Let's Break the Stigma Series

I had the privilege of collaborating with Presbyterian on an anti-stigma campaign addressing polysubstance abuse. Our goal was to help reduce stigma, encouraging people facing substance challenges to seek support without shame or fear.

At the time, I was struggling with a sense of purpose in my career, yearning to work on something with a more meaningful, empathetic impact. This project arrived just when I needed it, giving me the chance to create work that could genuinely help others. On top of that, it was an incredible opportunity to dive deeper into video and animation—specifically, character design, backgrounds, and storyboarding. I couldn’t have asked for a better team or a more fulfilling project.

To tell the story sensitively, we chose to create characters that didn’t look entirely human, to avoid singling out anyone’s personal experiences. Instead, we designed characters that, while abstract, could express a full emotional range, allowing viewers to connect with them empathetically. I feel we achieved that with the cast we created.

One of the highlights of this project was the collaborative spirit within the Presbyterian team. Everyone contributed to the creative direction, and Joe absolutely brought it all together with his incredible animation and voiceover work—a multi-talented force for sure!

Below, you’ll find early character explorations, background tests, storyboards, and the final video project. I’m extremely proud of what we created together.