Man Up or Open Up? was commissioned by The Open University Broadcast & Partnerships team to create a learning journey of the OU and BBC co-production ‘James Arthur: Out of Our Minds’ for BBC Three. The show is a deeply personal film starring singer-songwriter James Arthur, focusing on men’s mental health. Inspired by James Arthur’s candid reflections on his own experiences with poor mental health, the Broadcast & Partnerships team wanted to explore why men have a hard time seeking help when in crisis.
Academic contributor Dr. Martin Robb, the Open University scholar who consulted on the animation, says on the subject: “Stereotypes about masculinity often prevent men and boys from seeking help. Despite recent shifts in ideas about gender roles and relations, many young men still feel pressure to act tough, choosing to bottle things up rather than seek support.”
Produced by Kong Studio and designed and directed by Hannah O’Brien, the animated short highlights the shocking statistics behind the problem in a tactile and informative way. It also showcases the fantastic work done by organizations like ‘Mate okay?’ and brings to life Dr. Martin Robb’s OU research in the area.
Chris Belson, Manager of Broadcast Platforms and Public Engagement at The Open University, said: “Dr Martin Robb and I, the James Arthur documentary academic consultancy, were passionate about creating additional online content that explored that broader question. : why many men find it difficult. to talk about your mental health. It was also a great opportunity to learn from and advocate for some of the people and organizations on a mission to change that. It’s always going to be a very sensitive and often complicated subject to talk about, so we felt animation would be an ideal medium to explore it in an empathetic and accessible way.”
Kong had previously developed an exciting working relationship with The Open University Broadcast and Partnership team for BBC co-productions. ‘Museum Secrets’ Y ‘AIDS: the unheard tapes’. Kong Studio is committed to creating entertaining content with a strong ethical and social purpose, and OU’s projects align perfectly with that mission.
Kong co-founder Bill Elliott on his working relationship with OU: “We love producing films for The Open University. The subject matter is always interesting, impeccably researched, and allows us a great deal of creative freedom. This frees us up to experiment with different visual styles and connect with exciting new talent. It’s the perfect win-win for us.”
Chris Belson adds: “Our track record with Kong has shown us how well they use visual storytelling to bring themes like this to life. From the moment we first approached them with the concept, it was clear that they connected with what we were trying to do. Animator Hannah O’Brien immediately understood how to creatively and thoughtfully bring our words and research to life in a compelling visual way. Similarly, the Kong Studio team was always flexible and welcoming to any feedback from our experts, appreciating the care required when trying to visualize particularly subtle and delicate concepts.”
Man Up or Open Up? It was directed by Hannah O’Brien. Emma Burch, Executive Producer at Kong Studio, said: “We are always on the lookout for new animators as we aim to support young talent in the industry. Bill came across Hannah’s Instagram recently, so he was already on our radar. When we were considering animators for this project, we knew that their hand-drawn and painted visual style would bring a human tone to a difficult subject. The production schedule for the animation was relatively tight at five weeks. Still, Hannah was able to draw on her experience from previous projects dealing with similar sensitive issues to streamline her process. Hannah has created a beautiful film on a tight schedule.”
Chris Belson and Dr. Martin Robb provided the Kong team with a brief and script for Hannah to bring to life. About the production process, Hannah said, “It was wonderful to work with the OU team. They gave her input throughout the storyboard and animatic stage, and offered suggestions on how to portray someone struggling with her mental health. I visualized a feeling of restlessness starting in your mind and then gradually taking over your entire body. This is where the swirling lines inside his head developed, Illustrating the physical feelings that mental health problems can cause.. The use of color was also important to me. The animation starts out very blue and gray and gradually becomes more colourful, depicting the man feeling more like himself as he recovers..”
Of the final film, Dr. Martin Robb said, “It can be really difficult to convey complex and sensitive ideas about men, masculinity and mental health in an engaging and accessible way, but this animation pulls it off beautifully.”
Chris Belson, Manager of Outreach Platforms and Public Engagement at The Open University, adds: “The result is an engaging and insightful animation that we believe will be a powerful journey forward from the James Arthur story and will brilliantly support the teaching and plan of studies of our faculty. Not to mention, something that will hopefully inspire more men to open up, rather than become men.”
‘Man Up or Open Up?’ is available to view now on The Open University streaming and partnership page.
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