Ministry of Justice Challenges Misconceptions

Wonderhood Studios has today launched ‘You’ve got the Makings of a Magistrate’, the Ministry of Justice’s biggest-ever campaign to recruit magistrates, challenging perceptions of who can do the role by showing that the skills needed to deliver justice can be found in people from all walks of life.

Many applicants struggle to see themselves in the role, with the responsibility of becoming a magistrate often leading to self-doubt. Meanwhile, assumptions that the role requires legal expertise, qualifications or a particular background often create a barrier before people even consider applying. The campaign is part of the Government's drive to build a 21,000-strong magistracy in 2028/29.

In reality, magistrates receive training and are supported in the role, serving as part of a panel of three. What matters are qualities many people already demonstrate in their everyday lives: sound judgement, fairness, empathy, listening, problem-solving and the ability to work with others. Wonderhood Studios set out to close the gap between those perceptions and reality with the creative platform ‘You’ve got the makings of a magistrate’.

The 30 second hero film follows Tala as she prepares for an interview to become a magistrate with help from her boyfriend. As he quizzes her on what she thinks the role demands, seemingly ordinary moments from Tala’s life reveal that she has been developing the relevant qualities all along. The film moves forward to reveal her confidently sitting alongside fellow magistrates in court, before closing with the line: ‘An extraordinary role. Done by someone like you.’

A series of shorter films expands the idea by focusing on individual attributes including patience, teamwork, making tough decisions and being good with people. Together, they demonstrate that while being a magistrate carries significant responsibility, the people capable of taking it on may be far more familiar than audiences expect.

James Evans, Deputy Director of Communications at the Ministry of Justice, said: “Too many people assume becoming a magistrate isn’t for them. In reality, magistrates come from all walks of life. This campaign is about helping more people recognise that the qualities they already have are exactly what we need. We want to encourage them to step forward and help deliver justice in communities across the country.”

Steve Hawthorne, Senior Creative Director at Wonderhood Studios, added: “There’s something inherently extraordinary about becoming a magistrate, and that can make it very easy to assume it must take an extraordinary kind of person to do it. But the qualities that make a great magistrate are being exercised by ordinary people every day. ‘You’ve got the Makings of a Magistrate’ is about helping people join those dots and realise they might be far better suited to the role than they think.”

The campaign will run across TV, VOD, online video, social and radio throughout the UK. Media is handled by WPP 650, with production by Kode Media, editing by Work Editorial and sound and post-production by Rascal Studios.

Credits:

Agency – Wonderhood Studios

Josh Green: Chief Creative Officer

Steve Hawthorne: Creative Director

Caitlin Chakraborty: Creative

Indi Morland: Creative

Tash Dean: Executive Producer

Penny McNally: Producer

Laura Melville: Deputy HO Production

Rich Williams: HO Account Management

Chris Johnson: Senior Account Director

Sam Chapman: Strategy Director

Will Barren: Senior Strategist

Sam Adefe: Senior Designer

Rhys Clarke: Motion Designer

Production company - KODE

DIRECTOR: Max Fisher

EXEC / HEAD OF PRODUCTION: Jack Goodwin

PRODUCER: Max Thomas

PRODUCTION MANAGER: Rob Lumb-Mercer

PRODUCTION COORDINATOR: Nurjan Nevzat

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: Joe Cook

FOCUS PULLER: Malte Hübner

2ND ASSISTANT CAMERA: Josh Ighodaro

CAMERA TRAINEE: Aliyah Noorgat

VIDEO OPERATOR: Tony Booth

DIT: Chris Nunn

GRIP: Jamie Monk

LOCATION MANAGER: Barry Peters

1ST ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: Dan Precious

2ND ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: Gabriel O’Donohoe

GAFFER: Ben Millar

ELECTRICIAN: Chris Barber

ELECTRICIAN: Connor Adam

ELECTRICIAN: Bruce Melhuish

HGV ELECTRICIAN: Vainius Kotovas

SOUND RECORDIST: Tobias Withers

ART DIRECTOR: Sabrina Linda-Ramsay

DRESSING PROP: Jordan Alleyne

PROPS MASTER: Liam Alleyne

MASTER RIGGER: Adam Hubbard

CONSTRUCTION MANAGER: Dan Parker

CONSTRUCTION: Finn Webster

CONSTRUCTION: Linsey McLachlan

STANDBY: Joshua Evans-Hooper

COSTUME STYLIST: Joseph Crone

COSTUME ASSISTANT: Ginger McRae

HAIR & MAKE UP STYLIST: Lu Hinton

HAIR & MAKE UP ASSISTANT: Sarah Buitelaar

RUNNER: Callum Fletcher

RUNNER: Harper Pereira Hind

RUNNER: Flame Brewer

RUNNER: Zack Appleyard

MEDIC: Marwan Elgamal

CATERING: Wolf & Lamb

CAMERA & GRIP: Panavision

LIGHTING: Pro Light

EDIT HOUSE: Work Editorial

EXEC PRODUCER: Frankie Elster

OFFLINE EDITOR: Bill Smedley

POST HOUSE: Rascal

HEAD OF STUDIO / EP: Matt Towell

EXEC PRODUCER: Jenna Le Noury

VFX PRODUCER: Emma Hughes

VFX PRODUCER: Glen Percival

VFX ON SET SUPERVISOR: Andrew Barnsley

2D LEAD: Hugo Saunders

2D LEAD: John Thornton

AI LEAD: Jonas McQuiggin

SENIOR COLOUR PRODUCER: Jai Mhach Durban

COLOURIST: James Bamford

COLOUR ASSIST: Michael Sherlock-Pearce

COLOUR ASSIST: Rory Leighton

SOUND DESIGNER: Alex Bingham

SOUND PRODUCER: Clemmie Beck

SOUND PRODUCER: Charlie McElhinney

MUSIC COMPANY: Radford Music

COMPOSER: James Radford