M.I. (mental illnesses)
11/24/2020
M.I. is a short film that includes visual representations projected on multiple people of their experiences going through certain mental illnesses. M.I. is meant to be read as “ME” to show the public that the scenes represent the individuals' experiences; It is their way of saying, “This is me. I go through this. This is what I feel.” While the main medium focus is the use of projection mapping, rear projection and basic filmmaking techniques are used to ensure that the individuals' experiences are expressed as accurately as possible in digital art means. While their experiences can be expressed through other art mediums, it is to my personal aesthetic that their stories be told through a short film in which projection will help them tell their story visually rather than explaining their experiences through words.
This project was not created to beautify these experiences, for they shouldn't be “glorified” in any way, shape, or form. This project was made to bring awareness to the public that these feelings are real and help the public (who don't experience any type of mental illness) understand them from different people's point of view.
The overall inspiration for this project comes from my own experiences of M.I.s and how some people have reacted in response to me explaining my story to them. (These included making me feel like I was being dramatic, being crazy, or seeking attention). As a result, I created this project for those who do experience a M.I.. This project is to assure them that their experiences are completely valid and that they are not alone. The significance of the heart beating is to show that we’re all the same from the inside, in which our M.I.s shouldn’t affect how people see us.
M.I.'s main message is to explain that “it's okay to not be okay.”
It is important that I state that this is the project's main message because some people need to be told that their healing time has no deadline; The people who experience these feelings can take all the time they need to feel secure, happy, and healthy. We all need to heal and get better (not just for ourselves but for the people that we may be affecting as well), but it is important that the people who are the hosts of these M.I.s know that this matter involves the self before anything else.
I hope to make this project a continuous work and find more people who experience different “mental illnesses” to show the public that there are definitely more people than we think that go through a M.I..