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 "Fellings" 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?

Akin is buried in a pile of stuffed animals in his room.

He says HEY GUYS!
NOPE, DOWN HERE.
YEAH, YEAH, DOWN HERE.
I KNEW I HAD GUESTS COMING,
BUT I'M SO COZY.
WHEN I'M FEELING OVERWHELMED
AND WANNA HIDE
SOMEWHERE NO ONE CAN FIND ME,
I SURROUND MYSELF
WITH STUFFED PALS.
THEY'RE GREAT AT KEEPING
SECRETS.
EXCEPT YOU PROFESSOR
PORKINGTON.

A chair with a giant stuffed pig on it turns.

(VILLAIN THEME)

Akin says TURNING TO MY STUFFED FRIENDS
FEELS GREAT
WHEN I'M FEELING STRESSED.
HAVE YOU EVER FELT
STRESSED BEFORE?
STRESS IS WHEN YOU FEEL
REALLY WORRIED.
IT MAKES YOUR BODY FEEL
UNCOMFORTABLE.
MAYBE YOUR TUMMY HURTS OR
YOUR HEART FEELS
LIKE IT'S BEATING REALLY
REALLY FAST.
MY FRIEND ASHLEY TOLD ME SHE'S
FEELING STRESSED
ABOUT HER FRIENDS.
DO YOU WANNA TELL THEM
PROFESSOR?

(TRUMPETS)

Proffessor Porkington shakes its head.

Akin says OKAY, I WILL!

An animation rolls as Akin tells the story.

(music plays)

Akin says ASHLEY SOMETIMES HAS TROUBLE
SLEEPING AT NIGHT.
FRIENDS ARE
GOING TO FIND NEW FRIENDS THEY
LIKE MORE THAN HER.
ASHLEY'S FRIENDS DON'T ALWAYS
INCLUDE HER WHEN SHE'S
PLAYING AT SCHOOL AND IT MAKES
ASHLEY FEEL SAD.
OFTEN SHE SPENDS RECESS
AND LUNCH ALL ALONE.
ASHLEY DOESN'T WANT TO TELL
ANYBODY ABOUT HER PROBLEMS
WITH HER FRIENDS AND IT
FEELS STRESSFUL.

(music plays)

Now in his backyard, Akin plays with a pretend veggie barbecue and says AH, I LOVE TO COOK,
ESPECIALLY FOR MY PALS!
[SIZZLING GRILL]
BUT UNFORTUNATELY, NO ONE'S
AROUND TO TRY MY BEST,
MOST ICONIC DISH!
VEGGIES-A-LA-AKIN.

Duane walks in.

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

He says SMELLS GREAT!

Akin says DUANE!
GREAT TIMING!
I'VE BEEN MEANING TO TALK TO YOU
ABOUT ASHLEY'S STORY.
WHAT DID YOU THINK
ABOUT IT?

Duane says WELL YOU MENTIONED THAT
ASHLEY DOESN'T WANT
TO TELL ANYONE ABOUT
HER PROBLEMS
AND YET SHE WAS ABLE TO
CONFIDE IN YOU.
THAT SHOWS TREMENDOUS
COURAGE
AND YOU MUST BE A
TRUSTWORTHY FRIEND.

Akin says I AM.

Duane says OU KNOW SOMETIMES WHEN
WE EXPERIENCE STRESS
IT CAN IMPACT IMPORTANT AREAS
OF OUR LIVES, LIKE OUR EATING,
AND OUR SLEEP, AND EVEN
THE TIME THAT WE SPEND
WITH PEOPLE THAT WE
CARE ABOUT.
AND IT'S IN THOSE MOMENTS,
WHERE EVEN THOUGH
IT CAN BE DIFFICULT, I WOULD
MOST ADVISE THAT PEOPLE
TRY TO FIND SOMEONE THEY
CAN TRUST TO TALK TO.

Akin says WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU
GIVE TO ASHLEY?

