jrowe

New Leaf is an animation that aims to educate about the signs of suicide, from a perspective we all know—nature. Weights of mental health struggles may feel like leaves piling up, frustration due to depression may feel like vines with thorns, and not being able to see the brightness of your future may be like being blinded by tall weeds. Even though all these feelings are overwhelming on your own, a little help from friends makes all the difference. Piles of leaves can blow away, vines can be cut, and weeds parted—just like a friend can be there for you to emotionally vent, verbally support, and physically hug. This displays both the themes of being the one to reach out and being the one to know the signs, as elaborated by the criteria. The vital hashtag is included at the end, as all the characters come together, and the end screen displays necessary resources. The symbolism used to elaborate the signs of suicide are essential to the core of this project, as it elucidates such a difficult topic to navigate in a sensitive and relatable way. Together, we can love, learn, and grow. We can turn over a new leaf.

My animated short film focuses on what a friend can do as a youth to help their friend considering suicide. This includes asking the friend directly if they are considering suicide, using the resources available to them at their school like the Wellness Center to get an adult involved and also providing their friend resources like the crisis number 988. As the creator of the film, I wanted the art style and music to really convey emotion and leave the viewers educated on what they can do to help prevent the suicide of someone they care about.