death to plastics - case study

When there's enough passion behind an idea, a “no” doesn’t shut things down, it ignites something deeper. That’s exactly what happened when Paul proposed his concept to accompany a fashion editorial he was shooting. The idea was declined, likely due to the uncomfortable truth behind the fashion industry’s deep entanglement with plastic.

“Of the approximately 100 billion items of clothing produced each year, nearly 70 billion are made of plastic—and that number is only climbing.”

plasticpollutioncoalition.org

Rather than let the message die, Paul chose a different path: complete creative freedom. Inspired in part by Liquid Death’s popular hashtag, #DeathToPlastic, he assembled a crew for an independent test shoot that was free from constraints and full of purpose.

Plastic sheeting became the medium. Dramatic, high-contrast lighting set the emotional tone. Paul directed talent to embody the gravity of the crisis, guiding their expressions to reflect the weight of these staggering truths. Color grading in post pushed the images into a dramatically darker place. Intentionally somber, emotionally striking.

The result: a visceral set of visuals designed to disrupt complacency and raise awareness of a problem that is literally engulfing us.

But the work didn’t stop with the shoot. The project lit a fire under the studio’s own sustainability practices. Ghost Studio has long made intentional choices to reduce waste, but this renewed the commitment. That means continuing to eliminate the use of plastic bottles. Instead: filtered water with fresh fruit and herbs in a large glass dispenser. Reusable cloth bags for shopping. Real silverware. Cloth napkins. Aluminum and glass beverages on set. Glass straws upon request. Bamboo toilet paper. Clearly marked recycling bins. And yes, a crew willing to fish recyclables out of the trash if needed.

This passion project is a reminder: visuals can spark action, and action starts right where you stand.

bts