(music plays)

A caption reads "TVO Kids and Riverbank pictures original."
[LAUGHTER]

(music plays)

Wearing a mask, Akin walks in his room.

Akin is in his early teens, with slightly long braided brown hair and wears jeans and a yellow sweater.

Akin's room is full of colourful furniture, has different colour walls, a black and white checkered floor, pink curtains, and a neon sign that reads "Feelings" behind a couch.

He says OH HEY, IT'S ME AKIN.
THE HOST OF HOW DO YOU FEEL?
I'M SURE YOU'RE FEELING A LOT
THESE DAYS.
WE ALL ARE, AND THAT'S OKAY.
I WANTED TO TELL YOU THAT MY
FRIENDS AND I FILMED THE SHOW
BEFORE THE PANDEMIC, SO EVEN
THOUGH WE'RE NOT WEARING MASKS,
OR PHYSICALLY DISTANCING, IT'S
STILL VERY IMPORTANT.
SO IF YOU'RE IN A SITUATION
WHERE YOU NEED TO
PHYSICALLY DISTANCE, BUT YOU
CAN'T, PUT ON YOUR MASK.
IT'LL HELP KEEP YOU AND YOUR
FRIENDS SAFE.
WHICH FEELS GREAT!
ENJOY THE SHOW!

In animation, the opening of the show rolls.

As the sun comes up between the mountains, colourful letters with different mood facial expressions form the name of the show. It reads "How do you feel?"

A song goes SOME DAYS YOU MIGHT BE HAPPY
AND SOME DAYS YOU MIGHT BE MAD
OTHER DAYS THEY START OFF
RIGHT
BUT THEN YOU WENT UPSET
BUT IT'S OKAY
CUZ WE WANNA KNOW
HOW DO YOU FEEL?
YEAH, HOW DO YOU FEEL?

(music plays)

(music plays)

Akin plays with his doll house in his room.

(BRITISH ACCENT)

As a doll, he says I WANT MY FRIENDS TO COME OVER.
DIDN'T YOU HEAR YOUR FRIENDS ARE
TRAPPED.
(BRITISH ACCENT)

As a dragon, he says OH NO!
YOU'RE THE ONLY BLACK BELT
PRINCESS SUPER HERO
THAT CAN SAVE THEM.
(BRITISH ACCENT)

As the doll, he says THAT'S A LOT OF PRESSURE!

Akin says WHAT'S UP GUYS?
I'M JUST PLAYING WITH SOME OF MY
OLD TOYS.
DOLLS AND ACTION FIGURES
ARE SO FUN.
BECAUSE WE CAN CONTROL
WHAT THEY DO.
BUT IN REAL LIFE WE CAN'T
CONTROL THE WAY PEOPLE ACT.
AND SOMETIMES THEY SAY OR DO
THINGS THAT
CAN REALLY HURT.
EVEN IF YOU'RE A BLACK BELT
PRINCESS SUPER HERO.
JUST ASK MY FRIEND MICHAEL.
[BELL]

An animation rolls as Akin tells the story.

(music plays)

Akin says MICHAEL HAS ALWAYS BEEN
OUTGOING.
HE LOVES TO ACT, SING AND DANCE
BALLET.
BUT LATELY OTHER KIDS HAVE BEEN
BULLYING HIM ABOUT THE THINGS
HE LIKES TO DO.
[LAUGHTER]
THEY SAY MICHAEL'S FAVOURITE
ACTIVITIES ARE FOR GIRLS.
AND HE'S A BOY.
[LAUGHTER AND FAST TALKING]
MICHAEL FEELS CONFUSED.
HE DOESN'T UNDERSTAND WHY THESE
KIDS ARE BEING MEAN.
IT MAKES HIM FEEL LIKE HE CAN'T
BE HIMSELF.

(music plays)

Now Akin sits with his pal Duane in his backyard.

Duane is in his thirties, with short straight black hair and wears beige trousers, a red T-shirt and an unbuttoned flannel shirt.

Akin says I WISH THESE BINOCULARS WERE
POWERFUL ENOUGH
TO SEE INTO THE FUTURE.
SO I KNOW THAT MICHAEL'S GONNA
BE OKAY.
WHY DO YOU THINK THOSE KIDS WERE
PICKING ON HIM?

Duane says THAT'S A GOOD QUESTION.
THERE'S NO EXCUSE FOR THAT
BEHAVIOUR.
BUT WE DO KNOW THAT
MICHAEL DESERVES TO
BE TREATED WITH RESPECT.

Akin says WHAT SHOULD MICHAEL DO THE NEXT
TIME HE'S BEING BULLIED?

