John’s Story

Citizens Advice is there for anyone who needs it, free, independent advice on everything from debt and benefits to employment, housing and consumer rights, reaching millions of people across England and Wales every year. We worked alongside Arthur London, who we team up with regularly, to bring John’s story to life as part of a wider campaign for the charity.

In the wake of the pandemic, Citizens Advice wanted a documentary-style film that showed, through one real person’s experience, just how much difference their services make, not as a dry statistic, but as a genuine, human account of what it actually feels like to need help and not know where to turn.

John had built his whole life around his work, it gave him structure, friendships, a real sense of purpose. When he was made redundant, all of that disappeared overnight, and with only enough savings to last three months, he quickly fell behind on his bills. He’d never claimed any kind of support before in his life, and didn’t have a clue where to start, until Citizens Advice talked him through it, step by step.

We spent a full day with John, filming him in his real environment rather than a studio, and just letting the camera run rather than directing him through scripted answers. That unhurried approach helped him properly relax into the conversation as the day went on. Shot on ARRI Alexa, the film’s colour grade shifts from desaturated to full colour as John’s circumstances improve, a small visual touch that quietly tracks his journey from crisis back to stability.

The film became a powerful promotional tool for Citizens Advice, helping show both the breadth of what they do and the real difference it makes in people’s lives.