This CGI Elephant Shows How Unnecessary It Is to Exploit Real Animals in Films

Meet Bertie the elephant. She is the star of University of Hertfordshire students Zak Boxall and Chris Turner’s final-year project, and she was made using computer-generated imagery (CGI).

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The students say that they aimed to capture “the beauty and innocence of a living elephant” without using a real elephant. And they have done just that.

PETA UK are sending them an Innovation in Film Award for helping to prove that the use of abused captive animals on screen is obsolete.

The future of film lies in technology like CGI and not in beating animals into performing. Animals exploited for film and TV can experience extreme stress and weakened immune systems from travel and handling, are denied everything that is natural and important to them, and frequently end up in filthy roadside zoos or other cruel, captive environments once their 15 minutes of “fame” are up.

There is nothing glamorous about showbiz for elephants and other animals who are used in TV, movies or advertising. PETA is calling on directors and producers throughout the entertainment industry to follow in these students’ footsteps. If you see a film that exploits animals, please contact the producers and tell them why you object.