Silver
Health & Wellness-Craft
Direction
| Entrant: | FINCH, Sydney |
| Brand: | The Brain Cancer Centre |
| Title: | "The Public Diagnosis" |
| Corporate Name of Client: | The Brain Cancer Centre |
| Agency: | The Royals, Melbourne |
| Executive Creative Director: | Stu Turner |
| Creative Director: | Kevin Pease |
| Copywriters: | Siobhan Joffe/Max Mclean |
| Art Directors: | Liam Jenkins/Joost Van Der Schoot/Sam Lukins |
| Senior Integrated Agency Producer: | Naomi Iland |
| Agency Project Manager: | Claire Ambrosio |
| Agency Managing Partner: | Andrew Siwka |
| Agency Chief Strategy Officer: | Andrew Reeves |
| Agency Strategy Director: | Annie Little |
| Agency Business Director: | Haley Dion |
| Agency Planning Directors: | Andrew Reeves/Annie Little |
| Production Company: | FINCH, Sydney |
| Production Managing Director: | Corey Esse |
| Director: | Michael Hili |
| 1st AD: | Kate North Ash |
| Senior Executive Producer: | Loren Bradley |
| Producer: | Bryce Lintern |
| Director of Photography: | Sean Ryan |
| Production Designer: | Charles Davis |
| Production Project Manager: | Cheski Walker |
| Gaffer: | Mark Glindeman |
| Production Company Wardrobe: | Donna Phibbs |
| Post-Production Company: | Atticus |
| Executive Post-Producer: | Amelia Bromley |
| VFX Company: | Atticus |
| Editor: | Delaney Murphy |
| Colorist: | Alina Bermingham |
| Sound Engineer: | Kiah Gossner |
| Music Producer: | Kiah Gossner |
| Casting Agent: | Peta Einberg |
Description:
The director handled Amy’s grief with delicacy, working with her to distill the emotions surrounding the diagnosis into a singular visual. This visual was found in something Lachie said to Amy at the time of diagnosis, “Jeez Mum, we could swim out of here in your tears”.
When you are diagnosed with brain cancer, chances are you are told you won’t survive. This cancer is different. And this moment of brain cancer diagnosis – and the shattering wave of realisation it unleashes – is the centrepiece of a new campaign for The Brain Cancer Centre to raise awareness of this little known deadly disease.
A surreal cover of Kylie Minogue’s song “Can’t Get You Out Of My Head” was composed and recorded, the song’s slight distortion evoking the feeling of trying to recall distant memories. ‘The Public Diagnosis’ captures the moment Amy Stephenson's son Lachie was diagnosed with brain cancer. Rejecting realism in favour of emotional truth, the film’s soundtrack emphasized the fragmented, dream-like quality of memory.
As Amy’s memories unfold, the song’s ethereal piano intensifies, taking on a layered electronic quality reminiscent of the cold, automated sounds of a hospital ward. The edit unfolds from left to right through 5 custom-built sets, utilising elegant, well conceived cuts to create a sense of effortless fluidity.
Blasts of flashing light are employed throughout the ‘memory vignettes’ to imitate the flash of a camera, and gesture to the idea of ‘mental images’ being taken.