NSPCC commissioned animation agency Fred & Eric, to create a film to promote NSPCC’s existing guidance materials, titled (un)comfortable conversations. The guides support Muslim families to have important discussions with their children about difficult topics, in a way that’s age-appropriate, culturally sensitive and supportive; explaining the benefit of early intervention to stop a difficult situation from escalating.
NSPCC’s partnership with Approachable Parenting, who supported the creation of the film along with Muslim colleagues and allies lived experience group, aims to help parents and carers handle the conversations they need to have, however awkward or complicated they might feel.
There was one fairly unusual requirement for the brief. Unusually for an animation where the focus was on encouraging conversation.... it was to have no voice-over or typography! This would enable the messaging to reach the widest possible audience, specifically those with English as a second or third language.
Detailed creative direction was devised, creating a storyline featuring a Muslim boy and his family, struggling to communicate with each other. In a story with no dialogue, illustrations, expressive animation, careful timing and sound design were the pillars of the storytelling.
Opening scenes showed the boy and his parents' relationship gradually becoming more strained and distant, culminating in them dramatically stretching apart. Without dialogue, this design feature illustrates tension, despair and separation between the family and the son. In turn, reversing this stretch ultimately shows the gap closing, as conversations are initiated and the family relationship begins to repair.
Producing a film about conversations, where no conversations were heard, was a tricky brief. However, it reminded us how powerful visual storytelling can be. Especially when it gives freedom to the viewer; allowing them to interpret scenarios into personal narratives. Ultimately sharing an animation that’s specific to a Muslim audience but representative of a universal idea: parents need to keep talking to their children.
The film is a key asset of the (un)comfortable conversations initiative, between NSPCC and Approachable Parenting. The animation is being used in local workshops with parents and professionals, as well as being shared on the NSPCC Learning webpage alongside the (un)comfortable conversations information leaflet.
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