Introduction
The Documentary unit at Freestyle Academy, a significant component of the Junior year, is dedicated to mastering the art of storytelling through diverse media, based on real conversations.
Embarking on this journey in English class, students seek out a fascinating individual, conduct an interview, and craft a profile-style article. The narrative then takes a visual turn in Digital Media, where the written word is married with photographs and design elements using Adobe InDesign. The culmination of this creative process occurs in Animation class, where students breathe life into their stories by pairing interview audio with dynamic animated sequences.
Profile of the interviewee
I went to church with my parents on weekends. During the conversation with people in the church, I met Dr. Feng Liang, a professor of biology at Stanford University. I heard that his research on microscopic aspects such as cells is the most advanced in the world. I was very curious and wanted to learn more about him and his research. So I took this opportunity to interview Professor Feng.
My interview mainly focused on three aspects:
1.Research
2.Reaching
3.Faith.
English
In English class, I wrote an essay based on the primary and secondary sources I collected. This experience gave me more experience with narrative writing and writing skills. Then, we used Adobe InDesign to design the page and had the option of publishing it online.
Documentary Animation
Then, I completed my animation based on the recording of the interview with Professor Feng. I also added some dramatic details based on the facts to make the animation more attractive, or more story-like.Here are the steps I took to create the animation:
- Audio Editing
- Making Outline
- Animating
- Add Sound Effects
My Designs:
This project was really difficult and took me a long time to complete. However, I am glad that I could really put the skills I learned into practice and it was really rewarding to see the finished product.
Final Product
I’ve been doubted a lot this year, especially by myself. I’ve spent so much time on animation, and I’ve always wondered if it was worth it. But after seeing this final animation I made this semester, that question has been answered.