INCLUDED MARKETING MATERIAL

2 teasers, 7 photographs & episode synopsis

per sequel 

LICENSE

Perpetual, exclusive, non-transferable,

non-sublicensable, worldwide distribution

across all channels

While the cultural theme of an episode directs both,  the camera focus during the shoot as well as the story-finding phase in post-production, the employed art-documentary style foresees the emergence of secondary storylines and visual and contentual highlights that harness the power of the moment.

 

A score consisting of multiple evocative songs is used to support the flow and dynamics of the story, to convey the underlying mood and to heighten the emotional charge of certain scenes. Seamlessly blending together with tribal singing, indigenous instruments and ambient sounds of nature, the powerful soundtrack aids in authenticity and facilitates a truly immersive multi-sensory viewing experience. 

Accompanying narratives illuminate the beliefs behind the spiritual practices & the cultural significance of sacred places, and provide insights into the fascinating flora and fauna featured in the corresponding sequel.

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