Duane says I WOULD ENCOURAGE MICHAEL TO
SPEAK WITH AN ADULT THAT
HE CAN TRUST. IT WOULD BE EVEN
MORE HELPFUL
IF HE SPOKE WITH AN ADULT THAT
HE CAN TRUST
WHERE THE BULLYING WAS HAPPENING
OR WHO HAPPENS
TO KNOW THE BULLIES.
MAYBE A PARENT, A GUARDIAN, A
TEACHER, A PIANO INSTRUCTOR,
A HOCKEY COACH, SOMEONE THAT
HE FEELS COMFORTABLE
TALKING TO.
HE DESERVES AN OPPORTUNITY
TO BE HEARD.
HE ALSO DESERVES AN
OPPORTUNITY TO FEEL SAFE.

Akin says I THINK MICHAEL SHOULD
BE ABLE TO PLAY
HOWEVER HE WANTS.

Duane says I TOTALLY AGREE
WITH YOU.
ONLY MICHAEL CAN CHOOSE WHAT
HOBBIES HE'D LIKE TO PURSUE.
AND THAT MEANS NOBODY HAS A
RIGHT TO LIMIT
HIM EXPLORING THE INTERESTS THAT
HE HAS IN CERTAIN HOBBIES.
ACTING, SINGING, DANCING BALLET,
ARE FOR ANYONE
WHO MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN
THOSE ACTIVITIES.
MY HOPE IS THAT HE'LL CONTINUE
TO DEVELOP HIS SKILLS
IN THE AREAS THAT INTEREST HIM
BUT ALSO CONTINUE
TO RAISE HIS VOICE WHENEVER HE
NEEDS SUPPORT.

Akin says MICHAEL WANTS TO BE HIMSELF BUT
HE ALSO WANTS TO AVOID
CONFLICT WITH THE BULLIES.
HOW CAN HE DO BOTH?

Duane says SOMETIMES BEING YOURSELF,
REQUIRES YOU TO BE BRAVE.
MY HOPE IS THAT HE SURROUNDS
HIMSELF WITH
ADULTS THAT HE CAN TRUST AND
OTHER FRIENDS
THAT WILL SUPPORT HIM IN
ANYTHING THAT HE CHOOSES
TO PURSUE.

Akin grabs his binoculars and says GOOD ADVICE DUANE.
BUT I STILL WISH THESE BAD
BOYS COULD SEE
THROUGH TIME AND SPACE.

(music plays)

He looks at Duane and says WAIT I THINK I'M GETTING
SOMETHING?

(music plays)
[FANFARE]

(music plays)

Now Akin meets with friends in the basement and says GOOD FRIENDS WILL HAVE YOUR BACK
NO MATTER WHAT.
AND I WOULDN'T CHANGE A THING
ABOUT MY PALS.
LIKE LIBBY, SHE LIKES TO SORT
HER TOYS.
SHE'D RATHER ORGANIZE THEM THAN
PLAY WITH THEM.

Libby is in her early teens, with long straight blond hair and wears jeans and a striped sweater.

Akin says AND AIESHA, SHE'S ONE OF THE
KINDEST KIDS I KNOW.
SHE VOLUNTEERS AT HOSPITAL FOR
SICK KIDS.

Aiesha is in her early teens, with long straight brown hair and wears yellow trousers, a green sweater and a denim jacket.

Akin says AND JAHSEAN, HE'S A TALENTED
MUSICIAN.
HE LIKES TO CREATE BEATS ON HIS
COMPUTER.

Jahsean is in his early teens with braided brown hair and wears blue and black sweatpants and a printed red sweater.

Akin says SO GUYS HOW DID YOU FEEL
LISTENING TO MICHAEL'S STORY?

Libby says I FELT BAD FOR HIM.
I MEAN YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO DO
WHATEVER YOU WANT.
AND IT'S NOT VERY NICE FOR HIS
FRIENDS TO BE MAKING FUN OF
HIM FOR THAT.

Akin says YEAH, WHAT ABOUT YOU AIESHA?

Aiesha says I FEEL SAD BECAUSE I THINK THAT
EVERYONE HAS THEIR DIFFERENT
PERSONALITY, OPINIONS OF OTHER
THINGS AND I THINK
THAT HE SHOULD JUST BE HIMSELF.

Akin says AND YOU JAHSEAN?

Jahsean says I FEEL BAD BECAUSE HE'S
DOING WHAT HE WANTS TO DO
AND PEOPLE ARE MAKING FUN
OF HIM.

Akin says WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF SOMEONE WAS
PICKING ON YOUR FRIEND?

