Social Work England / The Real Story
If you think you know what a social worker looks like, you’re probably wrong. That’s the point. In this film, foster carer and novelist Beth Moran sets off in search of the truth behind a profession more often feared than understood. What she discovers are moments that rarely make headlines: trust built slowly, support offered quietly, lives turning in unexpected ways.
Director / Ruth Sewell
Producer / Elliot Janks
Director of Photography / Jack Worrall
Edit & Sound Design / Ben Harding
If you think you know what a social worker looks like, you’re probably wrong. That’s the point. In this film, foster carer and novelist Beth Moran sets off in search of the truth behind a profession more often feared than understood. What she discovers are moments that rarely make headlines: trust built slowly, support offered quietly, lives turning in unexpected ways.
Working with creative agency Kindred, we produced this short documentary for Social Work England’s “Change the Script” campaign - part of a wider initiative to challenge the public perception of social work and give people a more accurate, human understanding of the profession.
Films like this hinge on rapport. Not just between contributors and camera, but across the whole process - from planning to post. With just two shoot days and no room for second takes, we devised a production that could hold uncertainty: small crews, natural light, and a pace shaped by real conversation. We weren’t chasing performances. We were shaping spaces for something honest to emerge.
Shot during Social Work Week, we delivered a behind-the-scenes teaser in under 24 hours to capitalise on early momentum. The final hero film, along with three individual contributor edits (featuring Clair, Ken, and Lilly), was released soon after as part of a national campaign toolkit - helping organisations, educators, and advocates across the UK share a fuller, more human story of social work. The response from the profession - and from Social Work England’s leadership - was one of quiet recognition: this is what it really looks like.
Watch the BTS below!
Social Work England / Change The Script
Client / Social Work England
Agency / Kindred
Director / Mike Forshaw
Producer / Tom Lonergan
Director of Photography / Stephen Roe
Editor / Ben Seeley
When social workers appear on our screens they’re often unfairly demonised, which has a massive impact on attitudes towards the social care system. Together with Kindred and Social Work England, we wanted to tell a different story and showcase how transformative their support can be.
Our campaign featured two young people who had been supported by social care, with shoot days carefully tailored to capture our protagonist's heartfelt testimony. With essential kit only and minimal crew, we combined audio-only interviews with sensitively crafted recreations, to deliver two hero films as emotive as the stories powering them.
Released to target Social Care Week, our film spearheaded a multi-channel campaign urging the entertainment industry to ‘change the script’ and put an end to these harmful stereotypes once and for all.