A tale of a neurodivergent man who tries to overcome his fear of conflict. This film was produced between 2022 and 2024.
Real Take by Oliver Mariager
Oliver Mariager is a neurodivergent artist, animator, writer and director based in East Kent. Passionate about art and animation. He uses his self-taught skills as an animator to educate and to stimulate empathy and humour. He is passionate about animation and visual storytelling techniques.
Oliver first became aware of the UK Creative Festival after his BBC-commissioned film aired in August 2021. He then applied for a ticket to attend the UK Creative Festival & Careers Fair in September that year.
While at the festival, he met Laurie Barber, who was particularly impressed by Oliver’s achievements. At that time, Oliver had already learned how to write and refine scripts, incorporate feedback, produce animatics and work to deadlines. He had also taught himself new animation software to create his short film. His ability to problem-solve independently or collaboratively, along with his developing work ethic, was remarkable.
Laurie introduced Oliver to Jeremy Green, the CEO of Creative Circle, in September 2022, who arranged for Oliver to have a studio tour with Ben Dubois at A+C Animation in Margate. Jeremy also offered to have the foundation screen Oliver’s next film.
In January 2023, Oliver’s mum, and his greatest supporter wrote a review about their experience at the festival:
"I was initially hesitant to attend with my son, who is a neurodivergent creative, but the UK Creative Festival team were considerate and supportive of his needs, making our experience both comfortable and engaging. They have continued to provide tailored guidance as he navigates the Creative Industry. I am very grateful for their ongoing support and highly recommend this festival to talented young people for its networking opportunities and diverse range of creative pathways."
In December 2024, Creative Foundation commissioned Oliver to create an Advent calendar animation that we used all the way through December on our Creative Circle social channels to showcase the best ads of all times, which was a success.
After the UK Creative Festival 2025, we encouraged and supported Oliver in creating his LinkedIn profile, which he successfully completed and joined the professional world.
Creative Foundation will continue to support Oliver and his creativity.
Connect with Oliver:
Websites:
https://uk.linkedin.com/in/oliver-mariager-65206824b
https://olivermariager.wixsite.com/animation
Twitter: https://twitter.com/OManimoves
