STATEMENT

I was drawn to this theme primarily by observing my environment, a deep interest in the journey of our minds and my own experience in a high pressure consulting environment. Embarking on a story, I am initially drawn to the character, who (inevitably being a representation of all those experiences and observations), directs where the story goes. In particular I am empathetic to the fact that issues of mental health are endemic in our society and among a certain male demographic. Culturally this is often stigmatized or not talked about, further compounding the challenges.

Art and it’s power to reflect our thoughts is one of the themes in the movie – our main character Folarin often finds himself getting lost in the images of another world, a place he ‘wants to be transported to’, his place of escape – and art does that. It offers a reflection of things we may not be able to express. Art has always formed the natural tapestry of our culture and way of life. Both the Director and I hoped to use this form to convey not just its visual beauty but it’s ability to tell the same story from another angle.

In writing Over The Bridge, I found that my personal experiences in navigating both a physical and spiritual world found its way into the telling of this story with the alternative life/world that the main character found himself in. Just like art is used as a motif for reflection, I also explored this through nature and matter subsequently with the themes of water, the bridge (the divide not just across but above and under) – these parallels became natural references in the script and a palette from which we could build upon.