How Steve Nguyen turned children’s fight for education into inspiring #UpForSchool film

THE CONCEPT was simple. A short film about the struggles of children around the world to get an education 国产视频� told through real-life stories.

THE REASON was clear. Raise awareness about the millions of children who do not go to school and pressure world leaders to take urgent action.

THE RESULT is stunning. An animated video 国产视频� both inspirational and poignant 国产视频� with a hip hop music track that tells how three young people overcame overwhelming odds to gain an education.

R I S E 国产视频� made by Vietnamese-American director, writer and producer Steve Nguyen 国产视频� was premiered at the #UpForSchool Town Hall in New York in September. The event marked the handover of the #UpForSchool Petition 国产视频� a youth-led campaign of 10 million signatures from around the world, telling the United Nations that every child should be in school.

To celebrate Universal Children国产视频檚 Day on November 20, here is the story behind the making of a remarkable short film that encapsulates the dreams and desires of marginalised children for an education and a better life.

WHAT WAS THE BIG IDEA?

听

A World at School launched the #UpForSchool Petition in September, 2014. For the next year, we worked with partner organisations around the world to gather an incredible 10 million signatures to hand to world leaders.

The petition stated: 国产视频淲e are standing up to bring an end to the barriers preventing girls and boys from going to school, including forced work and early marriage, conflict and attacks on schools, exploitation and discrimination.国产视频�

When the #UpForSchool Town Hall event was being planned, we knew there would be celebrities, supporters, politicians, partners and hundreds of young people packed into Manhattan国产视频檚 historic Town Hall. What we needed was a show-stopper 国产视频� a big statement about the struggle of children for education.

FINDING THE RIGHT ARTIST

听

Caroline MacAulay, who works for A World at School in Los Angeles, said: 国产视频淲e became aware that Steve knew about us in early March, when he shared the #UpForSchool hashtag with his large Twitter following.

国产视频淲e reached out to him and he was eager to help, which was thrilling. We knew that not only could he add to the campaign using his tremendous talents as a director and producer but he could also assist us in reaching a new audience 国产视频� his very active, loyal and passionate fan base.国产视频�

Steve and Choz Belen run Studio APA, specialising in making animated films and music videos. The drawings of Steve and Choz above are from their website. Caroline met Steve to explain A World at School国产视频檚 mission to help bring about change and get every child a qualIty education.

国产视频淚 was pretty active on social media after being inspired to see a petition which was collecting millions of signatures from around the world,国产视频� said Steve. 国产视频淓ducation was always a big cause for me 国产视频� my family have always stressed its importance and I really believe that it helps to save lives.国产视频�

They agreed to get involved. Steve said: 国产视频淭he goal was to do something for the Town Hall but we didn国产视频檛 know exactly what.国产视频�

GETTING THE MESSAGE

听

The creative pair met A World at School staff in New York just two months before the event to discuss what to do next.

国产视频淲e talked about what would reach the kids, what would be the message,国产视频� said Steve. 国产视频淲e wanted to do something with music because music resonates on a much bigger scale. It reaches the kids, it reaches the adults and moves people.

国产视频淐ombined with what we do and blending visuals, it tells a more compelling story than just using dialogue.国产视频�

It was decided. Steve and Choz would use animation and music to tell of the struggle for education through the eyes of A World at School国产视频檚 Global Youth Ambassadors 国产视频� our amazing network of 500 young activists in 85 countries.

It was especially apt, as our GYAs had gone door to door, village to village to collect more than one million signatures for the petition.

CHOOSING THE STORIES

听

Steve explained: 国产视频淲e were told about several Global Youth Ambassadors and eventually picked three stories that captivated us. So we talked to them by Skype,听listened to their stories and got them to send us pictures of themselves as kids. We had to understand the spirit of these people.国产视频�

The three GYAs selected were Mohamed Sidibay, Yaaseen Edoo and听Ijeoma Idika-Chima.

When Mohamed was three years old, rebel gunmen in Sierra Leone burst into his home and murdered his parents and his brother and sister. He was abducted and forced to become a child soldier for the next seven years.

He said: 国产视频淢y scenes in the film start with a quote from me about your past and present making you who you are. It then shows a young boy who was forced from his home and into a of life of being forced to kill or be killed. His redemption came after the war when he was made to believe in the power of education.国产视频�

Steve added: 国产视频淢ohamed has been through so much 国产视频� so his is the theme running through the film.国产视频�

Yaaseen is from Mauritius. Born with spina bifida, he never went to primary school. The film shows him at home in a wheelchair.

