‘Hanging By A Thread’ A Handcrafted Stop-Motion Campaign on Workplace Psychological Health
Skwigly
See Creature Animation, in collaboration with Cossette and Rodeo FX Production, have released Hanging By A Thread, a 60-second stop-motion commercial created for the Commission des normes, de l’équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CNESST). The ad is part of a broader awareness campaign aiming to spark open conversations about psychological health in the workplace and prevent psycho social risks such as bullying and harassment.
At the heart of the campaign is a unique visual metaphor: psychological health in the workplace is so fragile it can feel as though it’s literally “hanging by a thread.” Featuring handcrafted crochet characters animated in stop-motion, Hanging By A Thread is a testament to the meticulous artistry and emotional storytelling that See Creature Animation is known for.
Stop motion animation naturally has a human touch to it, so it made perfect sense to use stop motion to tell such an emotional story.
-Dale Hayward, co-director and CEO of See Creature Animation
The narrative follows Harold, an office worker who struggles with psychological violence causing him to unravel — both metaphorically and literally.
Sylvie Trouvé animating on the set of CNESST – Hanging By a Thread (Image: Dale Hayward)
Crafting Harold’s World
The production involved over 20 craftspeople at See Creature, combining traditional and modern techniques. Co-directed by Pierre Dalpé and Dale Hayward, each character was built with internal metal armatures, wrapped in crochet wool by a team of artists led by Chason Yeboah. The characters’ facial expressions were animated with replacement 3D-printed pieces, allowing for nuanced emotions.
Corrine Merrell led the fabrication of the film’s meticulously detailed sets and props, which included 3D-printed office environments and hundreds of miniature items. Rodeo FX added their expertise to seamlessly composite multiple layers of stop-motion footage, bringing Harold’s emotional unravelling to life with unparalleled depth and realism.
The unravelling of Harold was an early challenge in the production. We worked closely with Rodeo FX to ensure they had all the photographed elements they needed to make the shots work.
-Sylvie Trouvé, animator
The Hanging By A Thread campaign will run across multiple platforms in Quebec until January 1, 2025, including; 30 and 60 second television spots, radio and billboards. The commercial will also embark on a festival circuit in Spring 2025.
Image: Fred Haye-Baptiste
A Collaborative Effort
This campaign is the result of a deeply collaborative process between multiple creative teams.
There are ideas, like this little story, that take us on unknown paths and introduce us to incredible artists and craftsmen. Thank you to all the craftsmen of See Creature Animation for the love you put into crafting this film.
-Jasmin Brochu, Art Director at Cossette
We feel privileged to work on this mandate with such an important message about psychological health. It’s a beautiful team effort.
-Zoé Forest Paradis, campaign copywriter
For more on Hanging By A Thread, visit seecreature.ca