Introduction
The Documentary Unit is the final project of Junior year at Freestyle. It is over four weeks long and takes lots of time and dedication. One thing I have learned while tackling this project is that you have to be fully committed if you want successful results. This includes running around to get extra b-roll, last minute interviews, or spending late nights editing.
For the Documentary Unit I chose to profile a successful staging business, Stage House Interiors. This topic sparked my interest because the creation of the business was spontaneous and inspiring. Throughout the unit my communication and technical skills have grown tremendously. I have appreciated the challenges I have faced because they have forced me to problem solve and create solutions to situations I have never encountered.
This unit has allowed me to take a step back from the busy life of a high school student and appreciate capturing moments that reflect two entrepreneurs enjoying their lives and their staging company.
Research Paper
One of the most significant skills taught through Freestyle is how to appreciate interdisciplinary studies. The Documentary Project had requirements in every course we take at Freestyle including English in which we wrote research papers. Creating the research paper was an extensive process that included pulling quotes from primary sources, using the internet to find credible websites, and incorporating a book that relates to the topic. The interviewees provided an accurate representation of Stage House Interiors because they were all involved with the company. I chose to read the book Life is A Startup by Noam Wasserman. This book provided interesting incite to the creation of small business and the complications founders face.
Click here to read my research paper:
Film
Mockumentary
To begin the process of learning how to create a documentary our first film assignment was to produce a Mockumentary (fake documentary) about a random topic. This assignment was aimed to help us improve our microphone and interview camera set up skills. Our group created this video about the joys of dumpster diving.
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provider: youtube
url: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sg4cBBWGaT4&list=PL4UmbWlij-uTH7_8uvzSj9bzFUlpT8SPE&index=4&t=0s
src in org: https://www.youtube.com/embed/sg4cBBWGaT4?list=PL4UmbWlij-uTH7_8uvzSj9bzFUlpT8SPE
src gen org: https://www.youtube.com/embed/sg4cBBWGaT4?start=0&list=PL4UmbWlij-uTH7_8uvzSj9bzFUlpT8SPE
Final Documentary
This film captures Stage House Interiors and it’s founders. It highlights their day to day activities as well as how they started their unique company. It provides an interesting angle and incites into the creation of their small business.
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Interviews
Angela Rumi is one of the co-founders of Stage House Interiors. She is a mother of two high schoolers and participates in many community events. She is passionate about interior design and enjoys her job as one of the founders of Stage House Interiors.
Christina Rudolph is one of the co-founders of Stage House Interiors. She is a mother of two high schoolers and is heavily involved with the Los Altos Community Foundation. She has always been surrounded by real estate as she grew up with her family flipping houses.
Owen Halliday is a Realtor with the Sereno group. Here he is pictured with his dog Tessa. Halliday has been in the real estate business for around 20 years and gave Stage House Interiors their start.
Kristen Brown is a designer who assists Stage House Interiors. She volunteers in her free time and is passionate about decorating.