Sony teams up with the Kevin Love Fund for “The Spider Within: A Spider-Verse Story” short, debuting on March 27, 2024…
Key Takeaways:
- Sony partners with Kevin Love Fund for “The Spider Within: A Spider-Verse Story” short.
- Miles Morales tackles anxiety, highlighting mental health awareness.
- Film promotes discussions and accompanies a mental health-focused lesson plan.
Sony Pictures Animation and Imageworks have teamed up with the Kevin Love Fund to digitally release an exciting new animated short titled “The Spider Within: A Spider-Verse Story”. The short film is set in the world of “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” and will premiere exclusively on Sony Pictures Animation’s YouTube channel on March 27, 2024.
The story follows Miles Morales, also known as Spider-Man, as he grapples with the challenges of being a teenager, a friend, a student, and a superhero. Amidst these pressures, Miles experiences a panic attack, forcing him to confront the manifestations of his anxiety. Through this struggle, he learns that reaching out for help can be just as brave as protecting his city from evil.
The digital release of “The Spider Within” is part of the Kevin Love Fund’s efforts to promote mental health awareness. The film will be incorporated into a new mental health-focused lesson plan called “The Hero Within”. This interactive curriculum invites students to explore their own mental health journeys through creative storytelling and activities. By sharing their experiences, students can foster deeper conversations about mental well-being with friends and family.
Jarelle Dampier, the director of “The Spider Within,” emphasizes that Miles represents many of us navigating our daily lives. The film aims to motivate discussions about mental health and serve as a love letter to those who admire Miles Morales.
“Miles represents so many of us doing the best we can in our day-to-day lives,” said Jarelle Dampier, director of “The Spider Within.” “We don’t often realize all that we’ve been through until our own body forces us to become aware of its experience. My intention is that ‘The Spider Within’ can motivate deeper conversations amongst friends & family about their own mental health journeys — and I hope it feels like a love letter to those who adore Miles Morales.”
Kevin Love, founder of the Kevin Love Fund, emphasizes the importance of acknowledging our feelings and reaching out for support. “You see it with Spider-Man in the short film, where Miles has a trusted confidante. He is able to take a walk with his dad and express what he’s going through. We can all learn from that – how important it is to reach out to someone, express your true emotions, speak your truth and not hold everything inside.”
In the short film, Miles has a trusted confidante and learns the significance of expressing emotions and speaking one’s truth. Love hopes that viewers, especially young people, understand that their feelings are valid and that they are not alone in their struggles.
“The Spider Within: A Spider-Verse Story” made its debut at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in 2023. It was developed and produced as part of the inaugural year of Sony Pictures Animation and Sony Pictures Imageworks’ Leading and Empowering New Storytellers (LENS) program. This nine-month leadership training initiative provides candidates from underrepresented groups with valuable experience in animation. The program’s final deliverable is an all-original short film set in the existing world of a feature produced by Sony Pictures Animation and Sony Pictures Imageworks.
