I’m Having Trouble Processing This
Sarah del Valle
I’m Having Trouble Processing This is a short animated film directed and produced by Sarah del Valle.
Duration: 4m 21s
Medium: 2D digital animation, stop-motion sets and oil pastel on paper.
Synopsis:
After an unexpected breakup, Gwen has slipped into a self-destructive rut. She’s desperate for any levity, even desperate enough to fall for one of Sybil’s tacky late night TV ads advertising her unusual counselling service. Through Sybil’s rude and goading approach to therapy paired alongside a journey into her mind-scape, Gwen is able to take the first step of a long journey towards self-acceptance
Credits:
- Sybil: Heather Dewald
- Gwen: Sarah del Valle
- Additional Oil Pastel Animation: Natalie Lait
Project Stills:
Director’s Statement:
I was inspired to write this story after an unexpected breakup of my own. In case it isn’t obvious, Gwen is based heavily on me and how I felt during the months following it. It’s a story that’s near and dear to my heart, writing Gwen’s slow and painful journey out of her self-destructive spiral helped me push out of my own.
Although the story is about Gwen, I think Sybil is a crucial supporting character. She’s there to provide both myself and the audience with moments of levity, as well as poke fun at the absurdity of depression and self-pity. She keeps the story snappy and is a good counterpart to Gwen’s reserved and defensive personality.
Overall, this film is as much my journey as it is Gwen’s. Writing the script was a way for me to express the feelings I had trouble processing in my everyday life. I’d like to think I handled myself better than Gwen did, but our feelings are one in the same. I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to bring this story to life. I hope that the heart of the film speaks to the audience as much as it does to me.
BTS:
This project was a project of many firsts. I wanted to take advantage of the school resources in my final year and incorporate as much physical media as I could. The mind-scape sections are animated entirely with oil pastel on paper and the backgrounds in the real world are hand built miniature sets. Both were entirely new processes with steep learning curves and a lot of re-attempts.
