Short deadline, teams scattered around the world, a pretty challenging theme to transfer on screen. This may sound like the perfect recipe for failure to some, but not when Polish studio Juice enters the stage.
Start with Connection is a powerful CGI film crafted in pretty much a couple of months, dealing with the troublesome topic of addiction and how to reach out to your loved ones. A strong film with beautiful visuals and a compelling message, made all the more beautiful by the craftsmanship of the folks over at Juice.
Today we are getting Behind the Idea with Producer Olga Rabiecka and Art Director Hanna Czyżewska, to learn more about this amazing campaign for Partnership to End Addiction. And we do this by stepping into... a doll house.
What was the brief?
Olga Rabiecka: A series of video stories for the non-profit organization campaign emphasizing the importance of personal connection in addressing addiction crisis.
How did the initial pitch/brainstorming phase go?
Olga Rabiecka: Already developed idea of the story was provided by the agency. Together with the creative director Aron Baxtor from Bonfire we needed to find a unique wrapping for the story and specify its characteristic details. And here came the concept of using puppet animation style – and one of the main references for contrasting good vs evil worlds was “Coralline” movie.
Tell us more about the concept. Why was it the right choice?
Hanna Czyżewska: The concept was to create a “doll house” alike scenery with wooden puppets as main characters. I really loved this idea because it explores a sensitive subject within in a safe space. The stylization made it easier for us to integrate the “reality” of the dolls with the abstract metaphors of disconnect, the transition is dramatic but stylistically it remains in the same handmade world.
What was the production process like? What was the biggest challenge?
Hanna Czyżewska: The campaign is made for a non-profit organization, Partnership to End Addiction, from the United States. The initial creative idea was developed by DiMassimo Goldstein Agency together with the Bonfire. The biggest challenge was to work with people from all around the world on a short deadline, as our company Juice is located in Poland.
The production itself was actually a lot of fun! It felt like a throwback to the childhood, playing with dolls, creating a world of toys with our own hands, tailoring little clothes, modelling tiny props. I think everyone involved felt a bit sentimental. I think that everyone did a fantastic job.
What’s the main message of the campaign and why does it matter?
Hanna Czyżewska: The slogan of the campaign is "the end to addiction starts with connection" but I think it's more than that. The feeling I get from the story is that caring and fighting for the ones you love are the necessary and it’s also the most important ingredients of facing the problem of addiction. But I’m also sure everyone can find a little more than that. Definitely, it's a hopeful beginning for a change.
What is one unique aspect of the campaign?
Hanna Czyżewska: I really loved the idea of metaphors of disconnection from the very start. The fact that the action takes place in a doll house gave us space to think creatively about the materials and ways that those changes emerge. I think that the way it turned out is quite unique.
How long did it take from inception to delivery?
Hanna Czyżewska: It took us 1,5 months to implement the idea.
What do you hope it achieves for the brand?
Hanna Czyżewska: I hope it gives the Partnership to End Addiction visibility, it's a non-profit organization which works for a great purpose. I hope the video will help to reach as many struggling people and their loved ones as possible.
