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Uncommon has created and produced a series of three short documentaries, in association with Lief, that each show YouTube creators and refugees bonding over a shared interest: music, growing food and toymaking.
The agency also created the dandelion branding for the series, which is called "We were here" and debuted on YouTube yesterday (20 June) to mark World Refugee Day.
Charlie Gatsky, chief production officer at Uncommon, said: “The power of these films is the message it shares — one of solidarity — focusing on what unites us rather than sets us apart.”
The three YouTube creators, who have a collective audience of six million subscribers, are DJ and producer Jax Jones, vegan chef and permaculture enthusiast Gaz Oakley, and inventor Simone Giertz.
The important job of finding the refugee contributors was undertaken by documentary casting directors and Bafta nominees Six Minutes.
Jones met displaced Ukranian-Ethopian sisters Betty, Siona and Miriam, who form hip-hop trio Fo Sho, in Stuttgart in “The musicians”, directed by Laura Checkaway.
“UNHCR is delighted to partner with YouTube to spotlight the creative energy of refugees, and we are privileged that these refugee creators have allowed us to share their stories. We extend our thanks to YouTube and the three content creators for helping bring these experiences to their audiences.”
The title of the series, “We were here”, refers to the idea of the films celebrating the refugees leaving a permanent mark of their creativity in the midst of transit.
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