About this campaign
What is feathers, not wings:
feathers, not wings is a modern retelling of the fairytale, Swan Lake, reimagined as a metaphor for overcoming sexual assault – In the film, a prince strips away a swan maiden’s feathers, and the maiden must find the strength within herself to fly without her wings.
The film aims to reframe the narrative around assault, and provides a symbolic framework to help survivors process trauma. It asks the question ‘can we fly if we lose our wings?’, speaking to the universal experience, of how we all can gather strength in times when it seems that everything has been taken away.
Visual Style:
This is a 2D, hand-drawn animated short film of approximately 6 minutes. The film references early Disney adaptations of classic fairytales, and serves as a serious commentary on society’s perpetuation of rape culture. The hand-drawn animation will emphasize naturalistic character performances and subtle body language to portray the traumatic and emotional nuances of assault.
As a darker cautionary tale, the art style draws inspiration from both classic and contemporary fairytale illustration. It integrates the whimsical shape language and aesthetics of the European Golden Age of illustration with the restraint and ambiance of contemporary work. We will build a pipeline to achieve this pastel/watercolor-like animation style. The swan maiden’s lake will feel airy, spacious, and serene in contrast to the prince’s dark, birdcage-like palace.
Our Team:
Our team is composed of professionals from the US and French animation industries (we have worked for studios such as Disney, Skydance,Sony, Netflix, Tonko House, Glen Keane Productions, and many more).
The director, Shelby Nicholas, is a feature storyboard artist at Skydance Animation with years of experience in animation. She created this film, out of personal experience, to support survivors and to encourage others to advocate for the safety of their communities.
Note from Director:
This is a film that my team and I are deeply passionate about. We appreciate every bit of support, large or small, that helps our vision take flight. With enough feathers, together we can make wings!
RESOURCES:
If you or a loved one has experienced any form of sexual assault or violence, please see below for a few resources:
National Sexual Violence Resource Center - https://www.nsvrc.org/saam
Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN) - https://www.rainn.org/
ValorUS - https://www.valor.us/
National Sexual Assault Hotline - 800-656-HOPE (4673)