Often the most effective way to make an impact is to talk very quietly. No Fixed Address has taken that idea to heart in its PSA for Canadian Centre for Child Protection. The quietly spoken story of the ancient Trojan Horse and the ominous quality of the film’s slow visual reveal should linger in your mind.
The entire 60-second spot called The Horse is filmed in one continuous shot down a hallway, set in a home that could be yours or mine. The world built by awarded Canadian director, Meredith Hama-Brown, is warm and loving, with a deeply unsettling undertone – a reminder that phones have opened everyone’s door to online dangers. Brown recently was awarded the Fipresci Prize at TIFF (Toronto International Film Festival) for her film Seagrass and overall film craftsmanship.
The Horse is a wake-up call for parents and carers about the rise of predators targeting children through social platforms. It warns warning them of the unfettered access that smart devices can provide to their kids. As part of C3P’s mission to protect children online from sexual violence, the warning calls for governments around the globe to enact legislative change.
Over the past five years, reports of online sexual luring of children to Cybertip.ca, Canada’s national tipline for reporting online child sexual violence, have increased by 815%*. 29% of children have been sent sexually explicit content online**.
“We’re handing kids technology that is being weaponized against them by predators, and there are no laws in place to keep them safe the same way we protect kids offline,” stated Lianna McDonald, executive director of C3P. “We need all Canadians – especially parents – calling on the government to regulate the platforms that are letting offenders right into our children’s bedrooms.”
“We set out to capture the scenario that keeps every parent up at night,” added Alexis Bronstorph, chief creative officer at No Fixed Address. “And The Horse is a chilling reminder that it’s real and it’s happening.”
With the release of The Horse, C3P kicks off a campaign to mobilise parents to demand legislative change by educating them on the true dangers lurking in their children’s phones. Poignant media placements in movie theatres, major dailies and online platforms drive parents to take a short survey and get governments across the world to step up and act now. The initiative is backed by several of C3P’s global partners including 5Rights Foundation, Fairplay, ECPAT Sweden, Suojellaan Lapsi, Innocence in Danger Germany and The Marie Collins Foundation.
Concerned citizens are encouraged to spread the awareness by viewing and sharing the PSA at protectchildren.ca/TheHorse, and make a difference by taking a short survey on what they think should be done to protect children online.
Credits
Agency: No Fixed Address
Chief Creative Officers: Alexis Bronstorph & Kelsey Horne
Senior Copywriter: Allegra Wiesenfeld
Senior Art Director: Reid Plaxton
Account Director: Abby Tile
VP Broadcast Production: Cherie O’Connor
Agency Producer: Spencer J. Houghton
Production Company: Animals TV
Director: Meredith Hama-Brown
Director of Photography: Norm Li
Production Designer: Zosia Mackenzie
Executive Producers: Chris Hutsul, Miriana DiQuinzio
Head of Production – Liam Benstead
Senior Producer: Gillian Marr
Editorial: Saints Editorial
Editor: Ross Birchall
Assistant Editor: Phoebe Lorimer
Executive Producer: Tory Osler
Post-Production: Darling VFX
Colourist: Patrick Samaniego
Colour Assistant: Eric Kingsbury
Online Artist: Alyssa Schmidt
Executive Producer: Morgan Campbell
Producer: Will Culverwell
Sound: Berkeley
Executive Producer: Tyna Maerzke
Creative Director: Jared Kuemper
Song: Chukhung by Biosphere
