Ventriloquist

Ventriloquist is a 70-second public information film produced by Saatchi & Saatchi, London for the British charity NSPCC.

Background
"'Full stop' is one of the country's most powerful and important charity campaigns. This latest initiative is a key milestone in the quest to stop cruelty to children . - Kevin Dundas, The Saatchis chief executive." The goal of the NSPCC's 'Full stop' campaign was to empower every child at risk to seek assistance and put an end to their suffering. Surprisingly, as of 2004, there were over 32,000 children in the UK who are seriously vulnerable to abuse or cruelty and require intervention.

Synopsis
"'It's an analogy for how abused children feel. The bizarreness of placing the ventriloquist in what is otherwise everyday situations, and having people and kids around her not ever acknowledging that there's this man behind her, makes it an unsettling film.' - Leo Premutico, copywriter" The NSPCC's 'Ventriloquist' ad series tells the story of a child who is being controlled by an adult to raise awareness about children who are unable to speak up when they are being abused. The ad features a ventriloquist's dummy instead of a real actress, which the man controls in everyday situations like at school, on the bus, and even at home. The girl tries to get away from him, but he keeps her very close to him, highlighting the control that abusers exercise over their victims. The ad series consists of three spots, each depicting a different aspect of child abuse. The first shows a child being abused by her carer and the negative impact it has on her schooling. The second shows the child struggling to communicate and interact with other children, while the third shows the abused child unable to tell family members about the abuse she is suffering. The ad series poignantly illustrates how abusers manipulate children so that they are unable to speak up about the abuse they are experiencing, and how the abuse doesn't stop when the abuser does.

Reception
"Ventriloquist" was voted the best piece of work by the Saatchi network and became the 7th most awarded TV commercial worldwide in 2005 and top 5 of Advertising Pictures Associate top 50.

Awards

 * British Arrows Awards (British Television Advertising Awards) - Bronze
 * Cannes Lions 2005 - Gold Lion

Credits

 * Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi
 * Sound Design Company: Grand Central Recording Studios
 * Art Director: Jan Jacobs
 * Copywriter: Leo Premutico
 * Account Director/Handler: Jason Briggs
 * Director: Daniel Kleinman
 * Production Company/Producer: Johnnie Frankel
 * Producer: Manuela Franzini
 * Production Company: Large
 * Cameraman: John Mathieson
 * Creative Director: Tony Granger
 * Production Company: Kleinman Productions
 * Music: Michael Andrews/Carpation Ridge
 * Editor: Steve Gandolfi
 * Asylum Supervisor: Kate McConnell
 * Marketing Manager: Chris Greenwood, John Grounds
 * Brand Manager: Chris Greenwood