no, the sun

This project is my second short film, which I produced, directed, and acted in for the New Mexico Film Prize Jr. Festival. My goal was to tell a story inspired by what I had observed in many people at the time—a sense of emotional exhaustion and detachment.

The story centers on a character who feels depressed and emotionally drained, becoming closed off to new experiences. This character, hurt by past detachment from someone or something meaningful, resists stepping outside their comfort zone. They grow self-guarded, shielding themselves from the uncertainties of life.

I introduced an alter ego—a confident, driven, and optimistic version of the main character. This alter ego challenges and shocks the character, showing them what they could become. It forces them to confront their fears, ultimately leading them to venture outside, dig their fingers into the sand, and realize that life, though full of challenges and losses, also offers rewards and growth through those obstacles.

Reflection:
In the end, I learned a lot about myself as an artist through this project. Working with a supervisor was a valuable experience—I appreciated their insights and opinions. However, one of the reasons this video lacks coherence is that I took their feedback too much to heart and altered my story to align more with their perspective. As a result, the original vision was somewhat diluted. Additionally, as a visual storyteller, I’ve realized that dialogue isn’t my strongest suit, which left parts of the story without enough context.