The Struggle for Inner Peace

The Struggle for Inner Peace is a story about a small dragon boy, named Rhogar. The piece follows Rhogar on a journey of self-discovery throughout different stages of his life. At a young age we see Rhogar is ruthlessly bullied by the people in his town, so he seeks a way to defend himself. This leads him to the Master, a wizened instructor in martial arts who teaches him how to fight and protect himself. During his training, Rhogar learns to find his own inner peace and move beyond the pain of his past. This story exaggerates the creators' struggles with mental health, sense of identity, and worth. It was made with the intention of creating an open narrative that feels personal and relatable for the viewers that also grapple with their mental health on a daily basis, and to let them know they can triumph over their traumas and anxieties.

  • Jacob Dew
    Director
  • Jacob Dew
    Writer
  • Jacob Dew
    Producer
  • Jacob Dew
    Key Cast
    "Adult Rhogar"
  • Jacob Dew
    Key Cast
    "Teen Rhogar"
  • Jacob Dew
    Key Cast
    "The Master"
  • Jacob Dew
    Key Cast
    "The Bullies"
  • Warren Fowler
    Key Cast
    "Kid Rhogar"
  • Jacob Dew
    Animation
  • Project Type:
    Animation, Short, Student
  • Genres:
    Fantasy, Drama, Action
  • Runtime:
    4 minutes 53 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    February 15, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    1,500 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    Yes - University of South Alabama
  • Sidewalk Film Festival
    Birmingham, AL
    United States
    August 26, 2023
    Official Selection
  • Animart Festival 2023
    Athens
    Greece
    July 15, 2023
    Official Selection
  • Overmountain Animation Festival
    Johnson City, Tennessee
    United States
    November 4, 2023
    Official Selection
  • Mobile Animation Film Festival - MAFF
    Mobile, Alabama
    United States
    October 14, 2023
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Jacob Dew

Jacob M. Dew is a 2D animator who dabbles in 3D animation. He recently graduated from the University of South Alabama with a Bachelors in Fine Arts in Animation. The animations that he creates lean towards fun and entertaining for any viewer to enjoy. Yet, with his thesis project, The Struggle for Inner Peace, he is exploring the narrative of personal struggles with one’s mental health, social anxiety, self-worth, and confidence. He will be creating this narrative through situations that are exaggerations of his own battles with mental health to make the piece more personal, as well as more relatable to those who also grapple with their mental health on a daily basis.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

This film was very personal for me, as I took from my own personal experiences of struggling with mental health and trauma and turned it into an open-narrative exaggerated short film for anyone to identify with an enjoy. Life is a constant struggle, but you made it through yesterday, you can make it through today.