MICHELLE BAUER CARPENTER
WHAT IF MUSIC COULD HELP US FEEL WHAT OTHERS LIVE THROUGH?
MAKING
Blending artist and expert interviews with live performances, animation, and dynamic visual design, Making UNQUIET takes viewers on a cinematic journey through the extremes of mania and depression. Moments of intense energy, euphoria, and impulsivity collide with periods of deep isolation, sadness, and hopelessness—revealing not only the complexity of the disorder, but also its impact on relationships, identity, and daily life.
THE FILM
Making UNQUIET is a powerful new film that explores the emotional landscape of bipolar disorder—and the profound gaps in understanding that often leave it undiagnosed for years. Through a moving blend of interviews, original music, and visual storytelling, the film invites audiences into a deeply human experience shaped by both struggle and resilience.
At the heart of the film is an extraordinary creative collaboration featuring world-renowned jazz drummer Joseph Farnsworth and composer Shelbie Rassler. The film features the making of the musical composition UNQUIET, which becomes the film’s emotional backbone—translating the highs and lows of bipolar disorder into sound. Each musical motif mirrors the lived experience of the condition, offering audiences a visceral understanding that words alone cannot convey.
IMPACT
Bipolar disorder affects an estimated 46 million people worldwide, yet it remains widely misunderstood and often underdiagnosed, with an average care gap of over a decade. Making UNQUIET seeks to change that—offering not just awareness, but empathy. By connecting science, art, and lived experience, the film creates space for conversation, recognition, and hope.
FEATURING
Interviews in order of appearance: Sean Jones, Mark Rabideau, Shelbie Rassler, Vincent Atchity, and Joseph Farnsworth.
Special Thanks to Northern Arizona University and the University of Colorado Denver.
MY TEAM
Producer Mark Rabideau;
3D animator and Artist Travis Vermilye;
DP, Cinematographer, and Colorist Trevr Merchant; Supervising Sound Editor and Re-Recording Mixer Leslie Gaston Bird; and Motion Artist Joshua Blair
PERFORMERS
Joseph Farnsworth, drums, Shelbie Rassler, composer, Sean Jones, trumpet, Patrick Bartley, alto saxophone, Paul Cornish, piano, Sara Caswell, violin, Reuben Rogers, bass, Enion Pelta-Tiller, violin/vocals,
Andrew Krimm, viola, Evan Shelton, cello,
and Eirik Haugbro, bass