ABOUT

The brief was hope. Nottingham City CAMHS have a self-harm and suicide early intervention and prevention service, who wanted to create a pair of complementary films to help support young people and students at risk of harm.

The first film was informational, giving helpful, accessible advice on safety planning and harm reduction, to accompany a campaign of printed and online materials.

The second, hero film was designed to challenge views of mental health difficulties and self-harm, and to reduce stigma and help people feel that they can reach out for support and help.

For this film two anonymised volunteers bravely shared the stories of their experiences with suicidality and self-harm - guided interviews (under professional supervision) were recorded and then cut down to form the narrative. The visuals were all generated in response to the participants' stories, searching for ways to authentically express what they'd been through.

Stylised animated characters were used in a world that varied from grounded and realistic, through to dreamlike and expressive. Carefully selected colourways delineated the two journeys, as a mix of 2D and 3D animation brought the characters and their experiences to life.

It was an honour to animate their stories as they bravely talked about their experiences, how they dealt with them and how they found hope.

This film has been used in sessions and workshops across the region, and shared out widely for other teams to use in their work supporting students and young people who are having mental health difficulties.