Great Guns and MHP Spotlight Defiance in the Face of Autoimmune Diagnosis

Great Guns London, in collaboration with MHP Group, proudly presents ‘No Bad Blood’, an inspiring campaign film for specialised international biopharmaceutical company, Sobi. Directed by Calum Macdiarmid, it shines a light on the lives of people diagnosed with Immune Thrombocytopenia (ITP), an autoimmune disease that prevents blood clotting and can cause fatal bruising and bleeding.

Great Guns director Calum Macdiarmid was brought onto the campaign to find a thoughtful and poetic way to let ITP patients know that they are not alone, and that there are ways to alleviate their symptoms. Reading through case studies and detailed personal stories - many so raw and powerful that they read like poetry already - Calum embarked upon the process of composing a poem for the campaign. A collaborative effort, it seeks to resonate with those who have once felt like they must give up a part of themselves due to the disease.

The poem is narrated by BAFTA-nominated actor Sọpẹ́ Dìrísù, whose raw performance beautifully draws out its emotion. Beginning by exploring the setbacks of the disease, it quickly takes on an inspiring defiance reinforced against the backdrop of the film’s cast. All genuine people who live with ITP, we see them continue to pursue their passions as they do in real life, diving, riding on a motorbike, and getting ready to face the day, undeterred by their diagnosis. The film thus articulates the transformative power of an effective care plan, enabling patients to indulge in their passions once again and live a fulfilling life.

Shot on limited 16mm film, production required discipline. To make the most of the stock they had, the team, led by DOP Adric Watson, held back from re-filming shots, a restraint which not only freed up time to cover all three locations in a single day, but also lends a more raw authenticity to the final campaign.

Martin Reed, Creative Director, MHP Group, comments: “Patients living with ITP are forced to give up so much - sports, physical activity, socialising - for fear of bruising or bleeding, which could be fatal for some. I wanted this film to reveal the defiance of the human spirit, that a new life can spring from adversity and the passions that identify us can rise again to redefine who we are. It's about people controlling their own narrative - neatly summed up by the line ‘We may lose our platelets, but we'll never lose ourselves’.”

Calum Macdiarmid, Director, Great Guns, adds: “Tone was so crucial to this film, and its power comes through the nuance of detail in the photography and editing, as well as the incredible performance from our narrator Sọpẹ́. I wrote it around the hobbies of the cast members, which gave it a tremendous authenticity and also made it easier to capture - they all already knew exactly what they were doing. All three of them  - Ella, Dale and Rhona - brought a personal ambition to make this story in the best way possible all while dealing with the effects of ITP. There is a defiant tone in the poem and as I worked with the cast it became quickly apparent how real that defiance was.”