Adolescence

Don’t worry, I’m not going to walk you through some awkward story about my journey through adolescence

Or how I stood in the textiles cupboard while my teacher mended the huge rip in my trousers that happened in front of everyone…

Nothing like that. A different Adolescence

I only recently watched Adolescence on Netflix, which is mad considering how popular it was when it came out.

It was every bit as good as people said it was.

Which got me thinking - why was it SO good?

Obviously the kid looks like a generational talent, Stephen Graham is an acting genius and I thought Erin Doherty was brilliant as the clinical psych

And it was infamously shot in one take

But I don’t think they’re the reasons - lots of programmes have great actors and cool filming stuff.

I think it was how compelling the narrative was, and how the programme addressed universal, emotional pain points.

Modern fears - parental self doubt, the rapidly changing digital culture, the mental health impacts of tech.

The innovative storytelling that gave you that kind of real-time immersion in the plot, it felt like you were standing there while it unfolded in real time.

I don’t believe we should be marketing to people to make them feel crap, I don’t think it helps sales but also it doesn’t help them succeed if and when they work with you.

HOWEVER - our audiences do have fears, including fears that pertain to what we help them with.

If there’s one thing that we can take from Adolescence?

Is that there’s a way that we can get attention, keep it, and have real impact on people - by addressing those fears in the RIGHT way.