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OKRE Fund Case Study: Black Dog

Black Dog is a journey into the heart of what it means to grow up in the UK, to face trauma and to find connection in the unlikeliest of places. The film was nominated in the 'Best First Feature' category at the BFI London Film Festival 2023.

Keenan Munn Francis and Jamie Flatters sitting by a car in a poster for film Black Dog
“An adolescent story which goes beyond the usual cliches”

Screen Daily

ABOUT

Why did OKRE support Black Dog?

The film debut from writer/director George Jaques and his co-writer Jamie Flatters follows two London teens as they head to Scotland on a trip that’s as much about the journey of self-discovery as it is about the journey up north. With themes of mental health, grief and sexuality woven into its storyline, Black Dog delivers a raw and relatable portrayal of what it’s like to be on the cusp of adulthood.

By aiming to take on challenging coming-of-age topics with care and authenticity, the project aligned perfectly with OKRE’s mission to create entertainment that matters. The team displayed a genuine commitment to allowing themselves to grow as individuals outside of the production, and to truthfully represent difficult issues within the film. This made it clear that Black Dog wasn’t aiming only to entertain – it was looking to start conversations and change perspectives.

"In a bleak world of Andrew Tates, Black Dog is a tender portrait of what lies beneath the misunderstood, and about how boys, whose childhoods have been marred by trauma, turn into men. Despite initially presenting so little, it leaves you with so much" ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Strathclyde Telegraph

LIVED EXPERIENCE

How did lived experience improve Black Dog's authenticity?

Young People’s Mental Health

  • The team built trust through regular in-person collaborations with experts at Childline and with facilitated group discussions with those with lived experience of the topics explored.
  • Because of this, they were able to get much closer to the issues through genuine conversations with real-life survivors.
  • Diving into topics like eating disorders, grief and the care system through hearing personal accounts from children and young people with lived experience of these issues brought a level of authenticity which would not have been possible otherwise.

Authentic Locations

  • On a visit to Father Michael’s sheltered accommodation, the team were able to experience the atmosphere of the place in person.
  • This led to parts of the production being filmed on location; the ultimate display of authenticity.
“The film’s biggest praise goes to its well-portrayed manner of grief. Grief is such a universal human experience, and Jacques and Flatters’ writing doesn’t beat around the bush but deals with it in such a serious matter. When it is depicted as well as it is in Black Dog, it allows viewers who have faced different means of grief to see themself within the media they’re consuming”

The Streamr

OKRE SUMMIT 2024

OKRE Focus: Black Dog

At the OKRE Summit 2024, George Jaques and Rhianna Dhillon took us through the journey behind the production. It focused on the paramount importance of showing vulnerable children as a whole character with skills and hobbies, “not just [as] grieving children, they are so much more than that”. The discussion looked into how best to implement lived experience from children sensitively without “sensationalising” their difficult experiences. It also emphasised how not every story needs to have a defined beginning or happy ending in order to have an impact.

Interested in applying for OKRE Funding?

At OKRE, we believe in the power of storytelling to drive social impact. Our mission is to connect the entertainment industry with researchers and lived experience to create content that inspires change and offers genuine insights into real-world issues, without losing that all-important enjoyment factor.

All projects must involve creative collaboration. Strong projects involve creatives working with someone from another sector or community i.e. researchers, people with lived experience or charities working with producers or entertainment professionals.

George Jaques

Actor/Director/Writer/Producer & Founder of Athenaeum Productions

Jamie Flatters

Writer & actor, Black Dog

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