Duane says WELL, FIRST I'D TELL ASHLEY
THAT WHAT SHE THINKS AND FEELS
IS VALID AND SHE DESERVES AN
OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD
AND THAT I HOPE SHE WOULD
CONTINUE TRYING TO
EXPRESS HERSELF WITH PEOPLE
THAT SHE CAN TRUST.
SECONDLY, I'D BE CURIOUS TO
KNOW IF ASHLEY'S FRIENDS
SAID OR DID SOMETHING TO MAKE
HER FEEL LIKE THEY DIDN'T
ENJOY BEING HER FRIEND.
YOU KNOW, PEOPLE MEET NEW
PEOPLE ALL THE TIME,
BUT EVEN IF ASHLEY'S
FRIENDS MAKE NEW FRIENDS
IT DOESN'T MEAN THAT THEY
DON'T WANT TO CONTINUE
TO BE HER FRIEND.

Akin says ANY OTHER ADVICE YOU'D
GIVE TO ASHLEY?

Duane says YEAH, THE THIRD THING THAT
I WOULD TELL HER IS
TO BE CONFIDENT!
YOU KNOW, HER FRIENDS CHOSE TO
BE HER FRIEND FOR A REASON.
THEY ALSO CHOSE TO PUT TIME
AND EFFORT INTO A FRIENDSHIP
AND SHE SHOULD REMEMBER
THAT SHE'S A GREAT FRIEND
WHO DESERVES GREAT
FRIENDSHIPS.

Akin says HMM, CONFIDENCE, ANY CONFIDENCE
TIPS FOR ASHLEY?

Duane says WELL IT TAKES PATIENCE AND
IT TAKES TIME TO BUILD
CONFIDENCE, BUT ONE GREAT WAY
TO DO IT IS TO CONTINUE TO
CONTRIBUTE TO THINGS THAT
MATTER TO YOU.
WHETHER THAT'S FRIENDS,
OR FAMILY, OR SCHOOL,
OR MAYBE A COMMUNITY OR
RESOURCE CENTRE,
AND AGAIN IT TAKES TIME,
I HOPE SHE CAN BE
PATIENT WITH HERSELF.

Akin says THANKS DUANE!
[CRUNCH]

He bites one of his plastic veggies and says UGH, OVERCOOKED.

(music plays)
[FANFARE]

(music plays)

Now Akin sits in the basement with friends and says SOUNDS LIKE SOME GREAT ADVICE
FOR ASHLEY,
RIGHT GUYS?

The kids say YEAH!

Akin says BUT WHAT DID YOU
GUYS THINK?
HOW DID ASHLEY'S STORY
MAKE YOU FEEL?

Izzy is around 12, with shoulder-length straight brown hair with bangs and wears floral leggings and a pale pink sweater.

She says UM, IT MADE ME FEEL SAD
AND LIKE BAD FOR HER.
LIKE IF I WAS IN ASHLEY'S SHOES
I WOULD FEEL HOW SHE FELT, LIKE
'DISCLUDED' AND SAD.

Ella is around 11, with shoulder-length straight fair hair and wears chevron leggings and a blue sweater.

She says IF I WERE IN HER SHOES I WOULD
JUST TRY TO GO OFF AND FIND
SOME NEW FRIENDS AND MAYBE
THEY'LL COME BACK FOR YOU.

Akin says WHAT ABOUT YOU ELI?
DO YOU EVER FEEL STRESSED AND
CAN'T FALL ASLEEP?

Eli is around 11, with short curly brown hair and wears beige trousers and a teal blue hooded sweatshirt.

He says YES, I DO A LOT
OF TIMES
AND I'M JUST SCARED
A LOT OF TIMES BECAUSE THERE'S
LIKE SCARY STUFF THAT
COULD HAPPEN.

Izzy says I CAN FEEL THE SAME
WAY SOMETIMES,
EXCEPT ABOUT DIFFERENT
THINGS.
LIKE I'LL WORRY ABOUT,
LIKE, STUFF
LIKE CLIMATE CHANGE EVEN WHEN
I'M FALLING ASLEEP.

Akin says HOW DOES STRESS MAKE YOU
GUYS FEEL?

