Rob Munday
Films about the negative effects of social media have become almost cliche for the screening team here at Short of the Week, so for something to catch the eye in this topical sub-genre it really needs to feel original. Tackling a subject we hadn’t encountered before with a pleasing mix of animation and live-action, Sophie Black’s 10-minute Loading Docs short Believing is Seeing explores the phenomenon of mass psychogenic illness through a relatable lens – social media.
After stumbling across the topic of this “collective hysteria” while listening to a podcast, Black explains that she found it fascinating to hear of “all the strange ways it has manifested throughout history” and was compelled to find out more. Researching the subject further, the filmmaker was excited to discover that one of world’s leading experts lived nearby and so she contacted Dr Robert E. Bartholomew to see if he would participate in her film.
“I reached out to Dr Robert E. Bartholomew to find out more, and after some fascinating conversations we set out to make the film” – director Sophie Black on the importance of her key contributor.
Luckily for Black, not only was Bartholomew local and full of insight, he also has a strong on-screen presence, which proves vital in the film’s success. Declaring in his interview, that “something is going on with social media, involving vulnerable young people”, he goes on to expand that he sees the “potential for global chaos” as a result. It’s this statement and the introduction of fellow interviewee Bella (@ticced.off) that introduces the real core of the short, as it delves into the “outbreak of the Tik-Tok tics” during the pandemic.
The perfect blend of informative and entertaining, discussing her aims for Believing is Seeing Black says she hoped to “make a film that had a unique aesthetic, reflecting the unusual nature of the subject”. For the message of her piece, the director explains that what she wants viewers to leave the film with is “a better understanding of how their minds work”, adding that her short is “more than a cautionary tale about social media and TikTok, as psychogenic illness is something that impacts us all”.
“I knew from the early stages that animation would also be an important technique to help illustrate some of these complicated ideas” – director Sophie Black on Luke Toth’s work.
After finding the right contributors for her documentary – all of who add depth to the storytelling – Black could focus on the visuals of the piece. While the live-action sequences are well shot by Cinematographer Pepe De Hoyos and the pacing is expertly handled by editor Mike Ogle it’s ultimately the striking animation from Luke Toth that elevates Believing is Seeing to another level. With Black stating that the animation was “an important technique to help illustrate some of these complicated ideas” and a “great method to transition in and out of the TikTok archival material”, Toth’s animation means the film feels more than your standard talking heads documentary and adds a sense of fun to a serious topic. You can’t really imagine the filmmaker including Bartholomew’s ‘The Case of the Meowing Nuns’ tale without the accompanying illustrations.
Part of the latest Loading Docs series titled Power of Emotion, which also features tales of wrongful arrest, teenage bodybuilders, passionate video gamers and New Zealand’s first Tongan swimming champion, Black continues to work as a director looking to focus on ‘telling meaningful stories with imagination, empathy and humour’.