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?

Akin says HEY FRIENDS, WELCOME TO THE
FEELINGS ZONE.
I'VE GOT A BIG DANCE
RECITAL COMING UP
BUT IT'S A MONTH AWAY!
[marker squeak]
He crosses a day in a calendar.

Akin says BASICALLY NEXT YEAR...
PIECE OF CAKE.
[clock ticking]
IT'S GETTING CLOSER, BUT I'VE
BEEN PRACTICING HARD.
WHAT COULD GO WRONG, RIGHT?
RIGHT?!
DO YOU EVER GET WORRIED ABOUT
PERFORMING
IN FRONT OF CROWDS?
YOU KNOW, STAGE FRIGHT?
LOTS OF PEOPLE DO.
IN FACT, MY FRIEND MADDIE
PERFORMED IN A SCHOOL PLAY
AND SHE WAS PRETTY NERVOUS.
ALLOW ME TO TELL YOU MORE.

An animation rolls as Akin tells the story.

Akin says MADDIE HAD A BIG SCHOOL
PLAY COMING UP
AND SHE WAS NERVOUS.
SHE DIDN'T WANT HERSELF OR
ANYONE ELSE
TO MAKE A MISTAKE.
SOMEONE ELSE'S LINE
WHICH MADE HER FEEL SCARED.
SHE WANTED EVERYONE IN HER
PLAY TO DO WELL.
MADDIE WENT ON STAGE AND DID
A GOOD JOB.
[camera shutter]
WHICH MADE HER FEEL BRAVE
AND PROUD.

In the backyard, Akin says WHAT A STORY!
MADDIE WAS NERVOUS AND SCARED
ABOUT HER PLAY
BUT SHE STUCK WITH IT!
BRAVO MADDIE, BRAVO!
[hand clapping]
DUANE!

Duane is in his thirties, with short straight black hair and wears jeans, a red jacket and a blue sweater.

Duane says AKIN!

Akin says GREAT TIMING!
WHAT A PERFORMANCE BY
MADDIE, RIGHT?

Duane says YOU SAID IT.

Akin says SHE WAS PRETTY NERVOUS BUT
SHE STILL TRIED HER BEST.

Duane says MADDIE'S STORY WAS SO
INSPIRATIONAL.
I THINK THAT THERE ARE A
FEW LESSONS THAT WE CAN
ALL TAKE AWAY FROM THIS
INCREDIBLE EXPERIENCE.

Akin says WHAT LESSONS
ARE THOSE?

Duane says WELL FOR STARTERS, IT SOUNDS
LIKE BEING A PART OF
A BIG SCHOOL PLAY MEANT A
LOT TO MADDIE.
I SAY THAT BECAUSE SHE CLEARLY
WANTED IT TO GO WELL.
I THINK IT'S WONDERFUL WHEN
PEOPLE PURSUE ACTIVITIES
THAT THEY REALLY ENJOY.
IT'S GREAT FOR SELF-CARE.

Akin says WAIT... WHAT'S
SELF-CARE AGAIN?

Duane says SELF-CARE ARE THOSE ACTIVITIES
THAT WE DO IN ORDER
TO TAKE CARE OF
OURSELVES.
THAT WAY WE CAN BE READY FOR
THE NEXT CHALLENGE.

Akin says RIGHT!
WHAT DO YOU DO FOR
SELF-CARE DUANE?

Duane says I LOVE PLAYING HOCKEY,
I LOVE TO READ,
AND SPEND TIME WITH
MY FAMILY.

Akin says MADDIE FELT WORRIED AND
SCARED, THEN PROUD,
WHAT A RIDE!

Duane says WE MIGHT FEEL NERVOUS, OR
SCARED, OR PROUD AT TIMES,
WHAT'S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER
IS WHAT WE FEEL
IS VALID AND WE DESERVE AN
OPPORTUNITY TO BE HEARD
AND MADDIE EXEMPLIFIED THAT VERY
WELL BY TELLING US THIS STORY.

Akin says WHAT CAN MADDIE DO IF SHE'S
FEELING NERVOUS
TO PERFORM AGAIN?

Duane says WE MIGHT FEEL NERVOUS OR
AFRAID, WE MIGHT EVEN DOUBT
OURSELVES AT TIMES, BUT ALL
THAT ANYONE CAN ASK IS
THAT WE WORK HARD,
DO OUR BEST,
AND BELIEVE IN
OURSELVES,
AND AS MADDIE SHOWED SOMETIMES
WE CAN ACCOMPLISH
REALLY OUTSTANDING THINGS,
AND THE RESULTS,
MUCH LIKE MADDIE EXPERIENCED,
CAN BE OUTSTANDING,
AND MY HOPE IS THAT MADDIE
REMEMBERS MOVING
FORWARD THAT AMIDST GREAT
CHALLENGES
SHE CAN DO GREAT
THINGS.

Akin says I GUESS THERE'S ONLY ONE
THING LEFT TO SAY.

They clap and say WELL DONE MADDIE!

Akin says GREAT JOB!

Duane says GOOD JOB!

[fanfare]

Now, in the basement, Akin says THANKS DUANE.
I GIVE THAT ADVICE TWO THUMBS UP
AND FOR AN ENCORE,
I PRESENT A REAL CAST OF
CHARACTERS, MY PALS!
HEY GUYS!

Kids say HELLO.

Akin says HOW DID MADDIE'S STORY MAKE
YOU GUYS FEEL?

