The Silence Before Justice – a BrandMR film

It often starts without warning. A comment that crosses a line. A closed door. A phone call that shifts everything. Suddenly, you’re in a situation where the rules seem to change, and you’re unsure of where you stand.

This film is not about the courtroom. It’s about everything that comes before that. The fog of uncertainty. The weight of not knowing. The disbelief, the fear, the sleepless nights. The moment when your instinct is to freeze, flee, or fight—and you’re not yet sure which one to choose.

But beneath that storm, something shifts. A quiet determination grows. The need to reclaim control.

We worked with real stories and real legal cases to show what it takes to move through that space—to speak up, to push back, to take a stand. Made with archival footage and newly filmed scenes that honour the truth, this film was created for BrandMR to show what justice looks like before the legal system begins.

You are not alone. And you are not powerless.

Approach

This campaign builds on more than a year of foundational research conducted by BrandMR and Team5PM. Medianauts & Susanne Opstal were brought in to translate that research into a powerful story and executable concept.

We approached the material the way we approach all our work: structurally, editorially and emotionally.

We interviewed dozens lawyers and legal professionals, analysed more than 200 real documents, case files and client stories, and curated hours of real footage. Everything was mapped in detailed schema’s — from narrative arcs to tone, legality to emotional rhythm. Because for us, storytelling isn’t just a creative act, it’s an editorial system.

This system allowed us to move fast and stay sharp. From mood to structure, from scripting to rights management, every choice was built on layers — legal, emotional, editorial. We cleared, selected and restructured real footage and combined it with newly shot material to tell one coherent and urgent story.

This wasn’t a fictional campaign. It was built from reality — and designed to make people feel understood before they even know what to ask.

Production team

Director: Susanne Opstal

Concept: Tom de Jong & Susanne Opstal

Executive Producer: Tom de Jong

Producer: Martine Coehorst

Copywriter: Maarten van Kempen

DoP: Niels Lokhorst
Photography: Margarita Kouvatsu
Gaffer: Laurens Witte
AC: Max van de Pol

Editor: Aron van Blooijs

Composer: Eren Önsoy

SFX & Mix: MOST

Animation: Luuk Hendriks
Finishing editors: Reverzefilms
Casting: Medianauts
Archive & Licensing: Martine Coehorst & Tom de Jong

Client: BrandMR

Client Leads: Eline Ruiter, Peter Hoitinga, Mitchell Tjong

Agency: team5pm

Agency Creative: Anne Jaasma

Strategy: Stef van der Burg

Account: Sjoerd van Renselaar

Project Management: Renske Smits