Work in Progress is an experimental short film about mental health. It describes what it felt like to struggle with depression. I have always been open about having mental health issues because I believe there is no shame in being ill, and the more we talk about it, the more people who need help might find it easier to actually seek and find help. I also wanted to depict my feelings for those who might wonder what it is like - fingers crossed they never have to experience it first-hand. 

I shot it with my old phone in 1080p and edited it myself. I thought about what I wanted to show, how I wanted to show it, wandered in the streets of Glasgow, from my neighbourhood to the city centre, and bought a bookcase along the way (I needed one anyway). I also wrote the music, using my guitar, my pedalboard and an audio interface plugged into the computer. It's total zero budget and DIY.  I did everything myself. Almost.

From the start, I knew there was the possibility of my not being allowed to publish it because I used an illustration from the Romanian version of The Little Prince and snippets of Assassin's Creed 2 (myself playing the game on my Nintendo Switch). I contacted the illustrator/book's publisher as well as Ubisoft. I got artist Mihail Coșulețu's and publisher Humanitas Junior's authorisation quite quickly. And after a few months, Ubisoft's legal team permitted me to use the game in my film until February 2029. So enjoy it while you can!

The film got its first festival selection in July 2026 at the Abcdetc International Arts Festival in Bucharest and won Best Experimental Film (smartphone). Hopefully, it won't stop there...