SHIFT films highlight sexual health

SHIFT project leads are excited to announce the upcoming release of a series of six, short dramatised films, commissioned for use on the SHIFT sexual health website.

Written and devised by SHIFT partners, Tom Line and Stewart Marquis, each film uses the dramatic techniques employed in TV drama and soap operas to capture, engage, and inform the viewer.

“We wanted the stories to be a lure for people visiting the website.” said Stewart, “something to engage and grab their attention, to pique their curiosity, and encourage them to explore and learn more about their own sexual health.”

“That’s why we decided to make them dramas and not standard training films,” added Tom. “Storytelling is intuitive and inclusive, so no matter our individual language, background, or culture, we all recognise and enjoy a good story.”

Shot in Dutch and English on location in the UK and the Netherlands, each of the five-minute stories has a unique and individual story to tell and has been written to reflect the lived experiences of a wide and diverse range of characters from across the host nations.

“Each story delivers key messages and learning about a particular sexual health issue,” continued Stewart, “But dramatisation allows us to explore the issues on a more human level, and demonstrate and dispel some of the common misconceptions, and bust some of the stigmas and social taboos that can stand in the way of people talking about or seeking help in relation to their sexual health.”

All six of the films are in the final stages of post-production and will be available to view on the SHIFT website later in December.

More about SHIFT: https://www.interreg2seas.eu/en/shift