Personal Short Film
An intimate look at the pressures of social anxiety
Role
Full Production Studio
TOOLS
After Effects, Photoshop
SKILLS
Concept Development, 2D Animation
When posed with an open-ended project in regard to “Where do we go from here?” I decided to create an animated digital collage to Bon Iver’s song, iMi, using vintage magazines. Created as an academic studio project in response to the pandemic, this piece addresses social anxiety and cognitive dissonance for feeling less stress in a troubled time and the trouble of reintegrating into society as the world reopens.
Narrative Structure
As someone whose anxiety decreased during the pandemic, I was concerned with how I would adapt as the world returned to “normal.” I used a loose circular narrative structure and overwhelming visuals with peaceful interstitials to create moments of confusion and conflicting tension. We begin by being introduced to a perspective that was born anxiously aware and the initial stress of the pandemic followed by moments of relief and understanding. From there, it alternates between calm and active scenes, much my like own journey, and touches on acceptance and the beginning of therapeutic treatment only to be interrupted by overwhelming environments and we return to a similar place where we started. While not an optimistic take on experience, I feel it most accurately represents the daily ups and downs of living with anxiety.
Song Choice
iMi by Bon Iver, 2019
Celebrates “the comfort of familiarity” Album Review: Bon Iver’s ‘i,i’ - For Pitchfork by Zack Rustin
Reflects Justin Vernon’s struggle with anxiety and self-doubt.
In the fall of 2016, after dealing with crippling anxiety and depression, he “took a couple months off drinking, got into therapy, got on medication.” iMi Genius
Articles Used for Inspiration
"Personally, I have done surprisingly well throughout the pandemic," one socially anxious client told me recently. "Of course, the Covid-19-related illness and deaths are awful. But personally, day to day, I feel much better, much calmer. If this feeling continues for years, that's more than fine by me."
The U.S. Is Opening Up. For the Anxious, That Comes With a Cost. - For NY Times by Matt Richtel
Even as he grieved the pandemic’s toll, he found lockdown life to be a respite.
“There is cognitive dissonance to feeling good in the middle of the pandemic,” he said.
Social Anxiety in the Time of COVID-19 - April Cox
Social distancing as a form of avoidance does not help an individual use proper coping skills when faced with situations that cause social anxiety.