5 reasons why explainer animations are perfect for charity and appeal films

5 Mar

Reason One

Real stories that don’t hurt real people

Charity films are often highlighting issues that, rightly or wrongly, carry a social stigma, such as mental health, and sexual, physical or emotional abuse.

The most powerful way to do this is with personal stories that people can relate to, helping those with similar issues feel safe enough to come forward and ask for help. But by filming real-life stories, they run the risk of exposing some of the world’s most vulnerable people to unwanted public attention.

Animation solves this problem by using artwork and actors and amalgamating them to maintain both anonymity and honesty.

By presenting stories based on real-life situations, but with the details changed to protect those involved, a number of different stories can be combined to make sure the film is relatable for as many people as possible and is able to inspire them to act on what they have heard.

These three examples, from Barnardo’s, Amnesty International and the NHS, cover the sexual exploitation of children, prison abuses and perinatal mental health, and each of them shows just how powerful this technique can be.

Reason two

High impact, low trauma

Charity Appeal films and informative online content often face serious issues around representation. For example, how can we depict a brutal or unpleasant reality without creating footage that could be misunderstood, misrepresented or even misused?

The goal is to find a way to soften the actual images without softening the power of the messages behind them, once again by using characterisation, visual metaphor and icons.

This is much easier to do with animation than it is with film.

When it’s done right, some very difficult topics can be covered in this way. The Making Noise film from the NSPCC, about young people and sexual abuse, is a striking example of how well this can be done.

As does is this incredibly powerful film about female genital mutilation, which I’m incredibly proud to say was made by CC Animation Studio.

On a much, much lighter note, Reinventing The Toilet from the Gates Foundation is another great example of softening the image without compromising the message. Even though it’s all about poop, and it makes me think and want to act on what I’ve learned… It wouldn’t put me off my dinner!

Reason three

I’ve never seen that before!

If you asked ten people what a charity appeal film looks like, it’s a fair bet that nine of them would describe a celebrity visiting a village in Africa. This style of film has become a cliché and is also now criticised for promoting a ‘western supremacist’ view of the world.

Each new animated appeal film is a chance to make something that people have never seen before.

It can give voice to the people that are too often depicted as background characters, empowering them and helping to transform the way we see and feel about people in crisis.

Whether that is beautiful poetry written by child refugees, like the film we made for English Pen...

Or an informative and enlightening animated short story, like Brides of the Well…

Animation isn’t restricted by the kind of practicalities that live action footage is. It can be as varied as your imagination, as this example, We Built This City on Toilet Roll (again produced by WaterAid), clearly shows.

Reason four

Accessibility

Live-action footage can be difficult to make universally accessible, whereas a well-made animation with a solid voiceover alongside visuals and subtitles means not only can people with visual or hearing impairments easily access the information, but also people with atypical learning styles can too.

This film we made for NDACA is a good example of this idea in action and was presented alongside an easy-to-read document for viewers that needed it.

Reason Five

Money, money, money

While it might appear to be cheaper, creating a piece of live-action footage that’s not embarrassing is expensive. People are used to seeing very high production values in television and films, so anything less can damage the credibility of your organisation.

Even if you find a celebrity presenter willing to work for free, there are lots of planning and logistics to consider.

For a really good live-action film, you will need a competent camera operator and a sound and lighting technician. Not to mention an innovative director, producer and scriptwriter. Sometimes, volunteers are available for these roles but most of these people will (rightly) want to be paid. It is also worth bearing in mind the synchronising of diaries, hotel bookings, catering, expensive travel and location hire, and all the other elements that go into getting everyone in the same place at the same time also takes time and money.

Animation, on the other hand, can be created at a more sedate pace.

Art can be made anywhere, so there is no need for expensive travel or location hire, and it doesn’t matter if your celebrity voiceover can’t work on the same day as your artist. It can be recorded separately and edited together later.

Fewer individuals and easier logistics mean that you can achieve higher production values or a bigger wow factor for a much lower investment. More time can be spent on getting the script just right and if things change in the future and the film needs to be updated, it is much easier to do this with animation than it is with film.

All of these advantages save your organisation money. Money that can then be redirected into other charity projects and programmes.