9 films for Family Change
Javelin • Ireland's Department of Justice Campaign

Alongside Javelin and Ireland's Department of Justice, we created a series of nine animated films to help 8-15-year-olds understand what happens when families change. Family separation is an emotional rollercoaster for everyone involved. But for children and young people, difficult conversations, legal jargon, and massive uncertainty can feel even more overwhelming and scary. Led by two animated siblings, the films move through a mixed-media world of illustration, collage, photography, and hand-drawn animation, making complex topics feel clear and reassuring.

What's happening to my family?

We introduce separation and divorce through a child's eyes, offering reassurance that they aren’t to blame.
The film begins with the child at the center of an emotional universe, while their parents orbit as planets around them. As those planets drift apart, the child remains at the center of both their worlds. The story ends with a reminder that support is always close by, from parents, teachers, other trusted adults, and Childline.

Where will I live?

This film explores what homes can look like and reassures young people that every family is different. Familiar homes, bedrooms, and everyday objects make each scenario feel relatable, while the narrator’s POV helps normalize the mixed emotions that come with change.

Will I See Both My Parents?

Here we explain ‘contact arrangements’ in child-friendly language, reassuring young people that the adults in their lives are working to find the safest solutions. Using space as a visual metaphor, we found playful ways to express distance and connection. As distance grows, a parent's name becomes a constellation, showing that even when someone feels far away, they can still be reached.


Do I have a say?

Children can have a voice when parents can't agree on what happens next, and in this film, we reinforce the core principle of the project: the process revolves around the child's needs. We’re keeping the child at the centre of the story while adults, documents, and decisions move around them.

What happens in court?

Here we introduce Family Court and the judges, solicitors, and therapists young people meet along the way. The cutaway, maze-like courtroom transforms a formal legal setting into a series of simple, connected spaces, helping them understand how decisions are made and where they fit in the process.

When It's Hard to Talk About What Happened

It’s a challenge when a child needs to talk about something frightening they've experienced or witnessed. In this film, we aimed to comfort young people that they're not in trouble. We used open body language, soft domestic surroundings, and a measured pace to create a sense of familiarity and safety before gently introducing the courtroom.

What happens next?

A court order is not the end of the journey, so our job was to show it as a practical plan for the future. As the child moves forward through an emotional universe, the judge's decision becomes part of the surrounding orbit, giving a reassuring sense of direction. The film closes by reminding children that it's okay to feel uncertain and that trusted adults are there to help.

Who can help children?

To send a signal that children are never alone, we brought together parents, relatives, siblings, friends, teachers, and support services in a shared space that feels warm, welcoming, and human. By focusing on everyday conversations rather than formal interventions, the film shows that support can come from many places.

What do these words mean?

Our typography transforms unfamiliar legal terms into something clear and memorable. Words are assembled, rearranged, and broken apart within a handmade notebook aesthetic. The film shows that understanding language can make the whole process feel safer and more manageable.

Child's inner and outer universes

The campaign was built around two connected worlds: the practical and the emotional. Physical locations ground the viewer in what’s happening, while a colourful universe of planets, orbits, and changing scales gives shape to feelings that are much harder to explain. Moving between these two worlds creates a consistent visual language across all nine films.

Even the backgrounds play their part. Lighter and darker worlds help us reflect different feelings, giving each moment its own mood while keeping everything within the same visual universe.

Character exploration

Our cast feels contemporary, relatable, and emotionally expressive for young people. A brother and sister alternate as narrators across the series, while every adult is designed to feel approachable and reflect a range of ages and backgrounds. Subtle facial expressions carry much of the emotional storytelling, while clothing helps distinguish between the emotional and practical worlds, from handmade space suits in emotional moments to everyday clothing for real-world scenes.

Credits

Creative Director
Stanislav Bulatskii
Klinta Verbele
Kaspars Staskevics

Executive producers
Laura Zavodska
Tanya Savranenko
Helena Zakare-Semjonova

Storyboard
Arturs Bunts
Margarita Turauska

Head of production
Elina Alaine

Art Director
Vladimirs Karsecjans

Animatic
Vadim Luks
Ilya Tkachenko

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Rita Steimane
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