How Leah Purcell Hid Grooming in Plain Sight for Bravehearts

Taxi Film’s Leah Purcell has told LBB her direction of Bravehearts’ ‘Grooming Hides Behind Harmlessness’ spot was driven by survivor insights.

Bravehearts, a national child sexual abuse prevention charity, launched a pro bono behaviour change campaign with Engine and Taxi Films to educate parents and caregivers about grooming.

The campaign highlights that most abuse is committed by trusted individuals, not strangers, and reveals how grooming disguises itself as harmless behaviour. The campaign’s key statistic: a quarter of Australians experience child sexual abuse, with 79% of perpetrators known to the child.

Developed with over $1 million in donated creative efforts, and supported by over $3 million in pro bono media inventory, the multi-platform campaign aims to normalise conversations, reduce stigma, and equip adults with tools to recognise early signs of grooming.

“Throughout the process, I constantly sought reassurance that we were heading in the right direction,” Leah said.

“When we finished a rough cut of the ad, I was most eager to hear the feedback from the survivors. I first teared up, knowing that their feedback was supportive and positive. They truly believed in the ad's impact in prompting people to take action toward prevention.”

Leah said the agency, Engine, and the brand were both clear in the brief and throughout the process about the spot’s visual and narrative design.

“We couldn't shy away from the reason we were making this ad -- addressing grooming in a way that would have the most impact,” she said. “The goal was to create something powerful and respectful, ensuring the message would resonate deeply.

“Considering all that, I knew that honesty and believability were key.”

The film evokes a sense of reminiscence -- a harmlessness of familiar moments, lulling the audience into its story.

“This creates a false sense of security, which makes the ending even more powerful,” Leah said.

“We wanted the ad's emotional impact to inspire the audience to take conscious action, whether by calling Bravehearts or visiting their website to seek support and resources to protect their child and prevent these behaviours.”

During storyboarding, Leah and her team at Taxi Films carefully considered which scenes would engage the audience emotionally and how they interacted with each other to tell the story the right way.

The next step was finding the right talent to bring those moments to life.

“Our young actress -- this ad was her first time on set and in front of a camera -- was crucial to pulling off this honest performance,” Leah said.

“Through the cinematography, we aimed to make the audience feel nostalgic about the imagery, drawing them into how normal everything seemed. But then, the moment when the man and the young girl enter the closet and the door closes leaves no room for misinterpretation. The final look from the girl as the door closes speaks volumes -- her innocent, vulnerable look back is the lasting impact of the ad.”

For Leah, while the whole ad is designed to stay with viewers, the ending does the heavy emotional work.

“From when the boy waves her over and takes her hand until the very end is particularly impactful.

“This sequence carries the emotional weight of the ad, and its resolution leaves the audience with something to think about long after the ad ends.”

The campaign has rolled out nationally across TV, OOH, radio, and digital, and is one of UnLtd Queensland’s first nationwide initiatives.

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If you or anyone you know needs help, advice or support, please visit bravehearts.org.au.