RESCUE A PET, RESCUE A FAMILY.

Short List
TitleRESCUE A PET, RESCUE A FAMILY.
BrandPET REFUGE
Product / ServicePET REFUGE
CategoryA08. Use of Licensed or Adapted Music
EntrantDDB NEW ZEALAND Auckland, NEW ZEALAND
Idea Creation DDB NEW ZEALAND Auckland, NEW ZEALAND
Media Placement NZME Auckland, NEW ZEALAND
PR MANGO Auckland, NEW ZEALAND
Production GOODOIL FILMS Auckland, NEW ZEALAND
Production 2 FRANKLIN RD Auckland, NEW ZEALAND
Production 3 BLOCKHEAD VFX Auckland, NEW ZEALAND

Credits

Name Company Position
Damon Stapleton DDB Group New Zealand Regional Chief Creative Officer
Gary Steele DDB Group New Zealand Executive Creative Director
James Conner DDB Group New Zealand Creative Director
Christie Cooper DDB Group New Zealand Creative Director
Lily Macintosh DDB Group New Zealand Junior Art Director
Maisie D'Cruz DDB Group New Zealand Junior Copywriter
Crystal Clark DDB Group New Zealand Senior Business Director
Georgina Foot DDB Group New Zealand Business Manager
Violet Hong DDB Group New Zealand Business Manager
Carina Egelhof DDB Group New Zealand Digital Strategist
Michelle Savill Goodoil Director
Charles Howells Collective Force Photographer
Judy Thompson DDB Group New Zealand Executive Producer
Samantha Royal DDB Group New Zealand Senior TV Producer
Amanda Summersby DDB Group New Zealand Facilities Manager
Mike Hammond DDB Group New Zealand Senior Editor
Dan Cummings DDB Group New Zealand Editor
Dan Partington DDB Group New Zealand Audio Engineer
Liz Knox DDB Group New Zealand Digital Director
Johannes Gertz DDB Group New Zealand Executive Digital Producer
Lizzy Funaki DDB Group New Zealand Lead Producer - Digital Content
Sheetal Pradhan DDB Group New Zealand Digital Producer
Wihan Meerholz DDB Group New Zealand Senior Digital Creative
Jason Vertongen DDB Group New Zealand Head of Digital Design
Barry Cumming DDB Group New Zealand Senior Mac Designer
Gordon Moir DDB Group New Zealand Retoucher
Sean Brown Mango General Manager
Max Burt Mango Senior Account Manager
George Mackenzie Goodoil Business Director
Mark Foster Goodoil Executive Producer
Michelle Savill Goodoil Director
Mahuia Bridgman-Cooper Franklin Rd Music Arrangement
Shane Taipari Franklin Rd Sound Design
Jonathan Mihaljevich Franklin Road Music Licensing
Stu Morley The Editors Offline Editor
Dave Gibson The Editors Colourist
Charles Howells Collective Force Photographer

Write a short summary of what happens in the film

New Zealand has the highest domestic violence rate in the OCED and the second-highest rate of pet ownership. Yet there was nowhere that domestic violence victims could take their pets when they escaped. A 2018 NZ Women’s Refuge survey of domestic abuse victims found 75% had a pet threatened, harmed or killed by an abuser and 53% stayed to protect their pets. It was from this insight that Pet Refuge was born - a charity set up to care for pets affected by domestic violence, so their families could escape. Pet Refuge needed a campaign that would motivate NZers to donate, so they could build a shelter. So, we created a film that every animal lover could empathize with. A love story about a woman and her dog, who were trapped in a cycle of abuse. because she couldn't take him with her, or leave him behind to be abused

Cultural/Context information for the jury

The use of animal abuse as a means of control in a violent relationship was not an issue that most New Zealanders even about unless they had suffered from it themselves. This film needed to uncover this hidden issue, and create awareness of the issue and empathy towards victims And it worked. We surpassed our donation goal in just 7 days and the shelter is being built right now. Pet Refuge will be caring for its first pets before the end of the year,

Tell the jury about the choice of music track.

Victims of domestic abuse are often isolated from families and friends, which results in their pets being their only source of comfort. But the sad truth for many victims is that it's this love that's also keeping them in danger when they stay to keep their pet from getting hurt as well. The lyrics of 'Lean on me' gave us the perfect narrator for this sad love story. Because the film is told from the POV of the dog, the song became her voice.