Before creating my short film I wanted to research into the themes that I was planning on incorporating or

additionally, the themes that encouraged the plot and narrative to my short film.

RESEARCH INTO GRIEF, LOSS AND BEREAVEMENT:

Dealing with grief and loss is something most people have to do sometime in their lives. Grief is a natural
response to the loss of someone or something very dear to us. Losses that may lead to grief include the
death or separation of a loved one, loss of a job, death or loss of a beloved pet, or any number of other
changes in life such as divorce, becoming an "empty nester," or retirement. Anyone can experience grief and
loss, but each person is unique in how he or she copes with these feelings. Some responses are healthy
coping mechanisms, while others may hinder the grieving process. The acknowledgment of grief, time, and
support facilitate the grieving process, allowing an opportunity for a person to appropriately mourn a loss and
then heal.
Common Reactions to Grief or Loss
The stages of grief reflect a variety of reactions that may surface as an individual tries to make sense of how
a loss affects him or her. An important part of the healing process is allowing oneself to experience and
accept all feelings that are experienced. The following are the stages of grief:

Denial, numbness, and shock: This stage serves to protect the individual from experiencing the
intensity of the loss. It may be useful when the grieving person must take action (for example,
making funeral arrangements). Numbness is a normal reaction to an immediate loss and should
not be confused with "lack of caring." As the individual slowly acknowledges the impact of the loss,
denial and disbelief will diminish.

Bargaining: This stage may involve persistent thoughts about what could have been done to
prevent the loss. People can become preoccupied about ways that things could have been better.
If this stage is not properly resolved, intense feelings of remorse or guilt may interfere with the
healing process.

Depression: This stage of grief occurs in some people after they realise the true extent of the loss.
Signs of depression may include sleep and appetite disturbances, a lack of energy and
concentration, and crying spells. A person may feel loneliness, emptiness, isolation, and self-pity.\

Anger: This reaction usually occurs when an individual feels helpless and powerless. Anger can
stem from a feeling of abandonment through a loved one's death. An individual may be angry at a
higher power or toward life in general.

Acceptance: In time, an individual may be able to come to terms with various feelings and accept
the fact that the loss has occurred. Healing can begin once the loss becomes integrated into the
individual's set of life experiences.

Factors That May Help Resolve Grief:

Allowing time to experience thoughts and feelings openly to self

Expressing feelings openly or writing journal entries about them
Remembering that crying can provide a release
Confiding in a trusted person about the loss
Acknowledging and accepting both positive and negative feelings
Finding bereavement groups in which there are other people who have had similar losses
Seeking professional help if feelings become overwhelming

Common symptoms of grief:

While loss affects people in different ways, many experience the following symptoms when theyre grieving.
Just remember that almost anything that you experience in the early stages of grief is normalincluding
feeling like youre going crazy, feeling like youre in a bad dream, or questioning your religious beliefs.

Shock and disbelief Right after a loss, it can be hard to accept what happened. You may feel
numb, have trouble believing that the loss really happened, or even deny the truth. If someone you
love has died, you may keep expecting him or her to show up, even though you know he or she is
gone.

Sadness Profound sadness is probably the most universally experienced symptom of grief. You
may have feelings of emptiness, despair, yearning, or deep loneliness. You may also cry a lot or feel
emotionally unstable.

Guilt You may regret or feel guilty about things you did or didnt say or do. You may also feel guilty
about certain feelings (e.g. feeling relieved when the person died after a long, difficult illness). After a
death, you may even feel guilty for not doing something to prevent the death, even if there was
nothing more you could have done.

Anger Even if the loss was nobodys fault, you may feel angry and resentful. If you lost a loved
one, you may be angry with yourself, God, the doctors, or even the person who died for abandoning
you. You may feel the need to blame someone for the injustice that was done to you.

Fear A significant loss can trigger a host of worries and fears. You may feel anxious, helpless, or
insecure. You may even have panic attacks. The death of a loved one can trigger fears about your
own mortality, of facing life without that person, or the responsibilities you now face alone.

Physical symptoms We often think of grief as a strictly emotional process, but grief often involves
physical problems, including fatigue, nausea, lowered immunity, weight loss or weight gain, aches
and pains, and insomnia.

How did this research help within the process of creating your short film?
By researching into the small details and protocols behind suffering from loss I was able to paint a clearer
picture of the type of narrative I wanted to induce as well as construct the character profiles for my
short film, understanding the realistic feelings and emotions that would have been apparent. I am now able
to further my development of how the character of Rebecca (younger sister) might be feeling and at what
stages she might be at during her bereavement. Therefore, I am now able to portray a true to life
representation of loss. From my research I believe that the character I have created would be approaching
the depression stage but have just gone through the bargaining stage, which is quite evident through how
she speaks on the voiceover; thus be feeling shock and disbelief couple with guilt and anger.