SUB CATEGORY :

CASTING

COMPANY ENTERING :

FINCH, SYDNEY

TITLE :

THE RELUCTANT SHANTY

BRAND :

UNHCR

ADVERTISER :

UNHCR

AGENCY :

BMF ADVERTISING, SYDNEY

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER :

STEPHEN MCARDLE

CHIEF STRATEGY OFFICER :

CHRISTINA AVENTI

CHIEF CREATIVE OFFICER :

ALEX DERWIN

CREATIVE DIRECTOR :

DOUGLAS HAMILTON

ART DIRECTOR :

JACK ROBERTSON

COPYWRITER :

ROBERT BODDINGTON

HEAD OF ART & DESIGN :

LINCOLN GRICE

AGENCY PRODUCER :

JESSICA VELLA

DESIGNER :

ALEX KIDD/YOON PARK

HEAD OF TV :

JENNY LEE-ARCHER

ACCOUNT DIRECTOR :

REBEKAH O'GRADY

FILM PRODUCTION COMPANY :

FINCH, SYDNEY

MANAGING DIRECTOR :

COREY ESSE

DIRECTOR :

KYRA BARTLEY

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY :

JAMES BROWN

PHOTOGRAPHER :

DAVID COLLINS

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER :

LOREN BRADLEY

FILM PRODUCER :

NICK SIMKINS/BRYCE LINTERN

PRODUCTION DESIGNER :

JANAI ANSELMI

POST-PRODUCTION COMPANY :

ATTICUS, SYDNEY

EDITOR :

DELANEY MURPHY

POST EXECUTIVE PRODUCER :

AMELIA BROMLEY

POST PRODUCER :

KANI SAIB

SOUND PRODUCTION COMPANY :

RUMBLE STUDIOS, SYDNEY

LYRICIST :

ROBERT BODDINGTON

ENGLISH SYNOPSIS :

FEATURING FORMER REFUGEES, THE RELUCTANT SHANTY IS THE FIRST SHANTY BASED ON THE EXPERIENCES OF THOSE WHO’VE EMBARKED ON DANGEROUS SEA CROSSINGS TO ESCAPE PERSECUTION AND CONFLICT.

CRAFTED WITH AN ELEVATED VISUAL STYLE AND RAW INTIMACY THAT CUTS RIGHT THROUGH TO YOUR HEART, THE RELUCTANT SEA SHANTY WITNESSES THREE REFUGEES STRANDED IN THE OCEAN.

IN THE FILM, REAL-LIFE CASTING AND NATURALISTIC PERFORMANCES MEET A POETIC VISUAL STYLE - WHERE THE REFUGEES’ EXPERIENCES ARE STRIPPED BACK TO THEIR ESSENTIAL SYMBOLS - SUCH AS THE EERIE CALM OF A VAST FOREBODING OCEAN AND THE MELANCHOLY OF EMPTY LIFE VESTS.

THROUGH ITS AUTHENTIC CASTING, NUANCED DIRECTION AND PIERCING MUSICAL CHOICE, THE RELUCTANT SEA SHANTY SHINES LIGHT ON THE HOPE AND FORTITUDE OF THE REFUGEES WHO RISK EVERYTHING TO ARRIVE IN NOT ONLY AUSTRALIA, BUT COUNTLESS OTHER COUNTRIES AROUND THE WORLD.

ENGLISH CONTEXT EXPLANATION :

FEATURING THE STORIES OF FORMER REFUGEES, THIS CAMPAIGN WAS FIRST LAUNCHED THROUGH NATHAN EVANS, A TIKTOK INFLUENCER WHO HIT THE SPOTLIGHT FOR HIS MODERN REVIVAL OF SEA SHANTIES - A 400 YEAR OLD GENRE OF MUSIC DEVELOPED BY SAILORS TO TELL STORIES OF ADVENTURE.

BUT TODAY, NOT ALL SAILORS WANT TO GO TO SEA. THIS PROJECT IS AN OPPORTUNITY TO BUILD AWARENESS FOR REFUGEES WHO FLEE THEIR COUNTRY ACROSS THE OCEAN; HONOURING THEIR COURAGE AND RESILIENCE IN THE FACE OF EXTRAORDINARY ODDS - AND USING TIKTOK, ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST POPULAR PLATFORMS AND TRENDS, TO DO SO.