BBC | I CAN'T GO TO SCHOOL TODAY
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You can view the I Can’t Go To School Today series on the Animated Minds website: here
This series continues Mosaic Films' long-standing tradition in making animated documentaries. The idea was simple: given the amount of children who live with illness, and who are often absent from school, sometimes struggling to deal with day-to-day issues that many of us take for granted, can we give them a voice? The ideas was pitched to, and commissioned by BBC, for use in schools and for children to find themselves online as part of the BBC's Bitesize product.
Credits:
Producers: Molly Bond & Andy Glynne
Director: Nandita Jain & Andy Glynne
Design:Felicita Sala & Nandita Jain
Character Animation: Amy Brand & Nandita Jain
Compositing: Peter Knight, Nandita Jain & Alberto Cosenza
Production Manager: Clare Lucas
Music and Sound effects: Alex Parsons
NAOMI
A powerful and eye opening animation using the first person testimony of Naomi, a 10-year old girl with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia. Naomi is now in remission; she talks about her diagnosis, chemotherapy, radiation therapy and recovery. We also hear about her life before and after the diagnosis, discussing the emotional impact of cancer and the sudden changes that it inflicts on everyday life.
MELISSA
Melissa is a child living with HIV. Melissa explains what HIV is, how she was diagnosed, the medication she takes and the physical effect of the virus. Melissa is scared to tell even her closest friends that she is HIV positive. We hear the psychological impact of having to keep her condition a secret.
BEN & IZZY
Ben and Izzy are two children who both suffer with anaphylactica allergies. Izzy describes what anaphylaxis is and what it does to your body, whilst Ben tells us about anxiety inducing situations such as flying. Together they describe the different ways allergies impact childrens’ life day-to-day.
JASPER
This animation uses the first-person testimony of Jasper, a 10 year-old boy with cystic fibrosis. Jasper explains what his condition is, the treatment he receives and the emotional challenges he faces. Jasper’s circumstances are easily relatable to KS2 students; he talks about school, school trips, friends, his hobbies and explains how CF can complicate these situations.
SUMMER
Summer is a 12 year-old living with epilepsy. Summer explains the different forms of epilepsy that she suffers from, absent seizures and tonic clonic seizures. She talks about how her condition, the emotional challenges she faces and how epilepsy impacts her everyday life.