Thornberg & Forester created a 45-minute animated film for Principles for Dealing with the Changing World Order: Why Nations Succeed and Fail, a visual adaptation of billionaire hedge fund manager Ray Dalio's New York Times Best Seller of the same title.
The film is a visually enthralling history lesson on the rise and decline of nations spanning 500 years, with Dalio's futurist take on where the United States is headed on the world stage as war wages in Europe, inflation is at a 40-year high, and the gap between the 'haves' and 'have-nots' in the U.S. is widening.
The recent explosion of podcasts and documentary storytelling has already shown that audiences are seeking educational value in the content they consume, and this film represents a new twist on nonfiction storytelling in the digital age - one that blurs the lines between brand and promo content, original content, and 'influencer' content.
"We sought to find an authentic visual language that supported the seriousness of the subject matter but didn't oppress the viewer and obscure from the lessons and the message," explained Scott Matz, Thornberg & Forester President and Chief Creative Officer. "We also found moments to inject subtextual hints of levity to help keep viewers immersed and entertained while being educated."
Image: Courtesy of Thornberg & Forester