Story

No Strings Attached

A film by Heather Alexis

New York City, New York • Film Short • Experimental

No Strings Attached is a raw retelling of the struggles of Mental Health. We follow a comedic duo of a human and balloon, the film serves as a starting point for the discussion of mental health representation in film. The story follows Faith (the human) as she learns to cope with Bal (the balloon), a metaphorical representation of the baggage of her past. Through an indestructible string, a trip down balloon memory lane, and a therapy session with a black hole, we explore topics of; depression, chronic illness, anxiety, and coping.

Logline:

When the baggage of her past takes the form of an indestructible balloon, Faith must face her demons and learn to let it go, or risk living forever with a balloon attached to her wrist.

Genre: Experimental Fantasy/Drama

Form: Short Film (Half Hour)

MEET THE CHARACTERS

Faith (The Human): Early 20s, stressed, depressed, and a hot mess. Emotionally unstable. Unable to let go of the past. Must learn to move forward to let Bal go.

Bal (The Balloon): Bal, like your pal. Your friendly metaphorical baggage of your past balloon. Represents the past and adjusts color as Faith completes the trials.

Part One:

Metaphorical Baggage

Faith sits on a cliff contemplating whether or not to jump. She decides not to, but proceeds to explain all the reasons why she understands the appeal. It is then revealed that she isn't alone. In fact, introducing Bal. Your friendly metaphorical baggage of the past balloon, who is conveniently, and permanently, attached to Faith.

You may be wondering about the balloon. Bal and Faith didn't used to be attached. At first he floated by. But the longer she spent with him the more attached he became. Until one day they became inseparable by an indestructible force: string. No matter what she does, Bal will not go away. Pretty soon Bal invites some friends into Faith's life. She tries to ignore it until one day she snaps.

Part Two:

Welcome to the

Balloon Trials

Faith falls into the Balloon Trials, a manifestation of the thoughts plaguing her mind. Once in the trials she must confront each of the balloons waiting for her, think of it as overcoming a trauma. But she isn't ready for it. Alone and scared, she panics after her first attempt to solve the trial fails. She tries to escape but finds Bal in the middle of the abyss. Bal convinces her to try again and she reenters the Balloon Trials.

Faith reenters the Balloon Trials, once again alone, but this time willing to give closure a shot. She works her way through four trials: Blue/Family, Purple/Friendship, Orange/Health, and Green/Relationship. The last trial, Black/Self, forces her to confront everything at once. If she wants to leave the Balloon trials and get Bal back then she has to let go.

Part Three: Chasing Sunsets

Faith is able to confront her past, transforming the balloon back into Bal. Upon reflection, shown through a montage, she comes to acknowledge the lessons and move forward. She escapes the balloon trials and reappears next to Bal on the cliff from the beginning. In this moment she is at peace. Chasing sunsets. Until the next day.

No Strings Attached is the culmination of all of my passions. It is an example of a film that discusses serious mental health issues through the fantastical world of colorful balloons. Representing these topics through an experimental story is just one example of the power of creativity. Using your imagination to explain the unexplainable is why we make art. This film is a personal journey for myself not only as a filmmaker but as a person. Life gets difficult, and there are days when it’s hard to remember why we keep going. But just like Faith at the end of this film, it is important to remember to keep chasing sunsets. Sunsets are reminders that even endings can be pretty.

Principle Photography took place throughout the month of November. Shooting weekends in Astoria and Brooklyn, we finished the production with a trip to our writer/director's hometown in Connecticut. We have a small team of dedicated and talented individuals to help us through production and post.

Follow our story on instagram @Nostringsattachedfilm

Thank you so much for all your help, and support in bringing this story to life!

~Heather Alexis (Writer/Director) and the No Strings Attached Film Team!