The brief
Safer London commissioned Time to Listen to directly challenge the harmful and often simplistic perceptions placed on young Londoners.
The audience was broad by design. This was a message for the public, policymakers, professionals, funders, and anyone whose assumptions can shape how young people are treated and understood.
The film needed to do more than raise awareness. It had to interrupt existing thinking, make audiences question the narratives they may unconsciously hold, and encourage a more human and informed response to young people’s lives.
Those perceptions matter. When young people are reduced to labels such as criminals, troublemakers, or problems to be managed, it becomes far harder to recognise the circumstances, inequalities, and experiences that may sit behind what people see on the surface. If children are not seen as children, they are far less likely to be given a fair chance.
The challenge was delivering that message without reinforcing the stereotypes we were trying to dismantle. At the same time, the film needed to be captured in live London locations using a reactive, fast-moving production approach.
What we did
We built the film around a simple but confrontational creative device: call and response.
Each scene follows the structure of You say X, I say Y. The “X” represents a negative public perception, while the “Y” reveals the more complex reality behind it. This allowed the film to challenge assumptions directly, without becoming preachy or over-explanatory.
The performances were delivered direct to camera, creating a sense of immediacy and accountability. Rather than speaking about young people, the film feels like young people speaking back.
We used actors, but the script was grounded in the feedback and lived experiences of real young people connected to the charity. This gave the piece authenticity while allowing us to maintain control over production and safeguarding.
Visually, the film carried a darker, moodier tone. That aesthetic reflected the seriousness of the subject matter and helped the direct-to-camera moments land with more weight.
Location was also essential. We filmed across London so the city became part of the story itself. Safer London works with young Londoners, and the environments around the contributors helped root the message in the communities it was speaking about.
Because filming took place in live locations, the shoot required a reactive, run-and-gun approach. We embraced that energy, using the pace and unpredictability of the city to add realism and urgency to the final piece.
The technical
Concept development
Scriptwriting
Live action filming
Performance direction
Editing
Sound design
The result
The final film is a sharp, confrontational call for empathy and understanding.
By directly challenging public perceptions and replacing them with lived reality, Time to Listen encourages audiences to reassess how they view young people and the systems around them.
The campaign landed strongly across digital channels and was recognised as a finalist in the 2026 Charity Film Awards, reflecting both its craft and the importance of its message.
