** Trigger warning: This blog post contains an animation that touches upon themes of suicide, suicidal ideation, bullying and bereavement. **
Our Words Matter animation is pretty special. Why?
Because real lived experiences and personal stories have an unparalleled power to move people.
Words Matter shares the poignant narrative of a young girl, Evie, as she grapples with the profound loss of her father to suicide. Navigating life without him, Evie encounters unimaginably challenging moments at school—marred by unkind words, faced with jokes about suicide and depression.
This animation is her story, in her own words. Here’s the unique journey we went on to make it sing loudly for those who need to hear it most…
Close to home 
The protagonist is not a character we invented; Evie is one of ours. She’s the daughter of Caroline Roodhouse who, following the experience of losing her husband Steve, has become a strong Suicide Awareness Advocate.
When we kicked off the project, the Alive crew always referred to it as the ‘VIP’ animation because that’s who Evie is to us – a very important person.
The circle of trust
Building the team for this project was approached more sensitively than usual. Aware that some people may find the topic triggering, having themselves been impacted by suicide and ill mental health amongst family and friends, we were very grateful to the volunteers who came forward and were very supportive of one another throughout the creative process.
Caroline and Evie trusted their fellow Alivers to harness Evie’s words and write a short poem to open and close the video and to come up with creative ideas to help shape its visual and stylistic execution.
“I think all of us felt some pressure working on this as we know how important it is. I try my best with every project, but this was different – there was more of a duty to get things right than to make things ‘the best” – Em
Crafting the creative direction 
Taking inspiration from contemporary music videos, the art direction embraces a hand-drawn aesthetic, reflecting how the narrator has personally written these words. This stylistic choice was executed through a combination of hand-drawn frame-by-frame elements, overlays, and filters. These techniques collectively infuse a handmade quality, adding authenticity to the storytelling of a really difficult subject.
“Someone very important to me died by suicide seven years ago, and drawing, honestly, helped me process my feelings at the time, so I felt it was important for me to use the skills I have, and lean on my personal experiences to get this project right. It was so important for me to define a look and feel for this animation which gave an authentic visual voice to Evie. She astounded me from start to finish in her input and direction, and the maturity with which she talks about subjects that, as adults, we often struggle to. I am grateful that, thanks to her, some difficult but vitally important conversations will be started.” – Kat
Striking the right tone 
The selection of the voiceover artist was key, aiming for a tone that is both gentle and warm, while still being strong in the stance against bullying. The chosen artist Verity played a crucial role in navigating the delicate subject matter with finesse, bringing bravery and skill to the challenge of connecting with the audience.
From tone and timings to music and movement, we’re proud to have created an animation that helps to educate and inspire thoughtful reflection and kindness amongst young viewers, emphasising the undeniable need to think before you speak.
“It has been a total honour to work on this project. I really appreciate Evie’s raw honesty, thoughtful way with words and willingness to trust our input and ideas. Caroline and both of her girls inspire me every day.” – Lauren
“I just wanted to say the biggest of thank yous for making that dream a reality and helping to bring my story to life. I wrote about my experience to show people how it feels to be affected by suicide and I think the animation portrays that in such beautiful style. I really hope that everyone who sees this has the chance to sit with it and truly understand the message behind it, as it is such an important one.” – Evie
And what’s next?
The animation was created as a resource for anyone who wishes to use it, but particularly for schools. From assemblies to anti-bullying and mental health awareness days, this video will help open up important conversations for young people.
We’re also using our comms experience to craft supporting resources and practical tools, all of which will be available soon.
“As we continue to develop the resources for this project we are learning other people’s stories and we are humbled to be able to use the skills we have collectively to make a small difference to others. As a Mum I hope that some of the resources will teach others to be more empathic and kind.” – Ally
Think before you speak, please make kindness a promise that you keep.
By Team Alive
A note about this project:
Verity Uma, our child voice talent who worked on the animation, recently won an award for ‘Best Child Performance of the Year 2024′ at the One Voice Awards for her voice over on our Words Matter project. We are absolutely delighted for her.
Verity told us ‘‘Being the voice for Evie on this project, was an honour. Portraying someone other than a character who is actually real, my own age, someone who had gone through some truly sorrowful and hurtful experiences by ignorant bullies was not taken lightly. The script was honest, open and yet measured about Evie’s experience which I knew had to be submitted for a ‘One Voice Award’. So powerful was the piece shown in part, on the evening it won the ‘Best Under 18 performance category’. Those in the room gasped at its humanity and applauded its brave creation so as to save others from the cruelty so often served.’
