Project Summary
My march madness process was unlike anything I’ve ever done. I’ve always loved films, yet I’d never created a fictional story and filmed by myself until now. To say that it was easy and that I loved every second of it would be a lie. There would be points where I was so tired from editing, filming, or even storyboarding that I wanted to quit and start fresh. I’m glad I didn’t. If there’s one thing I learned from this process, it would be that you won’t always love your project. Still, as you continue to work on it and ultimately finish it, the happiness that comes with saying “created by me” or “written” or whatever it is, is worth the previous struggle. When I first started this project, I was filled with so many ideas and questions, but what stuck with me the most was a word that my dad and I discovered. The word is “sonder,” and as I explained before, it means “the realization that each random passerby is living a life as vivid and complex as your own.” Both of us loved this word and immediately knew I wanted to incorporate it into my project. My main idea in the film was to convey how isolating mental health disorders can be, yet there can be comfort in knowing you aren’t really alone.
Since so many carry this similar feeling, I was hoping to show the simplicity of fixing separation through friendship. I read through Twitter threads, reading people’s life stories, and met with professionals to talk about OCD and Anorexia. As a person who doesn’t have either of these disorders, I wanted to be positive to portray them correctly. When I thought I was done writing my script, I quickly realized my editing portion had just begun. When filming, I went back and forth, making edits to the writing and the plotline. Finally, I realized my script was done when I sat down with all my footage. Through this process, I learned so much about myself and mental health disorders. My independent project was certainly unlike anything I’ve done, yet I think that’s what makes it great.
