Rothco and the independent national youth outreach movement, Soar, have launched a moving two-minute short film ‘It’s Just a Phase’, which aims to raise awareness around perhaps the most uncertain and anxiety-driven time in people’s lives: adolescence.
Directed by Motherland’s P.O.B, the film challenges us to put ourselves back in the shoes of a teenager.
“No matter your gender, nationality or ethnicity, every single one of us has experienced being a teenager and knows how tough those years can be. It’s a time when you’re no longer a child but not yet an adult, and trying more than ever to figure out your place in the world. It’s almost cruel that our most formative years, when anything is possible, can be filled with so much uncertainty and anxiety. Add to that the struggle to be heard by adults and your feelings being dismissed because of your age, and it’s no wonder so many teens lack in confidence and self-belief,” comments Stephen Rogers, Creative Director at Rothco.
To create awareness around the importance of this time, ‘It’s Just a Phase’ captures those moments in teenagers’ lives that everyone can relate to. However, the film turns a familiar and dismissive phrase into something more positive. Yes, being a teenager is ‘just a phase’, but it’s one of the most important phases in a person’s life. Your adult life is about to begin and the possibilities are endless.
“To create the film, it was really important for us to work with teenagers at every phase of production to make the campaign as authentic and real as possible”, adds Stephen Rogers, Creative Director.
Soar believes that every teenager is brimming with potential, and through wellness workshops, can unlock that potential, leading to more confident teens and a more empathetic society.
The empowering VO, inspired by spoken word poetry and performed by Holly Gregg, was written by Rothco’s Kate Waters. The team at Rothco chose non-actor Holly to build the narrative of the script with her captivating and genuine voice.
“We held groups and chatted with young people because we wanted to get under the skin of the positives and negatives of this phase of their lives. We also attended Soar workshops to fully immerse ourselves in what they do. There were no actors. We made sure real teens were the stars of the film”, said Kate Waters, Copywriter at Rothco.
Commenting on the process, Director P.O.B says: “Teaming up with Soar on this project, gave me a chance to understand what issues teenagers are facing these days. The cast are the driving force behind this piece, working with real teenagers makes the film more relatable and authentic.”
The film launched online on 20th November 2017.
Credits:
Client: SOAR (Tony Griffin & Karl Swan)
Agency: Rothco
Agency Producers: Aisling O’Dwyer & Karina Cotter
Creative Director: Ste Rogers
Copywriter: Kate Waters
Art Director: Ste Rogers
Account Director: Emily Lyons
Senior Account Manager: Alan McQuaid
Social Media & Marketing Coordinator: Aedaoin Coyle
Strategy: Darius Pasalar & Paul Hughes
Connections Strategy: Hazel Treacy & Sophie Burke
Director of Marketing: Jill Byrne
Music: Bob Bradley and Thomas Balmforth
Production Company: Motherland
Director: P.O.B.
Producer: Tess Bunworth
Production Manager: Keith Bradley
Assistant Producer: Louise Byrne
Editor: John Cutler
Sound Engineer: Will Farrell
