We asked a group of Shell employees to imagine themselves at the end of their careers, and write a letter looking back at everything they could have accomplished. These letters reveal their hopes for the future and passion to find solutions.
Duration: 2:40 minutes
Description:
A group of young Shell employees are summoned to watch videos based on each of their own personally stated goals/ambitions.
GR HERO 2 MIN 40 SEC MASTER Transcript
[Video footage]
A woman walking along London’s South Bank with the London Eye in the background, looking up, as if sightseeing. She enters the foyer of a building and is greeted by a woman (Unidentified Female 1) with a tablet.
[Background music plays]
Suspenseful ambient music.
[Unidentified Female 1]
Hello Ryan.
[Ryan]
Hi.
[Unidentified Female 1]
Where have you come from today?
[Ryan]
Texas.
[Subtitles]
Hello Ryan.
Hi.
Where have you come from today?
Texas.
[Video footage]
View from a vehicle travelling alongside the Thames. Close-up of a woman (Unidentified Female 2) in a moving taxi looking out of the window. A man crossing a road then walking with Unidentified Female 1; they both have security passes hung around their necks.
[Unidentified Male 1]
I’m from Rotterdam
[Subtitles]
I’m from Rotterdam.
[Video footage]
Another woman (Unidentified Female 3) speaking to Unidentified Female 1.
[Unidentified Female 3]
I’m coming from India.
[Subtitles]
I’m coming from India.
[Video footage]
Camera pans upwards as man rides a bicycle past in a grand London square. Another man (Unidentified Male 2) in the foyer, speaking to the woman with the tablet, who laughs.
[Unidentified Male 2]
Not really sure what I’ve let myself in for.
[Subtitles]
Not really sure what I’ve let myself in for.
[Video footage]
View from the top of the inside of an elevator, as if from CCTV, of Unidentified Female 1 and Unidentified Female 2 as the doors open with a “ding” sound. A picture of another woman is visible on the Unidentified Female 1’s tablet.
Unidentified Male 2 sits down next to Unidentified Male 1 and they shake hands. Ryan is sitting with her back to the camera.
[Text displays]
Shell employees are invited to a meeting…
About the future of energy
[Video footage]
A view of a waiting room as one woman sits down, joining eight other male and female Shell employees, including those who have already appeared. Close-ups of them speaking to each other.
[Video footage]
Unidentified Female 2 and Unidentified Female 4 are walking towards the camera through an office corridor, talking.
[Unidentified Female 4]
Do you have any idea what’s happening today?
[Subtitles]
Do you have any idea what’s happening today?
[Video footage]
Close-up of Unidentified Female 2 responding and laughing.
[Unidentified Female 2]
No.
[Subtitles]
No.
[Video footage]
Unidentified female 4 is walking along the same office corridor speaking to another female Shell employee (Unidentified Female 5).
[Unidentified Female 4]
It’s a very special meeting.
[Subtitles]
It’s a very special meeting.
[Video footage]
Unidentified female 4 shows Ryan into a meeting room.
[Unidentified Female 4]
It’s a chance to discuss the future of energy with some of the most forward-thinking people.
[Subtitles]
It’s a chance to discuss the future of energy with some of the most forward-thinking people.
[Ryan]
Okay.
[Subtitles]
Okay.
[Video footage]
Unidentified female 4 shows Unidentified female 2 to a chair at a table facing a screen with “Your Future” displayed.
[Unidentified Female 4]
Have a seat here.
[Subtitles]
Have a seat here.
[Video footage]
Montage of other Shell employees from the earlier group sitting down in the same chair; shots from behind and in front.
[Unidentified Female 4]
If you just want to make yourself comfortable and everyone else will be in shortly, okay?
[Subtitles]
If you just want to make yourself comfortable and everyone else will be in shortly, okay?
[Text displays]
They’re in for a surprise.
[Video footage]
More shots of employees in the chair, waiting: a man (Unidentified Male 3) looks at his watch. Unidentified female 3 drinks a glass of water. Ryan takes out her phone, leans back and takes a picture of the screen across the table. Her camera clicks. Unidentified Female 5 arranges the pens and notebooks in front of her. Unidentified female 2 adjusts her chair.
