We secured a significant project by way of tender with Webwise, a prominent institution co-funded by the Department of Education and the European Commission. The challenge was to produce a series of three concise films targeting young audiences, to raise awareness about cyber bullying in schools.

Our success began with a winning pitch, featuring a concept titled ‘Silent Witness’ born from our collaborative ideation process. RBM team member Oliver Lister’s exceptional idea was selected and developed internally before our submission and ultimately shone to win the competitive tender process. Oliver was subsequently entrusted to helm the project as director.

The foundation of the pitch was the idea that your mobile device is the ‘silent witness’ to cyber bullying and so, the film would be captured from the perspective of the device. This would allow an intimate view into the lives and feelings of the young people in the story, as they encountered cyber bullying.

We swiftly moved into pre-production once we learned we had been successful – as the project had a tight deadline. We began by orchestrating the project’s foundational elements. This involved scouting diverse locations, casting over 25 actors, including child talent, and sourcing significant props (like a large coach) and other specialised equipment.

Under the direction of Oliver Lister and frequent RBM collaborator DOP Ciaron Craig, we embarked on an intensive two-day shoot in London during the English winter.

The post-production phase encompassed editing, colour grading, sound design, and audio mixing. We also delivered multiple versions tailored for various platforms and underwent iterative edits for specific client needs.

The culmination of our efforts left the client very impressed, surpassing their expectations. Our short films not only met the objective but took the project further than expected.

The project has culminated in very proud moments for our team, when we were shortlisted for the ‘Best Creative’ category at The Media Awards 2023 and ‘Most Emotional Impact’ category at the Brand Film Awards 2024. A testament to the dedication of all the talented individuals who worked hard to produce these films.