Juggling is a seamless insight of a 23 year old businessman Andrew Watson who suffers from anxiety, panic disorder. This semi-autobiographical film shows how Andrew Watson copes with his disorder with his day to day lives that we take granted of. The writer and director Tim Porter takes us on a dark psychological journey of one’s self trying to cope in a normal life but suffering with a darkly condition, taking the viewers to a voyage into the human mind. Andrew Watson who lives with his disabled mother and living anxiety and panic disorder makes him live a life of constant fear and a constant feeling of chaos in his inner self. A night out with a friend changes his life when he finds himself love struck when he meets a girl at a club. Trying to gain the courage he needs to make the move Andrew psychological battles with his inner demons to make the move but fails and runs away. But that’s not the end we see of her. Andrew’s friend hoping to change his life offers him proposition of total independence with the girl and a new life that awaits him. With this new life Andrew now has to cope with the stress of being “normal”. Andrew now has to juggle between; his inner demons, the stress of coping and love struck between his mother and his new found love.
Tim Porter’s short independent film really reflects on what we see as the “norm” and seeing someone coping with anxiety. Tim Porter really does show the juggling between what the audience take granted for their day to day lives of; chatting up girls or boys in the bars, dealing with family stress and our inner demons. After watching Juggling the short film somewhat becomes an awareness film for people who suffer from anxiety and panic disorder. The close up and extreme close ups of the protagonist really makes the audience feel uncomfortable being so close to Andrew. The emotionally gripping and charged music continuously makes the audience feel in a state of disarray and chaos. With the cinematography and soundtrack, watching Juggling Tim creates such a “Requiem for a Dream” atmosphere. We are continuously engaged in the mind frame of Andrew. The constant feeling of, chaos and helplessness is most seen when Andrew is out in the world but being with his mother the room is filled with peace. However his mother being disabled there’s always a sensation of helplessness. Juggling was very much a gripping short film and this being a semi-autobiographical by Tim Porter. There’s very much an emotional human level connection between Porter, the film and the audience. Juggling makes you think how we take granted of our level of coping when there’s people out there that suffer from anxiety and panic disorder. It makes you wonder. And that’s what makes this such a fantastic awareness film.
By: Volkan Vallon K
http://volkansbeyondthefilm.blogspot.co.uk/