[Background music plays]
Ambient music with a somewhat more resolved, yet still apprehensive quality begins.
[Text displays]
Weeks earlier they were asked…
To write a letter to future generations
[Audio plays]
Beeps signal the start of a transmission.
[Video footage]
A shot from behind Ryan, sitting in the chair, as an image of her writing on a whiteboard appears on the screen in front of her. Close-up of her attention being drawn to the screen. The words: “Dear Future” are spelled out letter by letter over the image on the screen, subtitling a voiceover of Ryan speaking.
[Ryan]
Dear future, after 35 years it’s pretty amazing to look back and see just how far we’ve come.
[Subtitles]
Dear future, after 35 years it’s pretty amazing to look back and see just how far we’ve come.
[Video footage]
Montage of Shell employees’ reactions to their own personalised videos as they are played to them: Ryan raises an eyebrow and smiles. Unidentified female 2’s expression changes quickly from attentive curiosity to a smile of recognition. Unidentified Male 3 looks sideways, as if uncertain. A woman (Unidentified Female 6) frowns whilst smiling. A view from behind of Unidentified Male 1 watching the screen; a sepia image of him gazing wistfully next to a close-up shot of handwriting narrating his own voiceover.
[Unidentified Male 1]
As I turn 110 my retirement from Shell is drawing near.
[Subtitles]
As I turn 110 my retirement from Shell is drawing near.
[Video footage]
Unidentified Male 1 laughs. View from behind as Unidentified Female 5 watches herself on screen approaching the camera in red Shell overalls, safety goggles and a hard hat. A close-up of her laughing as she watches.
[Unidentified Female 5]
It’s been an exciting and rewarding adventure and it’s probably a good time to share my story.
[Subtitles]
It’s been an exciting and rewarding adventure and it’s probably a good time to share my story.
[Video footage]
Shots from in front and behind of Unidentified Female 3 watching the screen. On the screen, a slanted close-up of text displayed on a screen narrating her own voiceover fades to reveal a close-up of a young girl writing in a crowded classroom. A close-up of Unidentified Female 3 smiling.
[Unidentified Female 3]
I remember being a young girl in the district of Rajasthan waiting to complete my homework when electricity comes.
[Subtitles]
I remember being a young girl in the district of Rajasthan waiting to complete my homework when electricity comes.
[Video footage]
Home video footage of Unidentified Female 5 in an African village, holding a toddler. A close-up of her smiling as she watches the footage.
[Unidentified Female 5]
At university, I was fortunate to work with communities around the world where access to energy was incredibly difficult.
[Subtitles]
At university, I was fortunate to work with communities around the world where access to energy was incredibly difficult.
[Video footage]
Two men, possibly in a Middle Eastern country, are lifting a solar panel onto the roof of a mud hut, surrounded by goats and cows. A view from behind of Unidentified Female 6 watching her voiceover being written onto a notepad on the screen, followed by an aerial shot of an offshore oil rig.
[Unidentified Female 6]
And at first glance, a major oil company that contributed to greenhouse gas emissions just didn’t feel right.
[Subtitles]
And at first glance, a major oil company that contributed to greenhouse gas emissions just didn’t feel right.
[Video footage]
Unidentified Female 6 watches with an uncomfortable expression, then raises her eyebrows and smiles. Close-up of Unidentified Male 1 watching.
[Unidentified Male 1]
I wanted to have an impact and make a difference, I wanted to use my intelligence to solve complex problems, to improve the world.
[Subtitles]
I wanted to have an impact and make a difference, I wanted to use my intelligence to solve complex problems, to improve the world.
[Video footage]
Aerial shots of an offshore oil rig with overlaid digital graphics of emerging data tables and diagrams. Close-up of Unidentified Male 3.
[Ryan]
And I can’t help but think how lucky I’ve been to be able to play a role in helping the world progress through the energy transition.
[Subtitles]
And I can’t help but think how lucky I’ve been to be able to play a role in helping the world progress through the energy transition.
