Film as mood management

I typically feel at my best when I am working on a film. It simply makes me feel better. Perhaps its the ultimate way for me to deal with how life my be affecting me, positively or negatively (usually negatively). It's my medium of therapy, something everyone needs from time to time.

I see this most in my shorts "275" and "364." They were both direct responses to things that I was feeling. I personally believed that the best way to deal with these feelings and share them with others was to make a film.

In this sense, "364" is very closely related to "275." You can see this immediately in the name, and certainly in the short. Like "275," this new short takes place entirely in a dorm room. They are drastically different, however, and this is due to what I was feeling. It shaped the film entirely. In that sense, these are probably my two most personal films to date.

With this in mind, you'd think that I'd be offended that, for the first time, someone (anonymously) dislikes this short. Despite this film being incredibly personal, I feel as if that's expected. This doesn't have the energy of "275," and it's much more open. It's perhaps a little surprising. Surprise can often mean disappointment.

And that's okay, because perhaps this will touch people that feel the way that I felt while making this film. That's what being a creator is all about. Connecting with those that share what you've experience. Hopefully, it helps others understand.