Aiesha says WELL I WOULD TELL THE BULLY TO
STOP AND
PROTECT BY FRIEND CAUSE EVERYONE
WANTS TO DO WHAT
THEY WANT TO DO, LIKE IF THEY
LIKE THEIR HOBBIES
THEN THAT'S GREAT. IF ART IS
THEIR HOBBY THAT'S FINE.

Libby says I WOULD MAKE SURE THAT THE BULLY
KNOWS THAT WHAT THEY'RE DOING
IS NOT GOOD AND THAT THEY NEED
TO STOP.
AND THEN I WOULD TALK TO MY
FRIEND AND TELL THEM
IT'S OKAY AND THEY CAN BE
WHOEVER THEY WANT TO BE
AND IT DOESN'T MATTER WHAT OTHER
PEOPLE THINK.

Akin says DO YOU GUYS THINK THAT THERE'S
SUCH A THING
AS BOY ACTIVITIES AND
GIRL ACTIVITIES?

Jahsean says I WOULD SAY DO WHATEVER YOU
WANNA DO
BECAUSE THERE'S NO BOY AND
GIRL SPORTS.

Aiesha says I DON'T THERE ARE, LIKE SPECIFIC
ACTIVITIES TO
A GENDER, I THINK WHATEVER YOU
WANNA DO
YOU CAN DO. THERE'S A LOT OF, IF
YOUR HOBBIES IS A SINGER
THEN THERE'S A LOT OF BOY
SINGERS AND GIRL SINGERS.

Akin says IS THERE ANYTHING YOU WANT
MICHAEL TO KNOW?

Aiesha says I WANT MICHAEL TO KNOW THAT
EVERYONE'S UNIQUE,
EVERYONE HAS DIFFERENT
PERSONALITIES
AND HE COULD DO WHATEVER HE
WANTS TO DO.
IF HE ENJOYS IT THEN JUST LET
HIM BE.

Jahsean says I WOULD TELL MICHAEL, JUST
IGNORE THE PEOPLE
THAT ARE BULLYING YOU AND DO
WHAT YOU WANNA DO.

Libby says I WOULD MAKE SURE MICHAEL KNOWS
THAT IT REALLY DOESN'T MATTER
WHAT OTHER PEOPLE THINK OF YOU.
BECAUSE YOU ARE THE ONLY ONE IN
CHARGE OF YOUR BODY
WHEN IT COMES DOWN TO IT SO DO
WHATEVER YOU WANNA DO.

Akin says THANK YOU GUYS FOR SHARING.
AND MICHAEL, AS YOUR FRIENDS WE
WOULD NEVER JUDGE YOU.
BUT IF WE DID...

They all take out score card with 10 points.

(music plays)
[APPLAUSE]

Akin says YEAH! MICHAEL!

(music plays)

Back in his room, he says HEY GUYS.
YOU KNOW I DON'T HAVE A BUSINESS
BECAUSE I'M A KID!
BUT IF I DID HAVE A BUSINESS,
I'D LIKE TO BE IN THE BUSINESS
OF FEELING GOOD.
ONE THING THAT HELPS ME FEEL
GOOD IS
REPEATING POSITIVE AFFIRMATIONS
OR SAYINGS.
THINGS LIKE...
[HARP CHORD]
I CAN BE ANYTHING I WANT.
THAT'S A GOOD ONE. OR THERE'S
ALSO...
[HARP CHORD]
I FORGIVE MYSELF WHEN I MAKE
MISTAKES.
SEE, POSITIVE AFFIRMATIONS
CREATE GOOD FEELINGS
WHEN WE REPEAT THEM TO
OURSELVES.
YOU CAN SAY THEM OUT LOUD OR
PRIVATELY IN YOUR HEAD.
IT MIGHT SOUND SILLY THE FIRST
TIME BUT
IF YOU PRACTICE YOU'LL SEE WORDS
ARE POWERFUL THINGS.
GIVE IT A TRY!
TODAY I'M SENDING ALL MY FRIENDS
GOOD VIBES.

(music plays)

Now Akin and his friends play with dolls and action figures.

Akin says I DON'T KNOW ABOUT YOU GUYS BUT
I FEEL
LIGHT AS A FEATHER.
IT'S GOOD TO TALK ABOUT BIG
FEELINGS TOGETHER.
UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN.
KEEP THE FEELS REAL AND DON'T
FORGET TO BE YOURSELF.
WE WOULDN'T WANT YOU ANY
OTHER WAY.
(ALL TOGETHER)

They all shake their toys and say GOOD BYE! BYE! GOOD BYE!

Music plays as the end credits roll.

Copyright 2020, Riverbank Pictures.