国产视频淚 hear the voices of children so I go to have a look at the window,国产视频� he said. 国产视频淚 see children getting into a school bus to go to school. Then one day I see a light. I rush towards that light 国产视频� it represents my curiosity to read.国产视频�

Ijeoma came from a broken home in Nigeria and suffered an abusive childhood. Throughout those years, she believed education would help her reach her potential.

MAKING THE FILM

听

R I S E is hand-drawn. Steve said: 国产视频淲e did that听because we wanted to tell the stories the way the kids would tell it 国产视频� and they would tell it through art.

国产视频淚t was a whirlwind trying to blend all their stories. This was a real collaborative effort. We had help from artists from all over the world to put this together.

国产视频淗ow else are you going to get it done in less than two months?国产视频�

The music used in the film is Good, Bad, Ugly is by Lecrae, an American Christian hip hop artist and producer. The lyric 国产视频淚 know that you don国产视频檛 want to hear the truth国产视频� is particularly poignant when it comes to telling the stories of abuse and discrimination that feature in R I S E.

GETTING A REACTION

听

The film is meant to provoke and to inspire. When Yaaseen saw the finished video, he was 国产视频渄eeply touched and proud国产视频�.

He said: 国产视频淚t is like a dream come true since I always wanted my life story to reach the most number of people in the world to inspire everyone on the importance of education. The film听is a good way to inspire other young people.国产视频�

Mohamed was at the #UpForSchool Town Hall and on stage with Steve when the film was shown for the first time. He told the audience: 国产视频淔rom the age of five to nine my left hand wasn国产视频檛 used to sign a petition but to squeeze the trigger of an AK47 that was taller than I was.

国产视频淭his war for educational equality is personal to me. Because I know first-hand how it feels to wake up in the morning and not be able to go to school. I know how it feels to wake up in the morning, not by the sound of an alarm clock I set, but the sound of guns and bombs dropping and reducing my memories to flames.国产视频�

Later we asked Mohamed how he felt watching the film that day. He said: 国产视频淪eeing myself on that screen brought back many memories of the past. As I much I try to distance myself from my story sometimes, it国产视频檚 not easy to do when you are watching yourself telling your own story on screen.

国产视频淔ilms like this can make a听difference if done right.听People need to realise how fortunate they are and I think a film like this one is one of many ways of galvanising young people into action.国产视频�

NOW WATCH THE FILM HERE国产视频�

听

ABOUT THE ENDING

听

The last scenes in R I S E show our three Global Youth Ambassadors looking at the orange #UpForSchool Petition book which was handed in at the UN 国产视频� and then transitioning from troubled children to successful and confident adults.

Mohamed 国产视频� who escaped from his childhood hell in Sierra Leone after being granted asylum in the United States 国产视频� is spending a year working as a high school English teacher in Colombia.

At the age of 12, Yaaseen started working with a teacher specialising in children with disabilities. He graduated from high school and then got a BSc in multimedia and web technologies at university. As well as being a GYA, he is also an education advocate for children with disabilities.

Ijeoma founded an educational NGO in Nigeria called Teenz Global Foundation and is a fellow in President Barack Obama国产视频檚 Young African Leaders Initiative.

THE EPILOGUE

听

A World at School is delighted that Steve国产视频檚 film is bringing the struggle for education to a new audience.

Caroline said: 国产视频淚t is a fresh, completely out-of-the-box campaign film that relies on powerful animation and music to tell the incredible stories of three Global Youth Ambassadors. And we国产视频檙e very proud that it has resonated with so many people across the globe.国产视频�

The fight to get every child in every country into school 国产视频� without fear of danger or discrimination 国产视频� goes on. The #UpForSchool Petition was handed over by singing star and campaigner Shakira to Gordon Brown, the UN Special Envoy for Global Education at last month国产视频檚 UN General Assembly.

World leaders agreed to put education at the heart of the Sustainable Development Goals 国产视频� a set of 15-year targets agreed by every member country. They include Goal 4: 国产视频�Ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all.国产视频�

Please share the R I S E video and bring others to the growing global campaign to provide education for all.