We created a story which takes the form of a letter from one man stuck at home to his neighbors who are also home during the pandemic. A story which shows how even though they aren’t meeting physically, he is getting to know them better than ever through the sounds of their noisy and annoying daily routines.
In the end, we reveal a slightly sarcastic twist that is the perfect excuse for the product and the brand. Revealing that while these noises may have annoyed him at first, they later become a welcome and even reassuring daily occurrence. Our film used #StayNoisy as a call-to-action, reminding people to stay home and stay positive as we get through these tough times together.
Cultural / Context information for the jury
We created and released our film during the height of the pandemic in the UAE. It was a time when people were confined to their homes due to local government lockdowns and guidelines, with many experiencing working from home for the first time ever in their lives.
It was a time when people were feeling worried, scared, isolated, and many struggled to come to grips with what had become the “new normal” of our day-to-day lives. This was a moment where people really needed to be comforted, have their spirits lifted, and reminded they were not alone, and that we were all in this together.
Tell the jury anything relevant about the cinematography.
Starting with our script, we challenged ourselves to find a creative solution to bring the idea to life in the context of the pandemic without using any stock footage. We then came up with the voyeur concept which allowed our small team to shoot the film in a safe way from outside people’s windows in the city of Curitiba, all while social distancing and adhering to government guidelines.
While our main character is only getting to know his neighbors through sound, this voyeur style of cinematography allows the viewer to peer into the private lives and moments of each character in their own space, giving us an insight to how they are personally coping with being stuck at home. We also chose for the film to be in black and white, as we felt it was a language consistent with the heavy moment in which were living in.