Portfolio
Documentary Article
This documentary project challenged me in three major ways, each of which helped me grow as a student, writer, and designer.
The first challenge was networking. We were encouraged to choose a documentary subject we didn’t already know, which pushed me out of my comfort zone. As someone passionate about botany, I initially reached out to a plant-loving professor at a nearby community college. She kindly declined due to scheduling conflicts but referred me to Mr. Behen. It was nerve-wracking to contact someone I’d never met before and even more intimidating to interview them about their life. I had to craft a narrative based entirely on what I learned through our conversations. In the end, I’m incredibly grateful I chose Mr. Behen as my subject. He was not only fascinating but also generous with his time and story—an unexpected reminder of the kindness people can show to a stranger with a school project.
Writing the article about Mr. Behen was another challenge. I genuinely enjoyed speaking with him, which made me even more determined to portray his story accurately and respectfully. Though this was my first attempt at writing a profile and working in a journalistic style, I believe the final piece reflects both my growth and my potential as a writer.
The final stage was designing the layout in Adobe InDesign. I chose to incorporate hand-drawn flowers to match the spirit of Mr. Behen, who is a gardener. I experimented with photo framing and added a few graphical elements to bring the layout to life. This part of the project was especially fun and significantly expanded my skills in visual design.
Overall, this documentary taught me how to connect with others, craft meaningful narratives, and express ideas visually. It was a rewarding and formative experience.
Scientific Animation
For my Zenith Project—Freestyle Academy’s equivalent of a senior thesis—I chose to combine my interests in science and animation. I created a 3D animation of the power stroke, a key concept from AP Biology that explains how muscles contract at the molecular level.
I built the animation in Autodesk Maya using a plugin called Molecular Maya, which provided accurate protein models. After importing the proteins, I rigged them with bones and animated the entire process to visually represent the movement of myosin and actin during muscle contraction.
This project allowed me to merge scientific accuracy with creative storytelling and deepen both my technical skills in 3D animation and my understanding of molecular biology. It’s one of the pieces I’m most proud of because it reflects both my passions and my ability to communicate complex ideas through visual media.
Documentary Animation
In addition to writing a documentary, we were also tasked with creating an animated version of one. I completed this using Adobe Animate, choosing to animate an excerpt from my recorded interview with Mr. Behen.
This project highlights my ability to enhance storytelling through simple animation. Since we were required to complete the animation independently, the scope had to remain manageable, but I focused on making each element intentional and engaging. One of my strengths in this piece was designing smooth transitions that supported the narrative and maintained a consistent visual flow. I paid close attention to pacing, ensuring that the animation complemented the tone and content of Mr. Behen’s words.
Though the animation was kept simple by design, I’m proud of how it brings the story to life and showcases my growing skills in multimedia storytelling.
Multi Layered Art Project
The Layered Art Project was a senior capstone that combined visual design with storytelling. Using Adobe Illustrator, we created 3D layered artwork inspired by a worldbuilding project from our English class. For my piece, I designed a cybernetic bird—a surveillance drone from the dystopian world I had created.
I began by illustrating and tracing the design in Illustrator, carefully crafting each layer to reflect the mechanical complexity of the bird. I then used a laser cutter to bring the piece into the physical world, assembling it into a dimensional work of art.
To expand on the concept digitally, I imported the same Illustrator layers into Adobe After Effects, where I animated them in a 3D space. This allowed me to showcase the structure of the bird from multiple angles and bring the design to life through motion.
This project represents the intersection of narrative, design, and technology—and highlights my ability to work across mediums to fully realize a creative vision.
