Beat
Beat is a charitable organisation providing help and support for people suffering from eating disorders. Beat runs a helpline, and also provides advice, resources and awareness campaigning for healthcare professionals and the family and friends who are supporting their loved ones.
Paula Saukko and her team from Loughborough University asked us to create an animation, making viewers aware of the pitfalls and possibilities of being online while managing an eating disorder. They already had audio recordings of interviews from their ambassadors that they wanted to include.
We knew that this animation needed to be straightforward, honest but also sensitive to the topic, portraying the abstract digital world in a way that was relatable and down-to-earth.
We wanted to avoid depicting any stereotypes, making the video accessible to as many audiences as we could. Working closely with Beat during the development process was key, involving them in both the script and storyboarding stages so their expertise could shape the imagery from the beginning
We had an excellent experience working with a dozen eggs on a small but complex project with a very tight timeline. The project involved creating a digital literacy animation for people with eating disorders, incorporating lived experience testimonies. Michelle and Frances worked with university researchers and the national eating disorder charity Beat taking into consideration different perspectives to create an innovative and sensitive animation suitable for a mental health context and public audience. We could not imagine a better project partner.
Paula Saukko
Keeping the style simple and bold helped us work within the short build time Beat needed us to meet, while including the eye-catching and dynamic moments that make a video engaging. We created an animation that could appeal to both those with experience of eating disorders and general viewers, balancing the more serious conversation about the risks of being online with an overall message of hope and connection.
