The Man Who Was Different short film
A short film highlighting the importance of being yourself. To inspire today’s youth, it will be shared with all UK schools free of charge.
Who are we?
We Are Different CIC celebrates the importance of creativity and culture for everyone. We want to encourage children across the UK to be confident as individuals and be sure of their place in a diverse, multicultural society. By sharing creative resources in different ways, we hope to create a platform for children to make the most of their talents.
What are we doing?
We are creating a short film called The Man Who Was Different, based on an original story by Mark Currie, about a man with unusual and extraordinary talents. The story is a reminder that we should be proud of our differences, no matter who we are or what we look or sound like.
Like all good fables, The Man Who Was Different illuminates an essential truth about human nature. We are fascinated by things that are different, but we are sometimes afraid or critical of them too. The story hints at the perils of being different, although the message is a positive one: respect other people and have the courage to be yourself.
Here are some sample pages from the book version of the story:
Once completed, the short film, book and other creative resources will be delivered free of charge to UK schools and communities that need them the most.
The short film will also be shared widely online via social media and screened in local independent cinemas to maximise the film’s impact.
Where does the money go?
Your money will be instrumental in bringing this simple, yet compelling story to life on the screen. It will help fund the costs of animation, editing and music for the film, as well as the creation of interactive plans for teachers to deliver these resources in the classroom.
If we exceed our goal, any extra funding will enable us to allocate resources towards marketing and promoting the film to a wider audience, including short film festival submissions.
Our future plans include translating the film into different languages, such as French and Spanish, to enable a greater worldwide reach.
Our animator, Ben Rustage, has kindly created a few seconds of animation, so we have created a film trailer to give you a taste of what’s to come. See here: https://vimeo.com/844328986
Why is this important?
All children deserve a chance to be the best they can be. They should also learn the importance of thinking for themselves and understand that their voice and their ideas count as much as anyone else’s.
The book has already been piloted with hugely positive responses in several UK schools.
Alun Davies, former Headteacher at Melton Primary School in Suffolk, said, “The Man Who Was Different is a simple but effective story for starting on a learning journey based on a range of PSHE themes including, anti-bullying, discrimination, stereotyping and identity. This could be a stand-alone topic, theme week (e.g. anti-bullying) or part of the wider PSHE curriculum. I have used the book as a stimulus tool across the primary age range. The content of the story has created discussions ranging from ‘how we all look different’ to ‘gender identity’. All age groups have engaged with the book and it has proved particularly popular with many vulnerable children.”
Chris Dyson, former Headteacher at Parklands Primary School, said, “The next logical step is to see this created as an interactive film which will promote the message to the next level by reaching and stimulating children who work in different ways.”
Bryn Llewellyn (Tagtiv8) commented, “The moment I read The Man Who Was Different, I got it! It appealed to me as a former teacher and a parent. I knew straight away that children would also be hooked by its perfect blend of words and images.”
The resources will be aligned to the PHSE (personal, health, social & economic education) national curriculum with Key Stage 2 in mind. They will cover a whole range of self-esteem issues, such as discrimination, stereotyping, anti-bullying, identity, and respect, to encourage discussion and reflection and improve the mental health and wellbeing of the children.
How can you help?
So, please support us and be part of our project. All donations will help massively and rewards shared upon completion of the film. And please share our project with as many friends, schools and businesses as possible.
Many thanks.