Animals aren't props, and they shouldn't be treated as crew members on movie sets. It's time for the film industry, starting with a studio that prides itself on doing things differently, to leave that outdated practice behind. Join us in calling on A24 Films to commit to an animal-free production policy across all future film and television projects!
Every animal used in entertainment is captive by definition, held, handled, and directed to perform on command, with no ability to consent or walk away. Even under the best conditions, that captivity means stress, forced labor, and a loss of autonomy that no amount of training or care can fully erase.
A24 built its reputation on rejecting industry convention. It operates without a conglomerate board dictating content, and it has consistently backed projects other studios considered too risky to make. That same willingness to do things differently can be used to take a definitive stance against the exploitation of animals for film. This groundbreaking policy would set a precedent for other production studios, paving the way to an industry-wide ban on live animal use for good.
Live animals used in film production face real risks: stress, injury, and in some documented industry cases, death. Oversight through bodies like the American Humane Association is voluntary, not legally required, and productions can use animals with no independent monitoring. The industry's most trusted assurance, the "No Animals Were Harmed" end-credit disclaimer, has been awarded to productions where animals were later reportedly found to have been injured or killed off-camera (The Hollywood Reporter, 2013).
A24 has used live animals in its films, including sheep and a dog (Lamb, 2021), a goat (The Witch, 2015), and seagulls (The Lighthouse, 2019). Modern visual effects, including computer-generated or digitally composited imagery, animatronics, and puppetry, have reached a level of quality that makes live animal use unnecessary.
In Lamb (2021), which A24 released, the central character was created through a combination of live animals, child performers, puppetry, and digital compositing, signaling an interest in these technologies. Given A24's exceptional talent and support for exploring technology to create never-before-seen animal characters, the studio is positioned and equipped to eliminate live animal use altogether. The Lion King (2019) and The Call of the Wild (2020) are prime examples of how CGI, animatronics, and puppetry can successfully replace animals in film.
We are asking A24 Films to agree to the following:
Please urge David Fenkel, Daniel Katz, and John Hodges, co-founders of A24 Films, LLC, to publicly announce and adopt an animal-free production policy today by signing the letter below.
Leave a comment on A24's Instagram and Facebook. Feel free to personalize the following comment:
Suggested comment: "A24 built its name on doing things differently. Adopt an animal-free production policy for every future film, starting today. VFX and puppetry have already proven they can tell the story (see: Lamb), with no live animal required. 🎬🐾"
I'm writing as someone who cares about A24's films and the values the studio has built its name on. A24 has never taken the easy way out. You've backed directors and stories other studios wouldn't touch, and proven that creative ambition doesn't require doing things the conventional way.
Live animal use in film production is one of those conventions. Animals used for television and film face real risks, including stress, injury, and in extreme cases, death. The industry's main oversight system for animals in film is voluntary, with no legal requirement for any production to use it. A24 has already shown interest in using technology to create compelling animal characters in Lamb (2021), and this strategy could eliminate the use of live animals altogether.
I'm asking A24 to commit publicly to phasing out live animal use in favor of CGI, animatronics, puppetry, and emerging technologies wherever a script calls for an animal. It's a natural next step for a studio built on not settling for the industry standard, and it will inspire a new era of TV and film production that eliminates animal suffering and exploitation for entertainment.
Thank you for your consideration and positive response.
