When I first decided on the theme for my graduation project, I recalled one of the three screenplays I wrote in my first semester. It told the story of a woman overwhelmed by life, and how she finds release and reconciliation with herself through her dreams and fantasies. I had always longed to bring this screenplay to the screen, so it naturally became the core of my graduation project.
However, looking back, I realize that my thinking at that time was rather immature. The theoretical foundation supporting my entire screenplay relied almost entirely on Freud’s concept of “dreams as the fulfillment of wishes” from The Interpretation of Dreams, and his theory of personality structure—the id, ego, and superego. This was undoubtedly a solid starting point, but it should never be the end.
Now, to give this story more layers and modern significance, I have decided to incorporate more diverse perspectives into my work.
Initial theoretical support
In Freud’s triadic theory of personality, personality is divided into the id, ego, and superego.
The id: This is the collection of primal desires. The id is only concerned with one thing—the immediate satisfaction of its desires and needs, regardless of social rules, moral ethics, or the realities of the situation. It seeks to avoid pain and obtain immediate pleasure. In my script, it is personified as a towering human figure who will chase the protagonist and ultimately reconcile with him.
The ego: The ego’s task is to rationally satisfy the impulses of the id in the real world, while also considering the constraints of the superego. It mediates between the id and the external world. It develops from the id, and as the infant grows and comes into contact with reality, the ego gradually separates from the id. It understands how to weigh pros and cons and delay gratification. In my script, it is personified as the protagonist himself, from initial self-criticism and self-destruction to later reconciliation with the other two personalities for survival.
The superego: The superego is formed by our internalized social norms, moral standards, and parental teachings. It pursues “perfection,” not pleasure or reality. It’s the person you feel you “should” be, and it makes you feel guilty and ashamed when you break moral standards. In my script, it’s represented by skyscrapers and the staircases the protagonist needs to climb.
In my story, the protagonist’s inner battlefield is precisely the triangular war between the id, ego, and superego, as described by Freud. Her superego is the “perfect illusion” under social discipline, constantly whipping her with guilt; her id is the repressed, primal instinct yearning for respite and release; and her ego, the “I” struggling to maintain its existence in reality, becomes the most painful victim of this war. Her dreams are not only the whispers of the subconscious but also her ego’s attempts to reconcile this irreconcilable conflict, searching for even an illusory balance.
Storyboard
This is my storyboard, which has undergone countless revisions. It primarily highlights the opposition, intertwining, and fusion of the three personalities, clearly and intuitively expressing their different characteristics and traits. However, I will be making cuts and additions during the subsequent production of the final animation (FMP). This is not only due to considerations of manpower, time, and production difficulty, but also a continuous reflection and correction of my own work. I will constantly enhance the expressiveness of each personality on screen through animation techniques, camera work, color, sound, and other aspects, and will also make subtle adjustments to the elements appearing in the animations when adding new concepts.
Character design
In the initial character design, I focused more on the character’s inner psychological changes than on physical appearance. I didn’t want to fully embody the character’s personality traits in their appearance, but rather let the audience discover these traits themselves. This also reflects the diverse people I’ve encountered since childhood and the environment I grew up in. It’s difficult for me to prejudge each person’s personality based solely on their appearance. It’s hard to guess an ordinary person’s inner world from their outward appearance. Instead, you have to look for clues in their body language and every word they say, like piecing together a jigsaw puzzle to gradually create a complete picture of their personality.