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I was commissioned to create a short animation for Tommy's charity in collaboration with Stillbirth Stories.
The film is part of a series titled The Baby Loss Series which aims to raise awareness of baby loss and help those affected feel more supported. This was a highly sensitive project to work on, and it was extremely important to listen to the experiences and opinions of both Tommy's/Stillbirth Stories and that of the parents involved in the project to make sure the film I made was informative, supportive and reflective of baby loss experience.
I began by researching experiences of baby loss, using testimonials from Tommy's and Stillbirth Stories websites as a kick-off point. I found the testimonials to be hard-hitting and honest, and felt overwhelmed in my responsibility to honour the reality of these people's situations and the trauma of dealing with baby loss. I picked up on key themes I wanted to address in my film; feelings of isolation, anxiety over planning for the future, disconnection from the acceptance of pregnancy, and tension on relationships between partners during pregnancy.
Rough Storyboard
After meeting with Tommy's/Stillbirth Stories to pitch my rough storyboard, I set off to begin working on my animation. I decided to focus on using the physicality of the characters movements to help push the narrative, as many testimonials explained that they found it extremely hard to open up and talk about their feelings. I decided the best setting for my film would be a hospital, as there are a much higher number of appointments scheduled for couples who have issues with baby loss. I wanted the colour palette to be pastel toned to signify the colours normally assosciated with pregnancy. I wanted this to contradict against the anxiety felt by the characters.
Final Storyboard
During the making of the animation, I decided to include more close-up shots of the main character's face to ensure the audience would read the anxiety they were feeling. I felt this contrasted nicely with the wide angle shots and would help to make the audience resonate with the main character in those moments. Hands are featured prominently throughout the film as a visual signifier of the care offered to parents during pregnancy. I also decided to include rainbows throughout my film, as these are often used to describe the birth of a baby after experiencing baby loss.
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