Safe Shores | The DC Children’s Advocacy Center

SAVRAA Introduction Video

Safe Shores is committed to providing survivor-centered intervention, hope, and healing for youth and families in DC. In the communities it reaches, Safe Shores works to prevent and end child abuse and sexual assault. Because the art of illustration can sensitively address tough subject matter, the team chose animation to communicate their mission and reach more survivors.

This project aimed to create an accessible, emotionally resonant piece that would connect with teenagers while delicately discussing abuse prevention and recovery through a narrative tone and illustration style that feels relatable and inclusive. Through careful visual design choices and message refinement, we created a tool for reaching vulnerable youth while maintaining hope and dignity.

Art Direction

The project had to balance a few requirements: create age-appropriate content for teen viewers that discusses sensitive topics with appropriate gravity and maintains an ultimately hopeful and empowering message. The art direction needed to prioritize broad representation and accessibility while supporting Safe Shores’ established visual identity.

To meet these challenges, the visual design employed several thoughtful choices:

Clean, efficient compositions paired with inky linework to complement the Safe Shores brand look and feel
Semi-realistic silhouettes to ensure broad audience relatability
Representational background elements to establish different settings
Warm, inviting color palette
Gender and racially ambiguous character designs to maximize inclusivity

The developed look was largely based off of the Safe Shores logo, elevating the “smiley faces” for an older target audience.

Storyboarding

The video’s narrative arc focused on transformation through support — how seeking help can have positive ripple effects of hope and healing.

Before a survivor knows that there is a help or access through Safe Shores, they might feel flat or isolated by their experience. But rather than suggesting that everything will instantly be rosy and resolved after working with an advocate, the story shows that being seen, listened to, and heard can restore a vulnerable person’s sense of humanity, worth, and dimensionality.

Through script testing with the target audience, several key themes emerged as crucial:

Not dwelling on the negative, but acknowledging the difficulties
Addressing the common belief that some experiences “don’t count”
Clarifying that there is no time limit on seeking support
Emphasizing confidentiality of services

Adding Motion

The use of “boiling” animation technique proved particularly effective, as it:

Created visual interest even in static moments
Reinforced the human element of the narrative
Complemented Safe Shores’ existing artistic style
Added emotional depth without requiring complex animation

Credits

Art Director Hannah Saidiner

Writer & Producer Megan Burke

Animator John Martinez

Sound Designer Chris Mastellone

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Planned Parenthood Global Partners