The In Between

The In Between is a stirring, sensorially rich documentary film that explores the intricate relationship between place, space, and late-diagnosed neurodivergence.

Commissioned by the Unlimited International Open Award 2024 and supported by the British Council, the project follows UK artist Byron Vincent (AuDHD) and Turkish architect-academic Elif Simge Fettahoglu-Özgen (ADHD) as they navigate the liminal spaces between neurotypical and neurodivergent worlds.

From the council estates of Northern England to the glistening, distractible beauty of Istanbul’s Bosphorus, the film examines how landscape, culture, and socio-economic factors intersect with the neurodivergent experience, and how creative practice provides a vital space to inhabit.

Our Creative Approach

When Byron approached Plume Films to handle the art direction and animation, we knew the visual language had to mirror the internal landscape of the narrative, resisting sterile, computer-generated graphics in favour of something tactile, raw, and immediate.

Through a deeply collaborative process, we moved away from standard digital effects to craft unique textures and glitches entirely from scratch, weaving the animation directly into the DNA of the story.

The Collage Aesthetic:

Embracing our signature handcrafted style, we used brutalist cut-outs and visible scissor cuts to give physical form to the intangible elements of the narrative, capturing the feeling of a story being assembled in real time.

Visualizing the Complex:

By layering dense textures and embracing glitch art, the animation successfully communicates complex internal experiences, such as masking, sensory overload, and temporal distortion, in ways live-action cannot.

Impact and Screenings

The In Between serves as a powerful case study in how artisanal, bespoke animation can drive emotional resonance and tackle complex themes with empathy. Accompanied by a lush synth score by Sam Wingrave, the film celebrates different ways of being and navigating the world.

  • World Premiere: Saturday 31 January 2026 at The Bay International Film Festival (More Music, Morecambe) as a Relaxed Attention Screening.

  • International Tour: Tuesday 10 March 2026 at Paribu Art, Istanbul.

Behind the Craft

Every project teaches us something new about the power of collaborative storytelling, but The In Between stands as a definitive case study for why the "how" of a film matters just as much as the "what." For Plume Films, this documentary wasn't just about applying a house style, it was about proving that handcrafted, artisanal animation can bypass the analytical brain to speak directly to human emotion. By leaning into the textures, the frayed edges, and the beautiful imperfections of the collage medium, we found a way to make the invisible internal landscapes of neurodivergence both visible and deeply felt. It is a testament to what can be achieved when creators let go of rigid digital control, build absolute trust with their collaborators, and allow the rhythm of a story to dictate its own visual universe.

Project Credits

  • Artists:Byron Vincent and Elif Simge Fettahoglu-Özgen

  • Art Direction & Animation: Byron Vincent and Plume Films

  • Score: Sam Wingrave

  • Commissioned by: Unlimited International Open Award 2024, made possible thanks to funding from the British Council