How will you show up?
ACLT Collaborates with NHSBT and Disney
“The extremely tight timescales and deadlines made our whole ACLT team (including filmmakers and actors) sharpen their pens and pencils in thinking out of the box, and devising, creating, developing and undertaking the complete filming of our groundbreaking and humorous “How Will You Turn Up” blood donation awareness short film.”
Orin Lewis OBE
We teamed up with NHS Blood and Transplant (NHSBT) and the television giant Disney to raise awareness about the need for ethically matched blood. This opportunity arose during the planned release of the latest Marvel series, Ironheart. The series explores themes of heroism, sisterhood, and determination, and we were tasked with using these themes to create something that would inspire the Black community to donate blood.
The overarching concept of the video is “How Will You Show Up?”, showcasing five different characters and how each of them steps up to donate blood. The main character drives the narrative and ignites a spark that inspires heroic action from her group of friends.
"This ACLT campaign is about community and legacy, inspiring more Black heritage donors to step forward and give blood."
This concept was inspired by the storyline of the Disney+ series Ironheart, in which a Black female lead plays an inspiring and determined engineer. Despite mishaps and challenges, she never gives up on fighting for what’s right and building her legacy. We were grateful for the opportunity to shape this story’s message into something that celebrates the individuals who donate blood and inspires others within the Black community to start donating. This act of helping those in need of blood transfusions can create a legacy to be proud of.
The film begins with an instant call-to-action text message – “It’s Time” – sent by the lead character, Sayo (a social media creative and influencer). This triggers a chain reaction among her friends, prompting them to stop what they’re doing and run towards the mystery call to action. Their destination, the blood donor centre, remains a secret throughout the film, creating suspense and a driving force behind the importance of donating blood.
To reflect some of the challenges the NHS faces in maintaining consistent blood donors and encouraging more male donors, we used two male characters to highlight this point. The first represents a reluctant donor, confronted by his friend who declares, “No more excuses!” She then brings him along to meet the others and donate. The second male character has a rough but comedic journey to the donor centre. After the main characters accidentally cause him to drop his patty, with frustration, he follows them. Once he realises where they’ve ended up, he’s inspired to get his friendship group to donate. Now that’s what you call influence.
Currently, only 2% of blood donors are Black, and the NHS needs 210–250 Black blood donors every day to meet the demand for treating sickle cell patients. This campaign was an important way to showcase what real community spirit can achieve for those in need. The act of giving back and saving lives is truly a legacy worth celebrating
Create your Legacy by saving lives, register to donate blood.
