Story Board, revised version
OS: everybody has highs and lows
OS: But like other ten millions, I am facing something different
OS:Bipolar disorder is a real illness, like cancer or diabetes
OS:The chemical imbalance in my brain makes my moods and energy shift
OS: severely.
OS: For people like me, life is a repeat cycle
OS:Between Mania
OS: and depression
OS: medical treatment is key
OS: However, finding the right one, is challenging
OS: People talk behind us, saying that we are crazy.
OS: We are not. we are just fighting a life-long battle that we been forced to fight
OS: you may not understand
OS: but you can be a friend
So this is the storyboard I've been working on this weekend. Ideally it will be a piece that combines motion graphic and 3d visual effect. Sorry if some transitions in between is not very clear right now. It took me a long time trying to make it informative and making sense in a way. I also took the suggestion of Ethan from midterm presentation and tried to make the OS sounds more personal.
If you happen to have bipolar syndrome, please answer these questions below for me, I will very much appreciate your comments and consider them seriously. Thanks in advance!!
- Can you understand the story?
- Can you relate your experience to this story? Which part can/cannot you relate to?
- What do you think about the visual metaphors (the meteors+giant octopus for mania, underwater for depression) I used in the story? Are they valid or exaggerate?
- Does this piece to some degree depict your situation? Or it fails to do that? Which part does it/ fail to ?
- What information would you add in this piece to help others understand bipolar disorder or people who have it better?
- Overall how do you feel about this story?
Comments
I wouldn't have used a giant octopus as a metaphor for my mania but I can see why you would have done that as it feels like your mind is all over the place with your thoughts racing a mile a minute. I visualize just many images flashing in front, a city street, bright colors, traffic noises getting bigger and bigger until you crash and it's silent. I do like how you describe depression as being underwater because it is like you are suffocating or just feeling nothing in my most severe depressions.
I would like it if people understood better that it is not a character flaw, that is seriously is just something up with the chemical make-up of my brain. Many asians see it as a personal failing and one should avoid that crazy person over there as if bipolar people were contagious. It is fear and lack of love and understanding that that person is also a human being who needs love and understanding.
Thank you for trying to educate the public and I wish you the best on your endeavors.
i understand each describes it in hios own way.
i think of it as a really really dark picture with a small figure way down and everything is sort of swirling out of it and around it - again everything in black and grey.
I am a rare breed, Bipolar type I, but I have never experience true mania. I am on a very low dose of lithium, because I am very sensitive to my moods and when I feel something change I call the DR to get rx assistance.
I think a better metaphor for mania (water related) would be a whirlpool.(amazing, fast and you dont know where it leads), but I do think that the underwater is dead on for depression.
VALID- I think that outside understanding is important, but i think you should also stress the fact that we (the pb's) are so consumed with being normal that we dont want to take the meds. It is a social no-no to RELY on pills. And though this is a "disease" the follow through oftreatment of it is more important than anything else.
Like I had said, I dont suffer from "true manic episodes" But the underwater, the pressure, and the feeling of heavyness upon your body is totally right!
I have found within all of my readings, and there has been alot, people who are biploar are normally extremely intelligent, and really good multi-taskers. I know I am. I have been extremely successful in all of my employment and in college- it was a breeze, and then when an episode comes on I loose my sence of self. I cant control who I am, or who I want to be. I am just a big blob of clay, waiting for something within me to change back again, so that I can start over, pick up the pieces from what ever just happened and hope that the next one is really far away. I am still fairly young to be where I am in my treatment, I am now 28, and have been dx for 8 years now, Accepting my disease is not what makes me who I am is the hardest thing I have to struggle with.
I like your story and your overall goal- Good Luck!