AUSTIN, Texas, May 22, 2024 – Wienot Films is proud to announce that our animated explainer video, "The Disinformation Threat to America," has won two prestigious Telly Awards in the categories of Explainer and Policy & Legislation. This impactful animation, produced in cooperation with Smetzer Associates, The Cipher Brief, and Trust in Media Cooperative, was first introduced at SXSW Interactive. It has since been utilized by audiences nationwide to shed light on the critical issue of disinformation from a nonpartisan national security perspective.
Disinformation has emerged as a significant threat to democracies globally, with authoritarian regimes exploiting our open information and media landscape to sow division and discord. Recognizing the urgency of this issue, this animated explainer video was created with the goal of empowering Americans to recognize and counter this threat.
"Since founding Wienot Films more than a decade ago, no video has felt more important than this," said Marc Strong, the project's creative director. "The threat of disinformation is real, and it was an honor to work with our clients to produce an explainer video we all felt proud to share with the world. To receive two Telly Awards for our work is a great honor!"
"As a media organization that closely covers national security issues, The Cipher Brief understands the importance of education around the disinformation issue," remarked Suzanne Kelly, CEO and publisher of The Cipher Brief. "We are proud to have worked closely with Wienot Films, Teresa Smetzer and The Hon. Ellen McCarthy to produce this video."
Kelly, who spent years at CNN in roles such as intelligence correspondent, executive producer, and international news anchor, has a unique vantage point to understand this threat and how we can counter it. "If someone doesn’t understand the nature of the threat or how adversaries use it to get inside your head and prompt you to take action, then you will certainly fall victim to it. Education is not only the key, it’s also our primary defense.”
Producing an explainer video about such a sensitive topic presented unique challenges. "Disinformation affects all Americans, irrespective of political affiliation," explained Strong. "Our goal was to create an explainer video that would be easy to understand, resonate across the political spectrum, and empower the audience with practical tools, all while showing empathy and understanding. It was a challenging, but worthwhile endeavor."
The explainer video is a great resource for individuals, as well as educators from high schools and universities, across the country. The animation explains disinformation, shows how it's used to divide us, and teaches what we can do to identify and neutralize it. "We hope this video can be part of the solution to the disinformation threat plaguing our country," Strong emphasized.
Since it's creation, the Trust in Media Cooperative has followed up the disinformation video with an explainer of it's own that helps explain what it's doing to combat the issue. The Cipher Brief has also developed a second video, which goes into more detail about how authoritarian regimes are using disinformation to target democracies worldwide.
For those interested in creating more educational content about disinformation, or other topics related to civics, government, or policy, please contact Wienot Films. We are committed to producing educational explainer videos that address the pressing issues of our time.
Disinformation Explainer Video
About Wienot Films
Wienot Films is a creative video production company specializing in animated explainer videos that simplify complex ideas into concise, memorable, easy-to-understand stories. Based in Austin, with offices in New York and Melbourne, they serve customers around the world and have produced videos in more than a half dozen languages. Visit wienotfilms.com to learn more their award-winning animation production services.
About Smetzer Associates
Smetzer Associates LLC is a consulting firm that advises federal national security organizations and early stage companies to leverage emerging technologies. The goal of engagement is to provide national security mission impact as an outcome.
About The Cipher Brief
The Cipher Brief is the only media outlet focused exclusively on bringing you a higher level of confidence around national security events via news, analysis, and interviews with government and private sector leaders. Where other news organizations tell you what happened, The Cipher Brief tells you what it means by working with a network of uniquely qualified experts who help provide context around events that impact global security. Visit thecipherbrief.com to learn why they're becoming the most trusted source of national security information.
About Trust in Media Cooperative (TIM)
TIM is a multi-disciplinary, cross-sector forum focused on building a standard framework and language for trusted AI and information quality and building a platform through which people and organizations can access information that is authentic, reliable, and accurate. Their mission is to ensure public access to information quality derived from standards and tools agreed upon by a diverse, nonpartisan forum of experts. Visit timcoop.org learn how they're transforming the information landscape to help drive demand for quality information.
Media Contact:
Marc Strong
Director
Wienot Films
(512) 481-2363
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