[Video footage]
View from behind of Ryan watching the image of her writing on a whiteboard fade to a picture of her as a toddler. Close-up of her amused reaction, then side view of her wiping a tear. Close-up side view Unidentified Female 3 watching the screen.
[Unidentified Female 2]
Individually we’re just a drop of water, but in Shell we can form an ocean of change.
[Subtitles]
Individually we’re just a drop of water, but in Shell we can form an ocean of change.
[Video footage]
Side view close-ups of Unidentified Female 3 and Unidentified Female 2 watching the screen, smiling. A view from behind Unidentified Female 2 as a droplet of water splashing is displayed in slow motion on the screen. Unidentified Male 3 grins broadly and looks to the side. A camera crew enter the meeting room and approach Unidentified Female 5. She is smiling as she speaks to them whilst they surround the table, then laughs.
[Background music plays]
Piano accompanying the ambient sounds, more recognisably a rendition of the Shell theme.
[Unidentified Female 5]
That was incredible.
[Subtitles]
That was incredible.
[Video footage]
Close-ups of Unidentified Female 3 speaking, smiling.
[Unidentified Female 3]
The moment it started speaking, I’m like, “Ooh, that’s me.” It touched my heart, actually.
[Subtitles]
The moment it started speaking, I’m like, “Ooh, that’s me.” It touched my heart, actually.
[Video footage]
Close-ups of Unidentified Female 5 speaking, smiling and laughing.
[Unidentified Female 3]
It’s just great to know that I’m part of a team and I don’t have to do this journey on my own, you know?
[Subtitles]
It’s just great to know that I’m part of a team and I don’t have to do this journey on my own, you know?
[Video footage]
Close-ups of Unidentified Male 3 speaking.
[Unidentified Male 3]
The last words were that I was about to meet the people who are about to make the future of the company.
[Subtitles]
The last words were that I was about to meet the people who are about to make the future of the company.
[Interviewer]
And who is that person?
[Subtitles]
And who is that person?
[Video footage]
Unidentified Male 3 smiles then laughs.
[Unidentified Male 3]
Probably me.
[Subtitles]
Probably me.
[Video footage]
Close-ups of Unidentified Female 2, Unidentified Male 1 and Unidentified Female 6 watching and smiling.
[Text displays]
It turns out this vision for the future of energy is their vision.
[Video footage]
Close-up of Ryan speaking; she is visibly emotional, but smiling. Footage slows down as she nods at the end.
[Ryan]
I have a large responsibility. But it’s so important to do because there is no other option.
[Subtitles]
I have a large responsibility. But it’s so important to do because there is no other option.
[Text displays]
The future. Yours to make.
[Audio plays]
The Shell jingle.
[Graphic displays]
The Shell pecten on a white background.
[Text displays]
shell.com/careers
Ó Shell International Limited 2019
The views and opinions expressed here are those of the individuals featured. They do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the Shell Group and its affiliates. The forward-looking statements made here are only examples of the featured individual’s work at Shell and desired outcome, as well as their personal wish for the future. It should not be relied on for any purpose.
Meet Abhi, Engineer at Shell India, who feels empowered by the passionate people at Shell. Read about her ambition to help provide sustainable access to energy for those who do not have it today, and how that shaped her decision to work at Shell.
Melinda works as a Technologist at our Chemicals division in Singapore. She says working at Shell has provided a platform for learning. Melinda shares her plans to make a positive impact on the world, and says the support of her colleagues is helping turn her ambitions into reality.
Meet Quirijn, who works as an IT Advisor at Shell Netherlands. Read about how he wants to change lives through technology and help achieve Shell’s vision of providing affordable energy to the millions of people still living without it today.
For Hayley, every day is about meeting the world’s energy needs. She joined Shell’s Graduate Petroleum Engineering Programme and currently works in decommissioning oil wells as part of a three-year rotation. Find out how her team at Shell made her realise what she’s capable of, which in turn, fuelled her ambition.
Meet Ryan, an Engineer at Shell USA who believes in social justice. This includes helping to create a world in which everyone has light, heat and access to education because they have energy. Read how a career at Shell has enabled Ryan to give back to the community in ways that she finds meaningful.
