The brief: to create an educational animated video displaying positive behaviours and outcomes (unlike a certain other extremely catchy rail safety campaign).

Because it was being played in cinemas, I approached this job as a short film rather than a safety video; choosing a style and tone that would make it a fun little piece of pre-movie entertainment in its own right. Thus, the idyllic town of Tracksville was born — along with some rhymes that would make Dr Seuss himself proud.

The two-minute animation was played in cinemas around NSW during Rail Safety Week, as well as being pushed out through TrackSAFE’s social networks, ultimately educating and entertaining over 150,000 people.

After the success of the first video, we took a return trip to Tracksville in 2017 with a series of three social media posts framed as breaking news reports. But what do you report on in a town without any rail incidents? Well… nothing, as it turns out. And that’s exactly the point we wanted to make.