CALM with DanTDM - 'Hidden Message'

As the nation continues to cope with the stresses and strains of the pandemic, we teamed up with suicide prevention charity CALM to create an innovative YouTube video to tackle the ongoing stigma surrounding mental health. Starring YouTuber DanTDM, the short YouTube film features a cleverly placed hidden message that shines a light on people bottling up their emotions. 

See the film here: Hidden Message Film

The film starts with DanTDM talking enthusiastically about embarking on another Subnautica adventure. It’s nothing out of the ordinary, and just another walk-through that gamers and many of his followers will have seen a million times before. But there is something different. DanTDM then faces the camera and directly addresses the viewer. “Sounds pretty normal right? Take a second look?” he says. Dan then tells the viewer to hover the cursor over the YouTube timeline preview to get the true story, adding, “I’ll wait”. 

 As the viewer hovers across the timeline, the thumbnail previews reveal a hidden message, a message that reveals that how someone is feeling on the inside can be very different from the image they present to the world. The video ends by saying, “Feeling rubbish? It can be hard to talk about it. But whatever you’re worried about, CALM can help you find the words”.