Idea

Project Proposal Pro Forma & guidance notes

Working title: Nightmare

Précis

In this body of work I want to show what it is like to have sleep paralysis.

Rationale

Sleep is an action that every person does without any exception. You cannot choose how to sleep or what to dream, it is something that cannot be controlled by consciousness. There are many sleep disorders that can occur, but I am particularly interested in sleep paralysis.

Sleep paralysis is common, but under-research phenomenon. Many people experienced it at least once in their life. There are many legends and stories about sleep paralysis. People used to say that witches and demons are trying to steal their souls or more recent stories say that they have been abducted by aliens. However according to recent research it has nothing to do with demons or aliens. It is a normal thing that may happen to everyone, but due to the fact that I have experienced it myself I cannot deny that it is one of the scariest things that can occur.

Sleep paralysis is a transient period of awakening from sleep during which the subject is unable to move or speak. You can feel the surroundings, people talking but cannot do anything. Some people even have hallucinations, which feel extremely realistic. Henry Fuseli painting Nightmare from 1781 illustrates the feeling that most people have. It is hard to breath it feels like someone is sitting on your chest and does not let you to move. Sleep paralysis isn’t dangerous, but unable to move can be very frightening. 

In this project I want to show what is like to experience sleep paralysis. To express my own experiences, the fear when you know what it is going to happen before going to sleep and how it feels actually to have it.

 Aims & Objectives

Due to the fact that sleep paralysis is under-researched phenomenon I want to show to audience what it is, to introduce it to people who have never experienced it. It is also aimed at individuals, who have experienced that, so they can easy pick up on symbolism and relate to it.

Overview

For this project I would need one model and a bedroom, best with bed in the middle of the room. I would use my own camera and lenses.

Synopsis

The person that is suffering from sleep paralysis every night before putting his head down will think with fear if this going to happen tonight or not. The first picture would be the subject sitting on the bed, with fear in his eyes.

The second image would be of the subject lying in bed trying to fall asleep.

The third one would be of him having sleep paralysis.

The last one is of him awake after nightmare sitting on the bed again, with the fear in his eyes.