mansa1212 | Star | Senior Graduate Film | Class of 2024 @mansa1212 | Uploaded April 2024 | Updated October 2024, 1 day ago.
Mansa chases a star that leads them to their best friend, Jasper, faced with the truth that he is dead and finding closure in the memories they shared. (Read below to see more about this project)
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For the last 4 months, I have been tirelessly working on my Senior Project. A semester-long class that is held to have graduating senior students work on a large-scale project(s) that pertains to their majors. My major is BFA video and animation!

Unfortunately, I also took four other classes including another project class in order to graduate this semester, so my time was very limited. I pushed myself hard to complete this project, though I wish I had more time to clean up the lineart and coloring. In order to get this done in time I had to sacrifice the rough sketch animation process. I worked on my script, treatment, storyboard and then ran straight into lineart. Producing a fully finished project like this in less than four months is no easy feat, solo even no less.
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I have been wanting to make something like this for a long time, to honor my late best friend, Jasper. Who sadly took his own life at the age of 16 years old in 2016. Leaving me with a goodbye card and an apology, as I was the one person he cared about most in this world. I read the card and called his phone, spamming him with messages, only for his little brother to pick up the phone crying and broke the news. With one last text his brother leaves "I'm sorry, he's dead." I never did get to say sorry, but I know he knows I'm sorry and he's sorry. I thought it was just a friendship scrap, but maybe it was the last straw in his life. He lived a heavy and dark life. We were just kids, that fight was our last, I don't even remember what it was about, probably something meaningless and miscommunications. I faced many years of sadness, grief, and healing.

I will forever have a hole in my heart where he once stood, that hole will heal but it doesn't ever go away. You can't replace someone, they're one of a kind. Even now, 8 years later he still means a lot to me. However, my memories of him slip little by little and I hate it. I forget how he sounds, even in my dreams he no longer has a voice. I forget the feeling of seeing him laugh and smile, his hugs were the best I miss it and the way he would always make silly nicknames. Nothing ever lasts forever not even your memories. So hold on to it, even for a little.

The line that broke me the most in his letter was:
"I'm sorry I can't be by your side with you anymore, I know you loved me, but it's time for you to pass that love onto others now. I still love you."

For a long time, I drew him every year as a way for me to cope, he gave me his personas/ocs before passing on and I still see them as his. I stopped drawing him for a few years because I felt like it became unhealthy, but then once I got better and healed more. I started drawing him again.
I will keep his legacy alive. I miss drawing our characters alongside each other for fun and not for a memoir...

I wanted to share something special and how I felt with the world. I hope he's resting well regardless because he deserves all the peace in the world. This world was more than cruel to him and he was so strong, I miss him every day. If you're struggling please don't be afraid to reach out for help, there will always be someone out there for you, even if you feel alone in a crowd.
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As of the time of upload, (the day it's due April 30th) I have not yet completed this semester. This project is due a week before finals week so we'd have time to give every student a chance to present their final work in our three-hour class. I graduate May 11th! I will have to go on to complete the rest of my projects now.
(hi if you're reading from the future!)

Thank you so much for your support and patience with me this year so far. It's been one frustrating, exhausting, and overwhelming semester and that chapter is coming to an end soon. I look forward to graduating with my friends and just getting on with life out of school. As well as, finally have time to make more of what I want and how I like it haha.

Me and my friends got senioritis fr fr, I have been in higher ed for six years now, let me ouuuuut!

Take care
-Mansa
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☆My Social media:
mansa1212.carrd.co

☆My Commissions are open:
mansacomms.carrd.co