The latest installment of the national “Seize the Awkward” campaign from the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention and The Jed Foundation in collaboration with the Ad Council includes this “We Can Talk About It” PSA designed to inspire young adults (16-24) to start conversations around mental health with friends.
The public service work, including this :60, recognize the need for culturally relevant content and resources for Black and Hispanic/Latine young adults. Developed pro bono by agency Droga5, the PSAs reflect the lived experiences of a diverse range of young people. Inspired by the insight that young people are surrounded by harmful messages around mental health, “We Can Talk About It” encourages them to break through the stigma and reach out to friends who may be struggling. The campaign aims to equip all young adults with accessible and relatable information to help talk about mental health with friends and directs audiences to SeizeTheAwkward.org for more resources.
Haya Waseem of production company Object & Animal directed the public service fare.
“For the last five years, Droga5 has been leading the creative development of the Seize the Awkward campaign. This time we focused on Black and Hispanic/Latine youth who often face even more pressure when it comes to mental health,” said Kevin Brady, executive creative director, Droga5. “Our film took a frank look at how the pressures of racism, masculinity and toxic positivity can affect mental health and let all youth know that the first step is reaching out to a friend to talk about how they’re feeling.”
Credits
Client Ad Council, American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, The Jed Foundation Agency Droga5 Scott Bell, co-chief creative officer; Kevin Brady, executive creative director; Nate Scott, executive design director; Pepe Funegra, creative director; Joseph Russomano, sr. art director; Temnete Sebhatu, sr. copywriter; Sally-Ann Dale, chief creation officer; Ruben Mercadal, Jesse Brihn, co-heads of film and content production; Jeremy Fox, executive producer; Charlotte Stirrup, Patrick Wood, sr. producers, film; Mike Ladman, sr. music supervisor; Mara Techam, jr. music supervisor; Shannon Choi, jr. designer; Graham Jones, strategy director; Molly Klein, sr. communications strategist; Sam Williams, jr. communications strategist. Production Object & Animal Haya Waseem, director; Christopher Lew, DP; Justin Benoliel, exec producer; Jennifer Brooks, producer. Editorial Cabin NY Dylan Edwards, editor; Dominique Machain, assistant editor; Maggie Meade, managing partner; Adam Becht, exec producer; Mariana Terenzio, sr. producer. Post/VFX The Mill TJ Sponzo, exec producer; Katharine Mulderry, producer; Brian O’Donnell, Jesse Newman, designers; Asaf Yeger, 2D lead; Jose Aruaz, 2D assist; Matt McDonald, David Forcada, Kayako Ono, finish. Color Electric Theatre Collective Luke Morrison, colorist; Olivia Jessop, color producer. Music Found Objects Jay Wadley, Trevor Gureckis, ECDs/co-founders; Ben Marshall, creative director; Adam Weiss, composer; Jennie Armon, exec producer; Elijah Torn, head of creative production; Katt Matt, lead producer; Nick Chomowicz, Agatha Lee, producers; Lee Cash Chisholm, music coordinator. Sound Design Wave NY Aaron Reynolds, Isaac Matus, sound design & mix; Vicky Ferraro, exec producer. Additional Animation Droga5 Studios Pravin Chottera, design director; Victor Hermosillo, editor/animator; Sheldon Smith, post producer.
FCB Health New York, an IPG Health company, and SAFE Project have joined forces to create “The Snowball,” a short film that spotlights winter as a common catalyst for dangerous increases in alcohol consumption. In collaboration with creative studio LOBO, “The Snowball” combines a compelling visual metaphor with cutting-edge animation and a haunting soundtrack from Billie Holiday.
As millions embrace “Dry January,” the onset of colder, shorter winter days still leads to an uptick in alcohol misuse, which can lead to liver cirrhosis and other medical maladies and dangerous consequences for one’s life. Speaking to casual drinkers, “The Snowball” visually illustrates how anyone is at risk of becoming addicted to alcohol during this time of year when external climate variables can lead to excess consumption, even if the drinker does not immediately realize it.
Making good on the metaphor, the film follows one man as a quick liquor run gradually devolves into a full-blown addiction as a snowball gradually grows beside him, engulfing his whole life and eventually causing his demise. Set to the tune of Billie Holiday’s “Everything I Have Is Yours,” the film’s pathos is drawn from the sonic integrity of Holiday’s original recording maintained in the sound design as well as the singer’s tragic battle with substance abuse.
This entirely animated film was created using a hands-on, collaborative process rooted in traditional animation techniques, with every aspect of the artwork creation, design, and craftsmanship crafted entirely by human hands. AI-driven tools and processes were brought in during the animation rendering stage, helping the film achieve a distinct visual style that would have been difficult to achieve through... Read More