Izzy says IT MAKES ME FEEL ANXIOUS
AND NERVOUS
FOR SOMETHING THAT'S COMING
UP AHEAD.

Eli says IT MAKES ME FEEL NERVOUS
AND LIKE SHY A LOT.

Ella says IT MAKES ME FEEL UPSET AND
NERVOUS AND ANXIOUS
FOR STUFF THAT I'M GONNA
MESS UP.

Akin says WHEN YOU'RE FEELING ANXIOUS
AND CAN'T SLEEP,
WHAT DO YOU DO?

Eli says I GO ON MY TV AND I JUST
WATCH MY FAVOURITE SHOWS
AND THEN IT JUST LIKE
DISAPPEARS AND IT FLIES OFF.
AND THEN IF THAT DOESN'T
WORK I ASK MY MOM
IF I CAN SLEEP WITH HER.

Ella says SOMETIMES WHEN I CAN'T SLEEP
I TRY TO LIE IN BED
AND JUST CLOSE MY EYES,
BUT IF THAT DOESN'T WORK
I USUALLY GO DOWN
AND ASK MY MOM, AND I
EITHER READ A BOOK
OR TAKE A DRINK CALLED CALM THAT
HELPS YOU SLEEP.

Akin says IF ASHLEY WERE HERE WHAT WOULD
YOU WANT TO TELL HER?
IZZY?

Izzy says UM...I'D WANT TO TELL HER THAT
IF HER FRIENDS WERE
BEING MEAN THEN I WOULD TELL
HER TO GET A NEW
GROUP OF FRIENDS, IF THOSE ONES
AREN'T BEING NICE TO HER.

Akin says YEAH.
WHAT ABOUT YOU ELLA?

Ella says I WOULD PROBABLY TELL HER TO GO
FIND SOME NEW FRIENDS
AND MAYBE WALK AROUND
ASKING PEOPLE IF
SHE COULD PLAY
WITH THEM.

Eli says I WOULD JUST TELL HER
TO IGNORE THEM,
WHO CARES IF THEY'RE
BEING MEAN,
JUST FIND NEW FRIENDS, A
GROUP OF FRIENDS.

Akin says WELL ASHLEY HAS FOUR FRIENDS
RIGHT HERE, RIGHT GUYS?

They all say YEAH!

(music plays)

Back in his room, Akin talks to himself in front of the mirror and says AKIN YOU'RE FUN TO HANG
OUT WITH
AND YOU'RE AN AWESOME
SINGER
AND YOU TRY HARD TO BE A
GOOD FRIEND.
BUSTED.
I KNOW I'M TALKING TO
MYSELF, BUT I'M NOT
ONLY TALKING TO MYSELF, I'M
PRACTICING SOMETHING CALLED
POSITIVE SELF TALK.
SOMETIMES WE CAN FOCUS ON THINGS
THAT WE DON'T LIKE
ABOUT OURSELVES, BUT WHEN I'M
FEELING SAD OR BAD
I LIKE TO TALK TO MYSELF LIKE I
TALK TO MY BEST FRIENDS.
LOTS OF COMPLIMENTS.
WHY NOT TRY IT?
SHOW YOURSELF SOME LOVE WHEN
YOU NEED IT.
TELL YOU WHAT YOU LIKE
ABOUT YOU.

(music plays)
[BOWLING PINS FALLING]

Now akin plays bowling in the basement with his friends.

Akin says STRIKE!
WAY TO GO!
I'M GLAD YOU ALL CAME OUT TO
HANG OUT WITH ME TODAY.
YOU MAKE ME FEEL LIKE IT'S
OKAY TO FEEL
AND THAT FEELS GREAT!
BYE!
ALRIGHT, NOW WHO'S NEXT?

They all say ME! ME! ME!

Akin gives the ball to Eli and says OKAY.

They all cheer and say ELI! ELI! ELI! ELI! ELI!
[BOWLING PINS FALLING]

Eli hits a strike.

Akin says YES!
STRIKE!

(music plays)

Music plays as the end credits roll.

Copyright 2020, Riverbank Pictures.