Fund a Day of Holidays
production:Michał Bernardyn
screenplay:Elżbieta Ślązek
featuring:Ms Stefania
music:Kevin MacLeod
produced by:soul seed media
for:little brothers of the Poor Association
CASE STUDY
Fund a Day of Holidays — Ms Stefania and a campaign supporting lonely seniors
“Fund a Day of Holidays” was one of the first productions in our long-term collaboration with the little brothers of the Poor Association. The film featuring Ms Stefania was produced in 2018 as part of a campaign encouraging financial support for holiday trips for lonely older people. The aim of the film was to show that even a single day away from home can mean much more to an older person than one might expect.
Holidays are not a given for everyone
For an older person who lives alone, has health problems or limited mobility, even a short trip can be difficult to organise.
The campaign highlighted this simple difference: for many people, summer means travel, meetings and a change of surroundings, while some seniors spend that time within the same four walls.
A specific fundraising goal
The film was intended not only to talk about the problem of loneliness, but also to lead to a specific action: financial support for trips organised by the Association.
Donations helped cover the costs associated with seniors’ outings and gave them the opportunity to spend time away from home in the company of volunteers and other people.
PRODUCTION
A real protagonist instead of an anonymous message
Ms Stefania in front of the camera
The protagonist of the film was Ms Stefania — a beneficiary of the Association. Instead of building the campaign solely around statistics and general information, the film centres on the presence of a real person.
This approach allows the audience to see the problem of loneliness among seniors not as an abstract phenomenon, but as a situation affecting a real human being.
Working with a senior in front of the camera
In productions involving people who are not professional performers, the atmosphere during filming is particularly important. The protagonist’s natural behaviour matters more than perfectly reproducing a predetermined performance.
This way of working later became an important element of subsequent films we produced for the little brothers of the Poor Association, in which seniors and volunteers regularly appear in front of the camera.
The beginning of a long-term collaboration
The film was produced in 2018, the year in which our collaboration with the little brothers of the Poor Association began.
In the following years, we produced further materials about loneliness among seniors, the “Obecność” programme, holiday trips and the need for relationships with other people.
The same idea, new editions
The subject of holiday trips also returned in later campaigns by the Association. In 2024, we produced another film devoted to “One-Day Holiday”.
Although the films were created at different times and use different forms, they share the same goal: to show how much it can mean to a lonely older person to have the opportunity to step outside their everyday routine, even for a short time.
Scope of work
- social campaign film production
- working with a senior in front of the camera
- filming
- editing
- colour grading
- post-production
- social campaign film production
- film production and post-production
WORK WITH THE LITTLE BROTHERS OF THE POOR ASSOCIATION
Films supporting activities for lonely seniors
“Fund a Day of Holidays” was the beginning of a series of productions we created for the little brothers of the Poor Association. Subsequent films show different aspects of its work — from holiday trips to the importance of regular companionship and relationships with other people.
One-Day Holiday
A later film supporting the same idea: giving lonely seniors the opportunity to leave home and spend a summer day in the company of another person. View case study →
Fulfill Their Dream
A film showing how a small dream can become an unforgettable experience for a lonely older person. View the full case study →
Your presence helps me live — Mr Henryk
A personal story showing the importance of presence, conversation and human connection in the life of a lonely older person.
I dream of respite from worries and loneliness…
A social campaign film based on a personal story and the experience of loneliness in later life.
See more films we produced for the little brothers of the Poor Association on YouTube →
CLIENT TESTIMONIAL
little brothers of the Poor
Association
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I recommend working with Michał.
We have already recorded video materials together for the little brothers of the Poor Association several times. Michał is flexible, but also reliable and punctual. During filming, and even before it begins, he is always ready to offer advice and valuable suggestions.
He has a great feel for the people appearing in the material. In the case of the Association, these are usually seniors. He gets along with them extremely well — with respect, but also with a sense of humour.
During editing, he patiently introduces revisions, offers advice and pays great attention to the quality of the final material delivered.