Ledger-directed music video released

An animated music video directed by late Oscar-winning actor Heath Ledger was released earlier this week.

The six-minute film is a promotional clip for 'King Rat' by Modest Mouse and was created after Ledger approached the band in January 2007, The Times reports.

It was unfinished but "fully conceived" at the time of Ledger's death a year later and The Masses artist collaboration of which he was a member finished the promo in his honour.

The video features whales and dolphins capturing human swimmers before processing them and feeding them to their young.

Los Angeles-based concept designer Daniel Auber said: "We had a lot of fun making this video, but obviously it is a serious video.

"Heath was very interested in defending the lives of whales and dolphins and the whole problem with Japan at the moment and whale hunting. So it was very important for him to make a video that would make an impact."

He added: "We needed to have the shock factor because if it wasn't dark it wouldn't be impressive, and if it wasn't impressive nobody would think about what we are doing to wildlife in the ocean."

All proceeds from first-month iTunes sales of the single will be donated to the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.