(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)

In his room, Akin makes a sign and says KEEP OUT. KEEP OUT.
KEEP OUT.
OH HEY!
DON'T WORRY I WASN'T TALKING
TO YOU.
SPECIAL FRIENDS ARE ALWAYS
ALLOWED IN MY FEELING ZONE.
DO YOU WANNA MEET MY
FEELING ZONE VIP,
VERY IMPORTANT PAL?
SHE'S ALLOWED HER ANY TIME
SHE WANTS.
[BELL DINGS]

He pets his black dog and says THIS IS PATTY.
IT DOESN'T MATTER IF I'M
HAPPY, SAD, OR ANGRY,
PATTY ACCEPTS ME.
PETS ARE AWESOME LIKE THAT.
DOGS, CATS, LIZARDS, RABBITS,
AND EVEN CHICKENS.
I'VE GOT THIS FRIEND NAMED ELLA
AND SHE HAD A PET
NAMED DJ THE CHICKEN.
UNFORTUNATELY, DJ PASSED AWAY.
THAT MEANS HE DIED.
AND ELLA SAID I COULD TELL
YOU ABOUT IT.
(CLEARING THROAT)

(music plays)

An animation rolls as Akin tells the story.

Akin says ELLA HAD A VERY SPECIAL PET
NAMED DJ THE CHICKEN.
ELLA LOVED DJ.
SHE TAUGHT DJ HOW TO WALK UP
STAIRS AND WOULD FIX HIM UP
A SPECIAL SNACK CALLED
CHICKEN CAKES.
WHEN DJ PASSED AWAY ELLA
FELT VERY SAD.
SHE FELT LIKE MOST PEOPLE
THOUGHT CHICKENS
WERE MEANT TO BE EATEN
DJ MEANT TO HER.
WHEN DJ WAS BURIED SHE MADE A
SPECIAL STONE
AND LEFT IT FOR HIM.
ELLA REALLY MISSES HER
FRIEND DJ.

(music plays)

Now Akin sits with Patty in the backyard and says I WISH THERE WAS SOMEONE I
COULD TALK TO
WHO WOULD HAVE ADVICE FOR ELLA.
WHAT'S THAT PATTY?
[DOG GROWL]

Akin says OF COURSE, OUR BUDDY DUANE!
CAN YOU FIND HIM FOR ME GIRL?

Patty brings Duane.

Duane is in his thirties, with short straight black hair and wears jeans, a gray T-shirt and an unbuttoned blue shirt.

(music plays)

Duane says HI AKIN.

Akin says WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG?
ELLA WAS PRETTY SAD WHEN
SHE LOST HER PET.
WHAT WOULD YOU TELL ELLA IF
SHE WERE HERE?

Duane says I WOULD SAY "MY DEEPEST
CONDOLENCES FOR YOUR LOSS."
LOSING A PET THAT WE CARE
ABOUT IS NEVER EASY
AND I'M VERY SORRY THAT SHE'S
FEELING THE WAY SHE IS.
IT'S IMPORTANT FOR HER
TO CONTINUE TO
REACH OUT FOR SUPPORT
BECAUSE WE ALL DEAL WITH
GRIEF DIFFERENTLY.

Akin says WHAT'S GRIEF?

Duane says GRIEF IS OUR RESPONSE
TO LOSS,
ESPECIALLY IF THAT LOSS
IS OF SOMEONE
THAT WE REALLY CARED ABOUT
AND BUILT A CONNECTION WITH.

Akin says HUH, GOT IT.
HOW CAN ELLA DEAL WITH
HER GRIEF?

Duane says WELL THAT WILL DEPEND
ON ELLA.
THERE ARE MANY DIFFERENT WAYS
THAT PEOPLE MIGHT CHOOSE
TO TRY AND EXPRESS
THEIR GRIEF.
THEY MIGHT WRITE A LETTER
TO THEIR LOVED ONE
AND LET THEM KNOW HOW MUCH
THEY MEANT TO THEM.
OR THEY MIGHT LEAVE A
SPECIAL STONE OR AN ITEM
AT THE BURIAL SITE,
IF ONE EXISTS,
TO HELP THEIR LOVED ONE KNOW
THAT THEY REMEMBER THEM
AND THAT THEY'RE A
PART OF THEM.
WHATEVER HELPS ELLA TO
DEAL WITH HER GRIEF
IS THE IMPORTANT THING.

Akin says ELLA FELT LIKE A LOT OF PEOPLE
COULDN'T UNDERSTAND HOW SHE FELT
ABOUT DJ BECAUSE DJ WAS
A CHICKEN.

Duane says WELL, ELLA'S FEELINGS ARE
TOTALLY VALID
AND UNDERSTANDABLE.
NOBODY UNDERSTANDS THE
RELATIONSHIP THAT ELLA
SHARED WITH DJ
AND SO NOBODY HAS THE RIGHT TO
JUDGE OR BE INSENSITIVE.
AND IF SHE FEELS SAFE
ENOUGH TO DO THAT,
SHE MAY WANT TO LET THOSE
PEOPLE KNOW.

Akin says WHO CAN ELLA TALK TO ABOUT
HER GRIEF?

Duane says I WOULD ENCOURAGE HER TO
REACH OUT TO AN ADULT
THAT SHE FEELS COMFORTABLE
SHARING HER THOUGHTS
AND FEELINGS WITH.
MAYBE THAT'S A PARENT, OR A
GUARDIAN, A TEACHER,
MAYBE A PIANO INSTRUCTOR, ANY
ADULT THAT SHE FEELS
COMFORTABLE EXPRESSING
HER FEELINGS WITH.

Akin says I WISH I COULD'VE MET DJ.

Duane says ME TOO.

Akin says UP. UP.

Patty jumps up Akin's chest.

