20/04/2024
Introducing Steve Lacey, Safe Unsound’s Executive Producer.
I am the founder of The Outsiders, a cultural insight company which gives voices to the oppressed and marginalised. As someone born with a disability, I believe it is important to amplify the voices of those who often go unheard.
But, for me, it is not just a job. It's a life purpose and it overlaps with a new focus, which is to support Ukraine against the current Russian invasion. 🇺🇦 This is a personal mission for me. I first went to Ukraine in 2002 and travelled widely across the East of the country, including Mariupol. As such, I have many friends in this region. Many of whom have been forced to flee to Poland and Germany, while others have fled to other parts of Ukraine because their homes were destroyed by Russian missiles.
When the war broke out, I made them a promise to do everything I could to help people and undermine the oppressive regime through a variety of channels.
I am a regular speaker at protests, attend many of the Ukrainian Institute's events, and have enrolled in a MA at the School of Slavonic Studies to study Russian propaganda. I also help and provide free consultation to people within this space, and have set up The Nightingales; a collaborative of media experts, to focus on anti-propaganda messaging.
The idea for this film came from conversations I was having with a friend in Ireland who was helping Ukrainians escape to safety. I pitched the idea to Daniel. I have worked with him in the past, filming some of the most vulnerable people in the UK.
He is rare because he has enormous sensitivity to the hard-pressed, he is empathetic, non-exploitative, carries no arrogance, and has the ability to make guarded and vulnerable people feel at ease.
This was very important to me because I wanted to guarantee an approach that avoided triggering trauma or click bait story-telling. I felt there was no one else I trusted more to deliver a compassionate and empathetic story.
I want to raise awareness about the human consequences of war and hope that the project can lead to better understanding and a more just world.
