What is Veganuary?

The pledge to go veg—Veganuary is an annual, global event where people sign up to try the vegan lifestyle for a month. The Washington Post once predicted Veganuary to be the world’s new food resolution, and we see proof in the dairy-free pudding! More and more people are reconsidering animal exploitation, the climate crisis, and their contribution to these issues.

Small Seeds. Great Growth.

The event began in 2014, driving 3,300 sign-ups. This number rose to over 639,000 last year! Local and international media partnerships are undoubtedly to thank, and collaborations with restaurants make plant options more visible and accessible. People are talking about Veganuary!

In 2022:

• Veganuary was featured in over 4,351 global media stories
• Over 740 Veganuary menus were added to chain restaurants
• The official website had 2.4 million visitors seeking tips & advice.

Those with their fingers on the pulse (pun intended) anticipate more significant shifts. In line with public demand, many marketers and content creators already prioritize compassionate food choices and environmental concerns in their content calendars. Visit veganuary.com to sign up.

Pond5 in Action

To make January’s Pond5 in Action: Veganuary film, we hand-picked the freshest clips for the story of one man rising to the Veganuary challenge—with zero regrets.

Watch it below:

Read on for an interview with our Editor!

How did you approach this Pond5 In Action brief?

I didn’t want to push people to become vegan. Instead, I wanted to show that people can eat more plants in their day-to-day life and still really enjoy their food! In fact, with a little creativity in the kitchen and alternative products, they could even enjoy it more than before—on top of feeling healthy and strong. I knew that finding shots of delicious meals were key to driving the concept home.

Can you take us through your storytelling process?

The first question was, ‘what kind of story can I come up with from food?’ Then the Pond5 platform helps me construct and develop the story. My ideas often spark from what I find—for example, I first saw people taking food out of the fridge, inspiring the start of my story. Then I open different search tabs (using the keywords food, vegan, and fridge) and connect that material with other parts of the journey, like exercise scenes (working out, exercise, fitness). People often think veganism’s downside is a lack of protein, making it hard to be strong, so I wanted to contrast that in the video with people exercising, drinking shakes, and being healthy.

The narrative needed an arc. After a strong start, the person starts to see ‘forbidden’ foods in unlikely places, but snaps out of it and doubles his efforts back towards the goal. He understands this is not just about food; it is about healthier ways of living for us and our future. In the end, he has victory, and we have dessert.

Do you have any tips on how to search for content?

I usually start with research in Pond5 Collections because they’re already curated with the best content you can find. Their relevant material helps push that story forward. I usually realize I have an idea to work with at this stage. Then I build on it with Pond5’s search tools; for example, using popular, broad keywords and categories to start my search. As my needs become more specific, I add keywords to get even more detailed. Filters help, too—sometimes, I search for editorial content because I want something more realistic.

Lastly, I need to connect the different pieces. The challenge is to find similar shots and edit them for continuity so you don’t shatter the illusion you’re creating. So when I decide to use an asset, I often look through ‘More videos from artists’ on the ‘Item Details’ page. Similar-looking shots come up and help to continue the story seamlessly.

What role did other types of Pond5 media play in this film?

A great example is that a lot of the SFX I used can be difficult to find in other places; because who will have a sound byte of someone saying ‘hotdawg’? But if you look through the Pond5 SFX library you’ll find it. Also, I was excited to use animations and 2D effects from our AE library for a really dynamic food edit. Those 2D effects give the cooking a nice effect and make it exciting to watch.

What do you hope viewers take away from this film?

Pond5 in Action shorts are about coming up with a story that inspires others to create their own. I keep that in mind and start with something that can become many different stories. For example, this video had a turning point where the guy was daydreaming about food and then redoubled his efforts. But everyone can tell a different story!

Interested in the all plant-powered media we featured? We can’t wait to see what you create. Visit the collection of media used in our video here!