Introduction
The time I have spent learning at Freestyle Academy has been indispensable. Coming into the program, I thought I already knew everything there was to know about film and digital art. However, I was very quickly humbled and was shown how little I truly know. Over the past two years, my mind has been opened to a whole new world of possibilities that I could have never imagined.
The time I have spent here has allowed me to become proficient in programs such as Photoshop, After Effects, Premiere, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, InDesign, and Pro Tools. The ways in which I have learned to communicate, and voice my opinions, have expanded to new horizons.
Freestyle has given me the opportunity to use mediums such as film, music, creative writing, and design to truly express myself. I have produced artwork that turns my imagination into a reality, films that reflect on my personal values and explore the unknown, essays and stories that address controversial issues in our society, music that allows me to express my sillier side, and this website, which I have used over the past two years to bring all of that together and share it with you.
So, in celebration of all the hard work, time, and growth that I have been privileged to experience here at Freestyle, I wanted to take one last opportunity to share some of my favorite work that I have created during my time here. All of these projects are my proudest work; they have shaped who I am today and how I view art along with the world around me and are all perfect examples of what I think Freestyle is all about. Please enjoy!
The Moods
The Moods (Zenith Project) was a marketing campaign for a fictional drink company I created. The goal was to create three unique ads that each appeal to different audiences. This project undoubtedly gave me tons of much-needed experience, which will be beneficial to my pursuit of Industrial/Product design as a career. The Moods showed me the importance of passion when working toward my vision and gave me the opportunity to let some of my most creative ideas shine.
Anne Shachal: Cancer, Every Cloud Has A Silver Lining
My Junior documentary project was probably the most eye-opening experience I had at Freestyle. This project challenged us to find a member in our community who has a unique experience or valuable insight and tell their story to the world. Me and my partner Eric decided to make our documentary about Anne Schachal, a two-time cancer survivor and mother of three. Working with Anne, and learning about how to live life to its fullest, help instill me with a sense of universal gratitude that has stuck with me ever since.
Reflections
We began the reflections project at the start of our Senior year. This project allowed us to take a break from using film to tell other people’s stories and flip the camera over to tell our own. Out of all the projects I have made at Freestyle, I have the strongest emotional connection to this one. Having the opportunity to reflect on my life and what makes it unique helped me to realize how lucky I am to have made it this far. All the experiences I’ve had, choices I’ve made, and people I’ve met, have all shaped me into who I currently am, and I would trade any of it for the world.
Mockumentary
The mockumentary was a week-long project that allowed Film students to practice their interviewing skills, including camera work/positioning, handling audio equipment, and asking questions to an interviewee. However, our mockumentary ended up being more of a humor project, as we decided to preface our story for the interviews around a kid who is addicted to singing, and the effects it has had on his family/personal life. This project gave me the rare experience of being the one in front of the camera, and I had the time of my life. Of all the projects I have made as a Film student, this is the one my mom likes showing family members the most.
Surreal Composition
The surreal composition was a project in Digital Media that challenged us to take our world-building stories from English and turn them into a visual medium using Adobe Photoshop. For this project, students were required to gather several images and composite them into one hyperrealistic image. This was by far my favorite project in Digital Media. I invested a ton of effort into my piece, The Roots of the Tree, and really tried to go above and beyond in making it look like one coherent image that reflected my story. Today, this artwork hangs over my bedroom walls, and serves as a reminder of the power creativity has when it comes to bringing ideas into reality.
Conclusion
As I’m sure you’ve heard me say before, I wouldn’t trade my time at Freestyle for the world. All the experiences I’ve had here, the good, the bad, the funny, the angry, and the sad, are ones I will treasure forever. The art I have made during this time is the embodiment of that. I look forward to taking all of these experiences with me as I move forward and continue to create art in the form of Product Design during college. So with that being said, thank you so much for joining me on this journey, but just know that this is only the beginning.
