Joseph Whitmore

God Bless You is a 3D animated film which acts as an embracement to my younger self, and serves to acknowledge how childhood experiences influence and challenge our future selves. The project focuses on depicting the commonly experienced issue of alcoholism and its impact on interfamily relationships.

Historically speaking, alcohol and snooker were publicly displayed together as players were allowed to drink and smoke whilst playing professionally and casually. Snooker is also a sport in which there are times when players are rendered powerless, forced to watch their opponent. This feeling I could liken to observing addiction, and how it can take hold and control the lives of the people in its vicinity. Furthermore, players have kept their emotions ‘in check’, not conveying many feelings to the watching public or their opponent until the very end – which could be likened to a ‘stiff upper lip’ mentality and perhaps a reflection of a cultural idea of masculinity. Though there are specificities within my project, I believe the project tackles broader themes which are universal. 

The audience is shown a side on shot of a snooker table. The camera pans down, the lights turn off, and something can be heard being winched into place. The lights now illuminate a smaller snooker table underneath in a room much like the one above. A player staggers around whilst antagonising what seems like a small string puppet version if themself. 

Act 2 takes place in two bathrooms on opposing sides of the stage - a reflection of each other. The puppet is now moving in time with The Player, with The Player seemingly struggling as if a force from above is controlling him. 

The final act of the film sees the two central characters part take in a dance, which can be seen as therapeutic, or can be seen as hedonistic. 

I used mocap as both a research and production method. I found performing movements helped me see clearly what it was I was wanting to convey. It also became clear that the glitchy nature of the technology I was using fed into the themes of the film, so I began to perform these movements whilst also attempting to provoke the glitches.

I used Virtual Reality as a research methodology by creating environments which embodied the memories I was reflecting on, and I was viewing it as a practical approach to exposure/occupational therapy. My responses then fed into the direction of the film.

I am currently developing these methods to be further researched at PhD level, something I am actively pursuing.