High School Grade  Project 5 weeks

Evolving Reels: My Story Unmasked

Julia B
Updated
Effective Communication
Self Directed Learning
Collaboration
Content Expertise
Academic Mindset
+ 1 more
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Purpose

Through creating a found footage documentary, you will embark on a personal exploration of your journey as a high school student, capturing pivotal moments of social development and the influences of those around you. By collaborating with industry experts like Bad Neighbor Studio and Rentals, you will develop critical skills in filmmaking, editing, and storytelling. Your project culminates in an end-of-the-year screening, where the documentary serves as a reflective piece highlighting personal growth and shared experiences, sparking discussion on how these narratives shape our understanding of life and identity.

Learning goals

Develop a compelling documentary that captures your high school journey while exploring the impact of others on your personal growth. Enhance your skills in editing, sound mixing, voiceovers, and storytelling, with a focus on portraying authentic experiences. Use feedback from peers, teachers, and industry mentors to refine your work, deepening your understanding of communication, collaboration, and critical thinking. Conclude with a public screening event that highlights your project's impact and fosters a sense of community and shared reflection. Through this process, embrace self-directed learning and cultivate an academic mindset that appreciates personal and collective growth.

Competencies
  • Effective Communication - Students practice listening to understand, communicating with empathy, and share their learning through exhibiting, presenting and reflecting on their work.
  • Self Directed Learning - Students use teacher and peer feedback and self-reflection to monitor and direct their own learning while building self knowledge both in and out of the classroom.
  • Collaboration - Students co-design projects with peers, exercise shared-decision making, strengthen relational agency, resolve conflict, and assume leadership roles.
  • Content Expertise - Students develop key competencies, skills, and dispositions with ample opportunities to apply knowledge and engage in work that matters to them.
  • Academic Mindset - Students establish a sense of place, identity, and belonging to increase self-efficacy while engaging in critical reflection and action.
  • Critical Thinking & Problem Solving - Students consider a variety of innovative approaches to address and understand complex questions that are authentic and important to their communities.

Products

Throughout this project, you will create a series of edited video clips as you refine your filmmaking skills, including filming, sound mixing, and voiceovers. These clips will represent different stages of your personal journey, capturing the essence of your high school experiences. The final product will be a cohesive found footage documentary that showcases your social development and reflects on personal growth through loss and gain. To conclude, host an end-of-the-year screening event featuring everyone involved in your documentary's creation, celebrating shared experiences and growth.

Launch

Begin your project by hosting a collaborative brainstorming session with your community partners, including Bad Neighbor Studio and Rentals, Women in Cinema SD, Matthew Fitzpatrick, and Lucas Williams. Use this session to introduce the essential question and discuss potential themes and segments for your documentary. Engage in hands-on workshops covering filming techniques, editing basics, and the emotional impact of music in storytelling. Set personal goals and outline a timeline that aligns with your five-week project plan. Kick off the filming process by capturing preliminary footage that showcases your current perspectives and experiences in high school.

Exhibition

Host an end-of-year screening event for your documentary, inviting all individuals featured in the film and those who contributed to its creation. Provide a platform for presenting your journey, allowing attendees to engage in discussions about the themes explored in the documentary. Set up a gallery walk showcasing key behind-the-scenes moments and personal reflections, encouraging viewers to leave comments and feedback. Integrate interactive components, such as live Q&A sessions with you and your collaborators, to deepen the audience's understanding and connection to the project.