Making a documentary on Bi-Polar disorder

eegah123

Hi there

I'm a film student currently developing a 10 minute documentary on bi-polar disorder, and looking for people to share their experiences on camera. I know this is a sensitive issue, and having been diagnosed with the condition myself I'm aware of how powerful the experience can be.

My main reason for making this piece is to give the viewer and an idea of what's like to go through high and low phases, especially in the high phase, how vibrant colours can seem, how fast the mind can work - and I think this could be a achieved through cinematography and editing.

I would really appreciate any contributions or stories, how the illness has affected your life, how you've come out of dark places, and also if it's benefited you in anyway with a burst of creativity or energy at some point in time. Thanks for reading and if you do have anything to share I hope to hear from you soon.

Thanks

Eoghan

tbh

moved to LTI

ast.enthus84

I found a thread here when I searched before where a guy explained what life was like for him in great depth. Do a search to find it and I'd say you will find it informative.

There is also one book in particular which is renowned and is written by a psychiatrist herself if I recall correctly - if not certainly it was a mental health professional educated to doctoral level. She has bipolar herself so has first hand experience of what it's like.

Then youtube is very good also - I was watching a person (saltyeggs is the username) recently that has a channel with alot of videos explaining how she lives and deals with various challenges she faces on an ongoing basis. She has bipolar 1 which is the most dangerous bipolar you can be diagnosed with. She is a people person as I remember and would be open to answering questions I'd say.

ast.enthus84

Here's the thread I was talking about actually.

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2055807028

eegah123

Thanks!

_hybrid_

i am 24 and diagnosed with bipolar type ii so i have been hypomanic but not manic.i would be more than happy to talk on it but my identity would have to be withheld

_hybrid_

i.e my face/voice would have to be blurred

_hybrid_

i am well versed on the disorder/literature. i have a father and a cousin who suffer from bipolar type i who have been hospitalised 6 or 7 times between them so i have first hand experience from that perspective also

_hybrid_

there are some good documentaries out there that you could check out for inspiration. you probably have heard of some or all of them:

- a summer in the cage
- the secret life of the manic depressive
-be here to love me
- a bipolar expedition
-the devil and daniel johnston
-horizon's 'playing with madness'
- pbs' 'depression-out of the shadows'
-surviving suicide (it is primarily about unipolar depression but there are some scenes with good cinematography)
-the bridge(same as above)
-edgar allen poe-love,death and women
- steve o demise and rise
- kurt cobain about a son

i have electronic copies of them all...could try to get them to you if you are in cork?

there are also a lot of artists who were bipolar who have given good visual representations of mania - van gogh, pollock, (possibly) munch...there are also a lot of musicians who were bipolar

kay redfield jamison has a brilliant book called 'an unquiet mind that has some really vivid/eloquent descriptions of mania that might be of use to you as well.

nesf

_hybrid_ wrote: »

i have electronic copies of them all...could try to get them to you if you are in cork?

Heh, us Cork bipolar types should start a regular meet up so we can bitch about life.

_hybrid_

nesf wrote: »

Heh, us Cork bipolar types should start a regular meet up so we can bitch about life.

yah definately. i think it would be good because we could learn a lot from each other. there is only so much you can learn about it from academic papers/non-bipolar people.

if there ever is a meet up, count me in!

eegah123

Hi hybrid - thanks for your replies, however I would need any contributors to appear on camera as this is a visual medium and I am looking to capture candid moments that convey the experience of this illness best. Thank you for the list of documentaries though.