It Ain't Disneyland

It Ain't Disneyland from Bold Creative Showreel on Vimeo.

Client: Tower Hamlets Crime Reduction Services
Creative: 4 minute doc animation

Objectives 
Tower Hamlets approached Bold Creative to 'open-up' effective communications with the young people on the Cleveland Estate to tangibly intervene and contribute to an aimed reduction of crime in the area by 5%.

Strategy
Bold Creative understood that traditional mediation and intervention had worked up to a point, and through working with the young people; encouraged them to speak openly about their issues of conflict with the Police and the different generations within their community. A bespoke communication tool was needed to address the long term goal of creating a ‘social contract’ between the residents and the Police.

Output
A 4 minute animated documentary was produced to reflect the events over a 12 month period through the eyes of youth living on the estate. The anonymity of animation created a channel for young people to air their views and importantly for older residents and police to contribute to the narrative. This became a vehicle to interpret and understand every side of the social situation, dispelling perceived misconceptions, promoting empathy and mutual understanding.

“…this is our estate; it’s not exactly Disneyland BUT it’s where we live, where we’ve grown up; and it’s our home…”

Wider Results

1. The daunting first steps towards a ‘contract’ between residents and the Police was bridged,
   in which everyone could jointly combat crime and promote personal responsibility together.
2. Bold Creative’s bespoke approach resulted in a whopping 20% decrease in crime on the
   Cleveland Estate.
3. The work is now used by New Scotland Yard to highlight ‘best-practise’ in Community Policing and Crime Reduction measures to senior Police Commissioners.

***The animation has since gone on to be screened at prestigious festivals such as the Margaret Mead Anthropological Film Festival and Onedotzero internationally.