Freebird, senior thesis

Freebird tells the story of a Bird held captive by a Man. She spends her days watching him attempt to write and sings for him. Although their relationship appears loving at first, it quickly becomes more complicated. As the Man becomes more frustrated with his work, his behavior becomes conditional, toxic, and cruel. In the end, the Bird is given a chance to escape, but will she?

Over the past few years I have been very interested in the topic of domestic violence and abusive relationships. As a young woman, both the statistics about what women my age face and the experiences I witnessed around me, hit close to home. Because it is such a sensitive topic, I decided to focus on portraying the control that one person can have over another and how difficult it can be to break that cycle. The story follows an injured bird and her caretaker, but also acts as a more complex metaphor for abusive relationships. Freebird is about the blurred lines between love and control, and I hope that those who watch will be able to take away a new perspective on the cycle of abusive relationships.