THE UNMISSABLES
Sadly, all many people get to know about the over 100 Australians reported missing every day are their vital statistics.
We wanted to give families the chance to share more about them in an effort to engage the public and reignite the search.
In 2016, eight families were paired with authors and artists who generously donated their time and talent to write short stories about and create original artworks for their missing loved ones. We called the project Too Short Stories. Excerpts from the stories were incorporated into the artworks and installed in the locations where they were last seen, for National Missing Persons Week (NMPW).
The following year, based on the response, the stories – along with the artworks – were published in a beautifully designed hardcover book that was stocked in a number of renowned bookstores across Australia during NMPW. [We’ve still got a few copies left; grab yourself one here!]
With tremendous support and encouragement from the families, authors and artists involved, a third iteration of the initiative was born. Writers interviewed families and created 100-word micro-stories that captured the essence of the missing loved one. Once approved, they were then shared with artists who designed, painted and installed artworks across the country.
In 2018, we adapted the concept to a modern take on the old milk carton campaigns of the 80s; coffee cups. Over 2018-19, we stocked some of the most popular cafes in Australia (including venues like the MCG) with our biodegradable cups, getting the issue into the mainstream. [We’ve still got some left; get in touch if you’d like to stock some at your business!]
In 2019, we were approached by production company Film Camp to create an ABC series capturing the process of making long term missing Australians ‘unmissable’. The journey follows three families – paired with a muralist, a sculptor and a singer/songwriter, respectively – as their loved one’s essence is depicted artistically. Watch The Unmissables here.
Later that year, we were approached by the host and producer of internationally acclaimed podcast, Casefile. They offered us our own series, and suggested the initial season be based on the book, Too Short Stories (the precursor to The Unmissables). It was only fitting that the theme song was Wildflowers; the song produced through the documentary process.
By 2020, the initiative had come full circle, and Australians from all walks of life had come to see that missing persons are people.