Creative Outpost & Knucklehead Help Asics Turn the Lens Back on Human Nature

Creative Outpost has completed post production on Human Nature, a new global film for ASICS narrated by Sigourney Weaver, which turns the conventions of the nature documentary onto humans and the increasingly sedentary environments they inhabit.

Directed by Rob Leggatt with Knucklehead for Golin Ketchum, and with the voice of Weaver, the film observes modern life as though humans were a species being studied in their natural habitat. Sofas, screens and everyday conveniences become part of the landscape, while Weaver's narration adopts the familiar language and rhythm of a traditional nature documentary - especially fitting given the star has become synonymous with such films thanks to her work as the voice of Discovery Channel’s ‘Planet Earth’.

Fitzrovia based Post Production Studio Creative Outpost worked across Colour, VFX and Sound, with Head of Colour Mark Horrobin leading the grade alongside Tim Davies and Taylor Vaux-Nobes handling Online / VFX. Luke Isom led the Sound Design, all Produced by Andy Salem.

The post production approach supports the film's documentary aesthetic without making the craft itself conspicuous. The CCTV camera work alongside the Colour grade helps establish the observational feel of the environments, while the sound mix contributes to the sense that these are scenes being calmly observed and catalogued.

Creative Outpost Sound Designer Luke Isom said: “I am a huge fan of the Alien franchise and getting to spend four hours recording Sigourney Weaver was an absolute dream.”

“It was an incredibly fun project and Rob was great, trusting the process and letting me go to town on the sound design. A definite highlight was trying to replicate the detailed level of sound design that is achieved on Planet Earth, especially during the slow motion shot towards the end.” 

The film accompanies new ASICS research involving 34,000 people across 31 countries, which found that respondents reported spending an average of 86% of their waking day not moving, while 53% said they did not meet recommended physical activity guidelines.

Creative Outpost’s Head of Colour, Mark Horrobin, said: “This one was great! A very important message realised in an understated yet funny way. The brief required embracing the shadows and keeping the blacks cinematic to enhance the claustrophobic vibe. I've worked with Rob before and we were very much on the same page regarding the grade.  The stock footage of people actually moving just needed a little push here or there to balance it out and make it fit with the shot material.” 

Rather than presenting movement through the usual language of sport and performance, Human Nature takes a more unexpected route. By treating modern humans as the subject of a nature documentary, it turns familiar habits and conveniences into a wider conversation about the impact of a sedentary lifestyle. 

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