Bagenalstown FRC: Eradicate Poverty Video
For the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty 2025, PB Studio partnered with Bagenalstown Family Resource Centre to create a powerful video that brought real stories of poverty in Carlow to life. The project was funded by the Department of Social Protection and built entirely from anonymous submissions, giving people a safe space to share experiences that are often hidden, complex, and deeply personal.
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Case Study: Bagenalstown Family Resource Centre
Telling Real Stories of Poverty Through an AI Generated Film
The Challenge
Bagenalstown Family Resource Centre wanted to highlight the reality of poverty in a way that felt human, honest, and respectful. They collected anonymous stories from people living in Carlow, each one reflecting a different side of poverty, from daily struggles to moments of courage and hope.
The challenge was to turn these submissions into a single, cohesive story that:
Honoured the lived experiences shared
Protected the identity of contributors
Avoided stereotypes or a single “face” of poverty
Communicated the emotional depth and complexity of each story
Could be shared nationally as part of an awareness campaign funded by the Department of Social Protection
The Solution
PB Studio created a short film that blended narrative, emotion, and authenticity using fully AI generated visuals and voices. This approach allowed us to preserve anonymity while giving the stories the representation and weight they deserved.
Our work included:
Story Development: We crafted a script woven directly from the anonymous submissions, ensuring every line reflected a real lived experience.
AI Video Production: The full film was generated using AI tools that allowed us to illustrate complex emotions without depicting real individuals.
AI Voice Generation: Voices were created through AI to remove any identifying characteristics while still delivering empathy, depth, and realism.
Creative Direction: We shaped the tone, pacing, and visual style to ensure the film felt grounded, respectful, and powerful.
Collaboration: The team at Bagenalstown Family Resource Centre worked closely with us throughout, providing guidance, context, and community insight.
The Results
The final film was released as part of Ireland’s recognition of the International Day for the Eradication of Poverty 2025. It resonated strongly with community members, partner organisations, and national stakeholders.
Key outcomes include:
A powerful awareness video driven entirely by real community voices
Anonymity safely preserved through AI visuals and voices
A creative approach that allowed sensitive stories to be shared with dignity
Positive feedback from viewers who felt the message was honest, human, and necessary
Strong collaboration with Bagenalstown Family Resource Centre, whose role was central to gathering and shaping the stories
Key Takeaway
Poverty has no single face, and the stories from Carlow showed just how varied and personal these experiences can be. By combining community storytelling with thoughtful AI production, PB Studio helped create a film that honours each voice and brings meaningful visibility to an issue that affects so many across Ireland.
Paul played a central role in producing our awareness video and protraying the community survey that informed its content. His ability to combine technical skill with genuine empathy ensured that the voices and experiences of those living with poverty were represented with dignity, authenticity, and care.
- Lynda Stacey, Bagenalstown Family Resource Centre
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Bagenalstown Family Resource Centre would like to extend our sincere thanks to Paul Byrne for his outstanding support and expertise in delivering our recent project in recognition of the UN Day for the Eradication of Poverty.
Paul played a central role in producing our awareness video and protraying the community survey that informed its content. His ability to combine technical skill with genuine empathy ensured that the voices and experiences of those living with poverty were represented with dignity, authenticity, and care.
Through his thoughtful analysis, Paul helped us gain deeper insight into the real challenges faced by people in our community, as well as their remarkable strength and resilience. His creative direction in the video brought these findings to life, transforming data and lived experience into a powerful message of hope, solidarity, and social awareness.
Paul’s professionalism, patience, and commitment to excellence made him an absolute pleasure to work with. Thanks to his dedication, this project has become a meaningful tool to raise awareness, inspire empathy, and spark collective action against poverty and social exclusion.
We are deeply grateful for Paul’s invaluable contribution and proud to have collaborated with someone who shares our passion for community empowerment and positive change.
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