Explorations

Introduction

“How can you find, explore, and/or expand your passion?”

My idea

I wanted to create a compelling promo video for a product. I considered a variety of products (headphones, lip gloss, etc) but there was one that I was especially excited about. I wanted to do a commercial for a drink. I picked Arizona.

Process

Before filming, I did research regarding promotional videos and specifically, what is effective in engaging the audience. I also researched what lighting and angles are important to highlight in the product’s features. In addition to that, how different colors or audio affect the consumer and how to establish a clear “aesthetic” to the product (through props, edit, etc).

Getting the perfect, iconic can spin and capturing appealing visuals of the lemon and ice, along with replicating the enticing water droplets on the can, were the main challenges that I faced in making this commercial. I also had a hard time choosing a background and then working out the lighting for it.

BEHIND THE SCENES

The ‘refreshing water drop on can’ look that I achieved!

Final product

Here’s the final product after all the time, effort, and research I put into the project. I’m very proud and satisfied!

Reflection

I really appreciate the amount of creative freedom we were given in this project. It made me very excited for the Zenith senior year as it is the same the concept. Once again, thank you Freestyle!

Music Recording Section

For this project we were told to find some friends to record music in the studio. The goal was to experience the recording process in our studio – no matter the quality of the music recorded. The music we produce did NOT have to be related to any other project. The project was simply music we wanted to produce – any genre, any instruments, any tempo.

What was your inspiration for the music?
We recently watched the movie Whiplash which features the song, Take Five, so it reminded us of it. I had played this song on piano before so it worked out perfectly because we also both love this song.

What are you most proud of in this Music Recording Production?
I am most proud of that Lucy and I were able to fully put together a short version of this song together. I feel very accomplished and satisfied with the result!

What did you value about learning how to use our Recording Studio?
The recording studio is such an amazing thing that Freestyle has and provides all of us with so many opportunities to produce really cool stuff. I also value how I now sort of know how to utilize all of these really advanced and cool tools.

LYRICAL ESSAY

“The lyric essay partakes of the poem in its density and shapeliness, its distillation of ideas and musicality of language. It partakes of the essay in its weight, in its overt desire to engage with facts, melding its allegiance to the actual with its passion for imaginative form.” ~ Deborah Tall and John D’Agata

To get familiar with this form of writing that most of us had never experimented with, we studied lyrical essays by Maggie Nelson, Ryan Van Meter, Claudia Rankine, Ross Gay, Heidi Czerwiec; and creative nonfiction by Ander Monson and David Foster Wallace. This English assignment challenged us to explore a topic of our choice through research and lyrical essay writing. I decided to write an epistolary (written in the form of a series of letters) lyrical essay that was dedicated to my mom.

My Endless Gratitude
By: Mia Delgo

Dear Ima ,
I read you.
I read your face, your smile, your words.
Your love, a book I’ve been reading for 17 years

The language of your heart is my guiding light,
teaching me how to read the world.

The unwavering love and direction,
like the magnetic needle of a compass,
guides me toward the right path.

From the first moment I drew breath,
you held me. My first sanctuary.

As I write these words, I want to express how deeply I cherish you. Thank you for
supporting me no matter what,
understanding me,
making me laugh,
being the best role model,
never giving up on me,
shaping me into the person I am today.

I am me because of you
and for that,
I am forever grateful.

With all my love,
מיא’לה

PDF Link to the Essay (click below)