Showcase

Welcome to my page! My name is Mia Bassett and I am a senior at Freestyle Academy studying film. I am so grateful to Freestyle for teaching me important 21st century skills and giving me the opportunity to become a producer of media. I have met some of my best friends at Freestyle and I have learned so much about filmmaking. Outside of Freestyle I am the webmaster for Mountain View High School’s ASB class, and I work as a camera operator for the San Jose Giants.

I chose two pieces from my time at Freestyle that I think show my range of film work and my passion for the creative process. These two films were by far the most time intensive projects for me as I was very invested in them and wanted to make them as good as possible. I hope you enjoy!

The Loss and Recovery of Skylark Ranch

My first project is my junior documentary piece. I chose to tell the story of Camp Skylark Ranch in Pescadero, California. I grew up attending this camp and in the summer of 2020 it was lost to the CZU Lightning Complex Fires. You can view my film below.

The Loss and Recovery of Skylark Ranch

I found my passion for documentary filmmaking in this project. It taught me about the reporting process including scheduling interviews and taking initiative in reaching out to important sources. The most rewarding part of my documentary project experience was being able to give back to the Girl Scouts of Northern California community. I wish I had used more b-roll in this film, and also condensed it. My favorite thing about this film is it’s defined three act structure that brings the viewer in emotionally to the camp before diving into the story of the fire.

Guys Before Fries

My second project is my senior narrative film, Guys Before Fries. You can watch this film below.

This project was definitely out of my comfort zone. Narrative has not always been my thing, but I was ready for the challenge. It was by far the biggest project I have ever completed, and that is what made it so rewarding. I learned so much about the production process and what it takes to make a film come together. We overcame many hurdles with this project, included our lead actress getting unexpected knee surgery two weeks into shooting! All things considered I think this film turned out very well.

After watching both my projects, I have a few questions. Do my skills better suit documentary or narrative? What aspect of filmmaking am I best at? Where can I make improvements in my work?

Reflection

My time at Freestyle has shaped who I am as a person. I started pretty much from scratch, and I ended senior year with a real short film to my name. I am so proud of everything I have accomplished and grateful to Freestyle for these opportunities. Next year I will be attending Northwestern University and I will likely major in Radio/Television/Film. I am not sure exactly what my future career holds, but I know that my skills I have gathered from Freestyle will follow me for the rest of my life.