Duane says YAY.

(music plays)
[FANFARE]

(music plays)

Now Akin meets with this friends in the basement.

Akin says ISN'T IT COOL HOW ELLA FOUND A
FRIEND IN DJ THE CHICKEN?
FRIENDS ARE THE BEST TO TALK TO,
ESPECIALLY ABOUT FEELINGS,
LIKE MY PALS HERE.
SO EVERYONE, HOW DID ELLA'S
STORY MAKE YOU FEEL?

Curtis is around 7, with short wavy light brown hair and wears a yellow and gray sweater.

He says I FELT SAD FOR ELLA CAUSE SHE
REALLY LIKED HER CHICKEN.

Akin says WHAT ABOUT YOU ZOE?

Zoe is in her early teens, with pong braided brown hair and wears glasses and a yellow sweater.

She says I FELT SAD TOO BECAUSE
NOT MANY PEOPLE
HAVE SUCH A FRIENDSHIP WITH
A CHICKEN.

Owen is around 11, with short light brown hair and wears a gray sweater.

He says IT FELT EMOTIONAL TO ME BECAUSE,
UM, SHE LOVED, UM, DJ.

Akin says WHEN YOU GUYS FOUND OUT THAT
ONE OF ELLA'S BEST FRIENDS
WAS A CHICKEN, WHAT DID
YOU GUYS THINK?

Curtis says I THOUGHT THAT IT WAS NICE THAT
SHE LIKED THE CHICKEN
CAUSE MOST PEOPLE WANT TO KILL
CHICKENS
AND EAT THEM FOR DINNER.

Akin says ELLA REALLY MISSES DJ.
WHEN YOU GUYS MISS SOMEONE
OR SOMETHING,
WHAT DO YOU GUYS DO?

Zoe says WHEN I LOSE SOMEONE OR
SOMETHING I TRY TO THINK
ABOUT GOOD MEMORIES ABOUT THAT
PERSON AND JUST HAPPY TIMES.

Owen says I HAVE A FRIEND, UM, WHO WENT TO
SCHOOL WITH ME
AND NOW I MISS HIM,
SO I, UM, ASK IF I CAN HAVE A
SLEEPOVER WITH HIM.

Akin says HAVE YOU GUYS EVER FELT THE WAY
ELLA FELT ABOUT A PET?

Zoe says I'VE HAD THREE PET FISH, BUT I
WOULDN'T CALL IT
A VERY EMOTIONAL ATTACHMENT
BECAUSE I LOST THE SOLUTION
TO CLEAN THEIR BOWL, SO IT'S
BASICALLY MY FAULT
THAT THEY DIED, BUT YEAH.

Owen says I KNOW HOW SHE FELT BECAUSE I
HAD A DOG WHO PASSED AWAY
AND THEN I WAS SO EXCITED TO
SEE HIM,
BUT THEN WHEN MY PARENTS TOLD ME
THAT HE, UM, PASSED AWAY.
I WAS VERY SAD.

Akin says IF ELLA WERE HERE, WHAT WOULD
YOU GUYS SAY TO HER?

Curtis says I WOULD TELL HER THAT IT'S OKAY
TO BE SAD FOR YOUR PET,
BUT YOU CAN'T BE SAD FOR THE
REST OF YOUR LIFE
CAUSE THEN YOU'LL HAVE A

Zoe says BORING LIFE.
I WOULD TELL HER THAT EVEN
THOUGH OUR BODIES
MIGHT NOT LAST FOREVER,
GOOD MEMORIES AND GOOD TIMES
LAST FOREVER.

Owen says UM, IT'S OKAY TO
BE UPSET.
I KNOW HOW YOU FELT WHEN YOU HAD
TO SAY GOODBYE.

Akin says DO YOU GUYS WANT TO SEND A
MESSAGE TO ELLA?

They all say YEAH.
WE LOVE YOU DJ THE CHICKEN.

(music plays)

Back in his room, Akin says DO YOU EVER FEEL WORRIED ABOUT
SOMETHING?
OR MAYBE TWO THINGS?
OR MAYBE A MILLION THINGS AND
IT FEELS LIKE
YOUR HEAD IS BURSTING
WITH WORRIES?!
THAT'S OKAY, ME TOO.
WHEN I'VE GOT A BAD CASE OF
THE WORRIES
I MAKE A WORRY BOX AND I WRITE
DOWN ALL THE THINGS
THAT I'M WORRIED ABOUT.
I PUT THEM IN A SPECIAL
BOX, SEE?
UM, MATH TEST.
DENTIST APPOINTMENT.
ALIEN INVASION?
MY PARENTS ARE SECRETLY ROBOTS?!
UH, THE USUAL.
ONCE YOUR WORRIES ARE IN A BOX
YOU CAN TALK ABOUT THEM WITH
A FRIEND OR A PARENT.
THEN PUT YOUR BOX SOMEWHERE
SO THE WORRIES CAN'T GET OUT.
LIKE A CLOSET, OR UNDER
YOUR BED,
OR FIVE HUNDRED FEET BELOW
THE GROUND.
JUST MAKE SURE YOUR WORRIES
CAN'T GET OUT.
[ELECTRICAL SPARKS]

(music plays)

He pats his dog and says GOOD GIRL.
IT'S REALLY SAD TO LOSE A PET
AND IF YOUR FRIEND
LOSES THEIR PAL
IT'S GOOD TO BE THERE FOR THEM
IF THEY WANT TO TALK.
AND ANYTIME YOU'RE
FEELING A LOT
YOU KNOW WHERE TO FIND US.
WHAT SHOULD WE DO
NOW GIRL?
[BARK]

Akin says WELL YOU HEARD HER, LET'S GO!

Music plays as the end credits roll.

Copyright 2020, Riverbank Pictures.