SDSU Film Program Works with Teens Grappling with Mental Health on Animated Short, ‘Thin Air’

A San Diego State Television, Film and New Media program animated short film, Thin Air, aims to address mental health challenges teenagers face in the post-COVID-19 world.

The collaboration, led by Associate Producer Abigail Segal and Mary Posatko, an assistant professor for the SDSU program, brought together a team of filmmakers with therapists from Didi Hirsch Mental Health Services‘ Transitional Age Youth Program in Glendale.

With the pandemic and its profound impact on teenage mental health in mind, those behind the project sought to use filmmaking as a means of healing and inspiration. In six minutes, the stop-motion animation explores themes of grief and self compassion as a means to move forward.

Segal, a film production major with a background in acting and visual arts, began as an intern and production assistant, contributing to various administrative tasks and script coverage.

“Mental health awareness is vital, and I looked forward to combining my interest in filmmaking and my interest in creating work to start important conversations and help break the stigma,” she said.

The project enabled 15 teenagers from the youth program, many of whom had never considered themselves filmmakers, to engage in character development, screenwriting and voice acting through weekly in-person workshops.

“Collaboration is one of the most challenging and rewarding aspects of filmmaking,” Posatko said, “and the process of putting yourself out there creatively, then having a group critique, adjust and sometimes not use your ideas, was an ongoing learning process.”

The teens created characters, wrote scripts, learned the art of stop-motion animation and voiced the film’s central characters.

Accomplished industry professionals, including animator Chance Davis, sound editor and Golden Reel-nominee David Butler, voice actor Scott Whyte, Golden Reel-winner Jay Jennings and musical artist X.Ari, joined the team to lend their talents.

The impact of the project on the mental health and well-being of the participating teenagers was profound, Posatko said.

“Seeing these young people forge a bond with the group and show up week after week, digging into the creative work and finding their voice, was a joy and a privilege,” she said.

The film was screened Oct. 6 for the teens, their therapists and families on the Didi Hirsch campus.

Thin Air is now making its way through film festivals, as the filmmakers hope to reach a wide audience and spark conversations about mental health challenges teens face after COVID-19.

The Thin Air crew plans to continue its work. “As this is an annual program, we hope to convene again next summer and create an entirely new project,” Posatko said.