First Person Trailer: Climate Change Series on Snapchat

Snapchat is preparing to release “First Person,” its inaugural original series created using footage captured with Snapchat Spectacles.

While the concept of creating a documentary with augmented reality glasses may initially appear as a novelty, “First Person” addresses a significant and pressing issue: the effects of climate change.

The series is being developed by journalist Yusuf Omar, a dedicated Spectacles user since 2016, and his Hashtag Our Stories initiative. This program has empowered over 10,000 individuals across 140 nations with the skills to produce journalistic content using their mobile devices.

“First Person” represents a natural progression of this effort; the production team distributed Spectacles to individuals in six different countries, enabling them to document their efforts in combating climate change.

According to an email from Omar, the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic brought many global media productions to a halt. “However, our network of contributors continued their work uninterrupted. Providing them with Spectacles allowed us to capture stories that would have otherwise been inaccessible during the coronavirus pandemic.”

He further explained that utilizing Spectacles is more than just a filming technique—it provides viewers with a direct, first-person view of the experiences of climate activists.

“A key advantage of using point-of-view footage from Spectacles for this series is the opportunity to observe change agents actively engaged in practical work, such as creating, repurposing, and recycling materials to drive the changes they envision,” he stated. “Seeing their hands-on actions from their perspective makes their efforts more understandable, engaging, and immersive. This can inspire younger viewers to believe they can make a difference as well.”

Furthermore, the series will incorporate augmented reality lenses for each episode. These lenses will include features like simulating cracks in flooring to represent water scarcity and displaying carbon dioxide clouds to visualize carbon emissions.

“First Person” will debut this Saturday, October 24. The trailer can be viewed below.