Storytelling to inspire a movement

Venn produced this powerful documentary for Safe Steps in association with Minderoo Pictures

Children and young people who experience family and domestic violence are not well supported in Australia – they are falling through the gaps. This is why the CEO of Safe Steps, Dr Chelsea Tobin undertook a Churchill Fellowship in 2024: to understand how other countries are responding, to inform an improved response in Australia.

Venn was engaged by Safe Steps to tell this story and utilising our ‘storytelling for impact framework’, we collaboratively decided on two deliverables:

1. A video summary of Chelsea’s findings, available at the Churchill Trust of Australia.

2. An impact film (Unanswered Calls) to inspire systems change

It was clear the film needed to centre the voices and experiences of young people, so we began by recording the audio stories of two brave young people, which formed the narrative spine of the film. Their stories also informed our expert interviews, which provided crucial context and explain how these young people fell through the gaps and why so many continue to do so. Working closely with our young people, we then crafted an authentic and cinematic visual story designed to move our audience to action.

 We provided an end-to-end service for Safe Steps, encompassing:

• Research and strategy

• Full production services, including postproduction

• Impact strategy and campaign design and support, including connecting Safe Steps with the Minderoo Foundation, who provided additional production and campaign funding.

Unanswered Calls has now screened in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and Adelaide to over 1500 people including commissioners, politicians and philanthropists, and the impact campaign is the process of rolling out screenings across the country in partnership with organisations, such as the Royal Children’s Hospital and the Federal Circuit and Family Court of Australia.

Below is the trailer for the film.