UTS: My Blue Sky - What is Forced Marriage?

The University of Technology Sydney (UTS) hosts My Blue Sky, Australia’s first website dedicated to preventing and providing support for people in forced marriages. The university engaged Punchy Studio to create an educational video to address the communication challenge of defining forced marriage and outlining the help available for those at risk. The brief was to clarify that a forced marriage occurs when a person enters a marriage without full and free consent, often through threats, coercion, or deception. We produced a professional animated explainer video that highlights how this issue can affect anyone regardless of gender, culture, or religion, though it predominantly impacts women and girls. Our approach focused on legal literacy, explaining that forced marriage is a crime in Australia and a breach of human rights, while also providing a safe pathway for victims to seek help. The video is deployed on the My Blue Sky website and used by social services to encourage at risk individuals to access free and confidential legal advice. By combining professional scripting, custom animation, and a supportive voiceover, we effectively simplified sensitive legal concepts to reach a vulnerable audience. Clear motion graphics reinforce the call to action, directing viewers to the My Blue Sky portal for private and secure support.