Interns feel the burn
Singapore-based shop The Secret Little Agency and Zhao Wei Films' Nicole Midori Woodford present the pressures put on young working adults through a captivating visual metaphor.
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Credits
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- Agency The Secret Little Agency/Singapore
- Production Company Zhao Wei Films
- Director Nicole Midori Woodford
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Credits
powered by
- Agency The Secret Little Agency/Singapore
- Production Company Zhao Wei Films
- Director Nicole Midori Woodford
Credits
powered by
- Agency The Secret Little Agency/Singapore
- Production Company Zhao Wei Films
- Director Nicole Midori Woodford
The conversations around mental health are better now than they've ever been, but that doesn't mean that the stigma around seeking support isn't still present.
Tackling this, fuelled by the stat that 90% of youths have experienced a mental health challenge in the past 12 months, but more than half are not even considering seeking help, the Agency for Integrated Care has launched REAL - an initiative to offer support for Singapore’s youth.
To promote the cause, The Secret Little Agency has created a lovingly-crafted 3-minute short - Burnout - showcasing the relatable story of how young people try to suppress their anxieties, only to watch in horror as they grow.
Pairing a terrific young actress with a surprisingly adorable animated approximation of anxiety, the film, helmed by award-winning Singaporean director and writer Nicole Midori Woodford through Zhao Wei Films, makes for an agonising yet captivating viewing.
The short was launched at the 5th Edition Mental Health Film Festival Singapore, which took place in November 2024.
“With REAL, we wanted to break down the idea that one needs to look or act a certain way to ‘deserve’ help," comments Nicholas Ye & Mavis Neo, Co-Chief Creative Officers, The Secret Little Agency. "In a world where mental health is often portrayed in visually homogenous ways, we took a contemporary approach with unique illustrations to portray the very real and complicated emotions and struggles that words or photos often cannot portray.
"Burnout is deeply culturally resonant of mental health struggles in today’s society; we wanted them to feel seen in the film. We’re here to meet them where they are at and show them they’re not alone in what they feel.”
Speaking on the inspiration behind the film, Midori Woodford shares: “We didn’t want to shy away from the topic of mental health and face it head-on. The issue of anxiety and workplace stress is really a widespread issue among young adults, and I’ve noticed that many are suffering in silence, putting a lot of pressure on themselves, especially in this day and age - the fear of failure becomes integrated into our lives and I’ve experienced this myself too.
“With the central framing, the 4:3 aspect ratio and the movement from darkness into light, I wanted to play with how mental health issues can be extremely incapacitating, leaving someone feeling isolated. Using a staccato-like repetition in the editing, I wanted audiences to watch it and really feel the stress the protagonist is going through and relate to it because this is something anyone could be experiencing on a daily basis.”
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