Reflections

This is Reflections, my final year project at the University of Hertfordshire. A film about the struggle and anxieties of dealing with creating, be it the self-loathing that comes with creative block or dealing with online abuse aimed at you and your work in the day and age of social media.

Jay, a musician, contends with with creative block when trying to  write a new song, manifestations of his anxiety, and the pressure from others listening to his work and critiquing it and him, make his sense of reality waver as he sinks into his own mind, coming face to face with a dark reflection of himself that tries to overwhelm him.

Some of the major concept pieces I did for the film. 

A concept piece for a cut moment where the build up of Jay's stress and frustration causes his head to overload and blow his top off, leaving his brain showing and smoking from being overused and yet unable to come up with an idea.

The original idea for Jay sinking into his own mind with the hands pulling him further below.

The eyeballs that served to represent the intense feeling of being constantly watched by people online. 

The development of Jay's design for the film, initial sketches ended up being close to what I had in mind for him, though I tried to ensure he had a hint of nervousness and anxiety inside the outward cool trendy musician persona he goes for.

These concept sketches and extra character design were part of my original concept to have the somewhat mind bending aspects be part of someone going through a panic attack at a concert, with his friend saving him at the end. While I liked the ideas, the story felt less personal and intimate than I wanted and I also preferred the idea of the main character overcoming his mental hurdles himself as I think that's something a lot of people have had too do the last couple of years.