Malenia, Blade of Miquella | Elden Ring Interpretation

Womens Aid

Child Refuge

Illustration / Video Editing / Animation / Storyboarding

Child Refuge is a poignant project created in collaboration with "Women's Aid," focusing on the perspectives of children within four distinct families who have experienced various forms of abuse.

OVERVIEW

This project transforms heart-wrenching realities into a series of four separate illustrated animations, each unfolding the story of a child's experience with grace and respect.

The animations capture the essence of these stories through the innocent lens of a child's eye, lending a unique, empathetic perspective to their experiences. Each scene is carefully hand-drawn and rendered in soft colours, a style choice that underscores the childlike innocence and sensitivity of the narrators. This approach makes it possible to address challenging topics with both honesty and gentleness.

Each character in these animations is inspired by a real-life narrative, grounding the project in the realm of human experiences. The stories portrayed highlight the resilience and strength of these children, offering viewers an authentic glimpse into their lives, struggles, and triumphs.

APPROACH

Approaching the Child Refuge project involved a careful balance of creativity and sensitivity, given the sensitive nature of the subject matter.

Rebekah had to first research and understand the nuances of each individual story. Then develop each story, focusing on the perspective of the child, with the aim to enlighten viewers without exploiting the pain these children have undergone.

Rebekah sketched the characters and scenes based on the developed stories. Created concept art for each character, ensuring they reflect the individual child's personality and experiences. Rebekah chose a visual style that respected the subject matter while being engaging for viewers. I used soft colours and a hand-drawn style to depict the scenes from a child's innocent perspective.

IMPACT

The animations would raise awareness about the diverse and complex experiences of children living in abusive environments. This could lead to increased public understanding and empathy, potentially influencing policy and societal attitudes towards abuse.

By depicting the reality of abuse from a child's perspective, the animations could inspire viewers to take action, whether through volunteering, donating to organizations like Women's Aid, advocating for policy changes, or supporting people in their own communities who are affected by these issues.

For individuals who have experienced similar circumstances, these animations could provide a sense of solidarity and understanding, showing them that they are not alone and that their experiences are valid.