EXHIBITION STATEMENT

INTRODUCTION: What do you think of when you think of bipolar disorder? The word “crazy” may come to mind, as well as some less-than-favorable depictions of the disorder in the media. Although many people suffer from bipolar disorder (BD), they are often misrepresented as crazy and dangerous. This can lead those suffering to feel alone. When I was diagnosed with BD a year ago, those negative media representations were my only references to what being bipolar was. My diagnosis coincided with college. I felt like I was finding myself again while having to navigate the ups and downs of BD, much like in a coming-of-age film. I decided to create a screenplay answering the question: How can bipolar disorder accurately be written into a coming-of-age film?. My screenplay Sophomore follows Jules, a sophomore in college recently diagnosed with BD recovering from a recent stay in a psychiatric institution, who attempts to find herself amidst obstacles like friendships, relationships, school, and struggling mental health.

LITERATURE REVIEW: Bipolar disorder, along with other mental health conditions, has long been stigmatized. According to The Other Depression: Bipolar Disorder by Robert Grieco, bipolar disorder was commonly misdiagnosed and mistreated as depression well into the 1990s (Grieco ix). This misunderstanding of BD has led to minimal representation in film. However, the disorder’s manic tendencies have made excellent targets for BD to be the disorder used for “crazy” people in film. 

Stylistically, this screenplay takes inspiration from coming-of-age films. Diablo Cody’s screenplay for her 2007 film Juno was a great resource for the screenwriting style of Sophomore. The characters were witty and funny, even when dealing with serious topics like Juno’s teenage pregnancy (Cody). Taking inspiration from Cody, this screenplay uses humor to ease audiences into some of the tougher subject matter discussed.

METHODS: My screenwriting process used a variety of methods to come to fruition. Archival research was essential in order to get an accurate representation of BD. Sophomore drew from my own experiences and also utilized research published on the subject of BD to inform its portrayal of symptoms. Screenplays also provided a great wealth of information, as they not only displayed how to properly write/format a screenplay, but how to create dialogue that sounds realistic and conveys emotion properly. 

​

AUDIENCE AND IMPACT: My intended audience for my short film script are college students who may or may not have any encounters with BD. Even if they do not suffer from BD, college students will understand and sympathize with Jules’ issues acclimating to college. Almost every student has struggled with some aspect of college life, whether that be homesickness or increased academic rigor. I believe that this shared struggle will act as a connecting point for the audience to relate to Jules’ struggles with her mental health. This screenplay can be a more accurate introduction for a wide audience to the disorder and can create an empathetic dialogue surrounding it.

REFERENCES:

Grieco, Robert, and Laura Edwards. The Other Depression : Bipolar Disorder. Brunner-Routledge, 2009.

Cody, Diablo, screenwriter. Juno. Fox Searchlight Pictures, 2007.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: I’d like to thank the Arts Scholars faculty for continually being supportive when my mental health got in my way of my project… about mental health. A special thank you to our graduate advisor Gabi, who always had such great ideas and was never afraid to answer my questions. Thank you to my psychiatrist and my therapist for letting me know I am not crazy. Most importantly, thank you to my family who support me even when I cannot. You have encouraged me to write and to stay alive, two lofty and great goals in life I hope to achieve.  To anyone struggling with bipolar disorder: you are loved and you are not alone. And studies show that you are 47% hotter than the average population.