For my final Bachelor’s degree project in Animation, I created a short film exploring the subject of mental health, which was inspired by my own experiences. Rather than portraying the topic in a dark or macabre way, as many films and shorts surrounding mental health often do, I wanted to create something hopeful and comforting by focusing on the small things that bring me joy and help me through periods of depression. I used a soft pastel colour palette to reflect the importance of gentleness and self-compassion during difficult moments, while also representing the vulnerability involved in opening up about such a personal subject. The project was shaped not only by my personal experiences, but also by the research behind my dissertation, which explored whether animation and creativity can help reduce the stigma surrounding mental health.
A page off procreate that shows my ideas and thoughts before drawing up a storyboard.
A rough storyboard for the concepts I created for the animation.