Daniel's summer is filled with the same quiet milestones we all experience as teens. Based on Daniel's real life as one of more than two million people who are transgender or non-binary in the US.
STATEMENT.
The freedom to openly express one’s gender identity—and the perceived legitimacy of gender-affirming care—is increasingly under threat, driven by media propaganda and the bully pulpit of exploitative politicians.
Most Americans don’t regularly interact with people who are openly trans or nonbinary. This creates gaps in understanding that are easily filled by fear-based, sensationalist rhetoric.According to our study, respondents were 23 percentage points more likely to support the right of transgender people to express their gender identity openly if they personally knew someone who is transgender (83% vs. 60%).
Our strategy: build empathy by helping people fall in love with a relatable trans character and their family. We cast real people and crafted a joyful coming-of-age film based on their lived experiences, highlighting our shared humanity.
Empathy through storytelling reframes opposition to gender affirmation not as a political stance, but as tyranny over neighbors and an affront to family values.
After reviewing dozens of potential subjects and conducting in-depth interviews with a shortlist, Daniel Trujillo was selected as our lead. Our team held multiple informal conversations with Daniel during the scripting process, ultimately shaping a story that stayed true to his lived experience while adopting a cinematic structure— a deliberate blurring of narrative and documentary.
In addition to the full short film, 30- and 15-second commercial spots and social media reels were created from the same story framework for use in both paid digital advertising and organic social.