Intro
For the Junior Documentary Project, students had to gather primary and secondary research to truthfully portray a person, place, or thing that has significance. The English paper was research based, creating a deeper understanding of the topic, which translates into a better film in the long run. The unit spreading across all three Freestyle classes was really stressful for me. We were interrupted by the shelter in place order, and face-to-face interviews were no longer possible. As a film student, this was a major set back. My partner and I only got 2/4 interviews we needed, and not nearly enough research had been conducted. The things I valued learning about were being able to face very difficult circumstances and still produce a functioning documentary, and being able to work with a partner without being with them in person. My documentary project was about Haight Ashbury, a district in San Francisco known for its vibrant colors, and good energy.
English Research Based Paper
In English our assignment was to create a research based paper about the topic we chose. For me, this drastically changed the topic I was focusing on. My focus went from the history and fun things about Haight, but it changed to being about the homelessness crisis, and what homeless people are actually going through.
Film Intro
In film there is a lot of practicing and failing. For documentaries, there is a specific set of rules to follow for shots, and composition. Now, it’s not imperative that you follow these rules, it is simply recommended in order to have a professional looking finished product. For this, we had to practice a little.