A Test Of Blind Ambition: What Is It Like To Grow Up Blind?

The charity Guide Dogs hasteamed up with award-winning agency Don’t Panic and paralympian Libby Clegg tocreate a detailed soundscape film- one that lets the viewer experience what it might be like to grow up withsight loss and a burning ambition.

Theinspiring short film helps the viewer understand the challenges faced by blindand partially sighted people and how, with the help of Guide Dogs, they can realisetheir dreams. The emphasis on the audio helps sighted individuals to understandwhat it might be like for blind and partially sighted people growing up.

Wehear a dramatisation of Libby’s childhood, both the good – her supportivefamily, loyal friends and inspiring coaches, and the bad – the school bullies, discouragingteachers and constant naysayers. The binaural experience asks viewers to put ontheir headphones, close their eyes and get a feel for Libby’s world, from her difficultstart to her incredible finish.

Thefilm ends with visuals of Libby’s 2014 Commonwealth Games 100m and of her andher guide dog Hattie, who she thanks for giving her the confidence to achieveher dreams.

"Havingmy guide dog Hattie gives me the confidence to train and compete, and live mylife how I want. The film mimics some of the experiences I had as a childthrough to adulthood and I hope it gives those without sight loss an insightinto mine and other blind or partially sighted people's lives and the obstacleswe face, and an understanding of how Guide Dogs as a charity can help us toovercome them."

Nick Hodder, head of digital at Guide Dogssaid: “This is the first time we’ve created a video that tries to put theviewer directly into the world of someone with sight loss. It’s a reallyengaging emotional and sensory experience where we’re asking the viewer tochallenge themselves to see how they would feel facing the world as a blindchild. 

“We want to increase understanding of thechallenges that people with sight loss face, but also tackle preconceptionsabout what they can achieve. It’s a fantastic story of determination andambition.”