CC Animation Studio create animated short for Causeway
Skwigly
Harry Potter star Zoë Wanamaker and The Witcher actor Royce Pierreson have voiced a new animation produced by criminal justice charity Causeway in partnership with BAFTA-nominated CC Animation Studio. Breaking Cycles: Building Lives spotlights this link between trauma and criminality and the work Causeway do.
The animation tells the real-life story of a man called Dwayne Nathan Jack. Causeway partnered with award-winning, Bristol-based CC Animation Studio to produce the animation, whose previous clients include Marie Curie, Dementia UK and NHS England.
Royce Pierreson voices the role of Dwayne in the animation, whilst double Oliver-award-winning Zoë Wanamaker acts as the narrator. Dwayne’s exact words were taken to create the script heard spoken in the animation.
I’m very honoured to be a small part of such an important campaign. Dwayne’s story was hard to hear, but seeing him turn his life around and help others is a testament to him and the amazing work organisations such as Causeway continue to do.
-Royce Pierreson
In the animation, Zoë Wanamaker explains how England and Wales have the highest incarceration rates in Western Europe, but evidence shows that harsh sentencing doesn’t prevent crime or reoffending.
I am extremely proud of this project, and it’s been a pleasure collaborating with Causeway, and the wonderful Royce Pierreson whose work I have long-admired. The words you hear spoken in the animation are the real words of Dwayne, the man whose bravely and generously shared his own story that is told in the film.
Causeway are dedicated to elevating voices of marginalised and vulnerable people, voices and experiences rarely given the opportunity to be shared. Dwayne’s story in particular is one of great complexity and emotion, and a story we need to hear. The trauma and neglect he experienced as a child, nobody should have to go through. However, Dwayne did, and then the complex emotions, negative choices and lack of support which then led this young man to go into criminality, is a tale all too often true. England and Wales currently have the highest incarceration rates in Western Europe, but evidence has shown that harsh sentencing doesn’t prevent crime or reoffending.
Causeway works with those involved in the criminal justice system to break the cycles of trauma and criminality to reduce reoffending, and in doing so, brings down those impacted by crime. I hope this animation helps shine a light on the life-changing work which organisations like Causeway do. However most importantly, I hope by people seeing Dwayne’s story told, we can to look beyond preconceived ideas and bring more compassion when we look at those who have been involved in the criminal justice system.
In many case, traumas and abuses in childhood can affect the steps which somebody takes, and the opportunities open to them.
-Zoë Wanamaker
We are extremely grateful to Zoë and Royce for working with Causeway on this animation, and for bringing Dwayne’s story to life. The individuals we support have often been in situations similar to Dwayne’s story which you see depicted in the animation. Zoë and Royce were so passionate about the cause and doing Dwayne’s story justice, and this really comes through. We hope this animation helps show the complexities of the link between trauma and criminality, and also inspires others that there is a future away from crime.
-Amy Bond (Chief Operating Officer, Causeway)
It has been a real honour to work with Causeway on this project. CC Animation Studio are passionate about using animation to tell complex and emotive stories, and talk about things that are important, but difficult to address, and that’s exactly what I hope this animation does, through telling the story about the devastating impact childhood trauma can have on a person as they move into adulthood. We also hope that it raises awareness on the important work which organisations like Causeway are doing, so that more survivors of trauma are supported to process what they’ve been through, and build positive futures from there.
-Dann Casswell (Creative Director, CC Animation Studio)
For more on the animation visit WeAreCauseway.org.uk