Yshia is around 12 years old, with black hair tied-up. She wears a blue T-shirt under an orange jacket.

Yshia says I THOUGHT OF THE TIME WHEN
I WENT ON STAGE FOR THE FIRST
TIME AND I FELT VERY
STRESSED OUT.
SO, I AGREE WITH MADDIE BECAUSE
I FELT THE SAME THING.

Akin says CAN YOU GUYS DESCRIBE HOW IT
FEELS TO BE NERVOUS?

Izzy is around 12 years old, with curly black hair. He wears an orange shirt.

Izzy says AH, YES I CAN
ACTUALLY.
WHEN I FEEL NERVOUS
MY STOMACH
KIND OF FLIPS AND I KIND OF FEEL
LIKE I WANNA THROW UP,
OR MY HEART STARTS BEATING
A LOT, VERY FAST.

Yshia says USUALLY, I START SHAKING
LIKE THIS AND MY TEETH
START CHATTERING.
SO IT'S USUALLY THAT, OR I START
DOING THIS,

She joins her index fingers and continues OR LIKE PICKING MY FINGERS, OR
SOMETHING LIKE THAT.

Rhys is around 12 years old, with blond hair. He wears a white woollen jacket.

Rhys says IT'S LIKE I, MY STOMACH HURTS
AND I KEEP SHATTERING...
SHIVERING AND MY NAILS DIG
INTO MY BODY,
SO IT'S A ROUGH TIME FOR ME WHEN
I GET NERVOUS.

Akin says SO WHAT DO YOU GUYS DO WHEN
YOU'RE FEELING NERVOUS?

Yshia says WELL, USUALLY I THINK OF
SOMETHING HAPPY OR FUNNY,
SO MAYBE LIKE I WOULD THINK
OF ICE CREAM,
MY FAVOURITE ICE CREAM, OR I
WOULD THINK OF THIS FUNNY SHOW
OF MONKEYS THAT I WOULD WATCH
WHEN I WAS LITTLE.

Rhys says SO WHAT I WOULD DO IS BREATHE IN
FOR THREE SECONDS.
LET'S ALL DO IT TOGETHER.
[inhaling]
HOLD.
BREATHE OUT.
[exhaling]
AND I DO THAT THREE TIMES AND
THEN THAT WOULD USUALLY
HELP ME BE VERY CALM AND I'D
USUALLY DO IT, AMAZING.

Akin says IS THERE ANY MESSAGES YOU GUYS
WANT TO DELIVER TO MADDIE?

Yshia says YEAH, I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THAT
I'M PROUD OF HER
BECAUSE SHE JUST WENT THERE AND
SHE JUST WENT THROUGH IT
BECAUSE SOME PEOPLE CAN'T
DO THAT,
IT'S LIKE IT'S TOO HARD.

Izzy says I ACTUALLY HAVE SOMETHING TO
SAY TO HER.
IF YOU'RE NERVOUS THERE'S STILL
PEOPLE THAT ARE GONNA
BE WATCHING YOU AND THEY'RE
GONNA CHEER YOU ON
AND THEY'RE GONNA SAY THAT
YOU DID SO GREAT
AFTER YOU GET OFF
THAT STAGE.

Akin says WHAT ABOUT YOU RYS?

Rhys says WELL, MADDIE, YOU DID A
GREAT JOB,
IT'S OKAY TO BE NERVOUS
SOMETIMES,
BUT YOU'RE MORE
SELF-CONFIDENT NOW.

Akin says YOU GUYS DID SUCH A
GREAT JOB!
STAND UP AND TAKE A BOW!

[crowd applause]

Now, Akin writes a note.

Akin says ABOUT YOUR RECITAL,
BUT THAT'S OKAY LOTS OF PEOPLE
GET NERVOUS.
NO MATTER WHAT HAPPENS, YOU CAN
GO OUT THERE,
TRY YOUR BEST, AND MOST
IMPORTANTLY HAVE FUN.
LOVE, AKIN.
I WAS JUST WRITING A LETTER
TO AKIN.
THAT'S RIGHT, ME!
SEE, SOMETIMES WE'RE NICER
TO OTHER PEOPLE
THAN WE ARE TO
OURSELVES.
SO, IF YOU WRITE A LETTER TO
YOURSELF LIKE
YOU'RE WRITING A LETTER TO
YOUR FRIEND,
WE CAN BE MUCH NICER!
SO THE NEXT TIME YOU DECIDE
TO BE A REAL MEANIE
TO YOURSELF, WRITE A LETTER!
YOU MIGHT THANK YOU.
SPECIAL DELIVERY!
THANKS AKIN, I LOVE
GETTING MAIL!

Izzy, Rhys and Yshia clap rhythmically.

Akin says FIVE, SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT.
ONE, TWO, THREE, FOUR, FIVE,
SIX, SEVEN, EIGHT.
MY PALS ARE HELPING ME PRACTICE
JUST ONE MORE TIME
AND THANKS TO MADDIE'S BRAVERY
ON THE STAGE
AND BRAVERY SHARING HER STORY,
I'M READY TO FACE THE MUSIC!
AND REMEMBER, IT'S OKAY TO
FEEL NERVOUS,
OR HAPPY, OR SCARED, OR ANGRY,
OR ANYTHING!
THE SHOW MUST GO ON!
SEE YOU SOON!
COME ON, GUYS!

(music plays)
They all dance.

Music plays as the end credits roll.

Copyright 2020, Riverbank Pictures.