Introduction!

For this Conceptual Unit, we developed our abstract thinking and communication skills to answer the question, “How can I use unconventional forms to express myself?” Throughout the unit, we were challenged to take creative risks and express our abstract ideas through poetry, music, experimental films, and web design. As we went deeper into the unit, we were introduced to some professional equipment such as DSLR Cameras and Tascam Audio Recorders. As well as, a few Adobe applications including Photoshop, Dreamweaver & Premiere Pro!!

During this unit, I valued the many opportunities given to me to develop new, creative, and abstract ideas. In English, when writing our Free Verse Poems for the first time, I struggled to express my thoughts metaphorically instead of literally. With the assistance of my classmates and Mr. Greco, I was introduced to different ways that I could interpret my poem, and it broadened my perspective. In Digital Media, we had Photo Blogs which were small photography assignments that helped me think more creatively overall. For each blog, we had a topic that we needed to express through a photograph, and often when I was stumped on what to capture, I would go look at what my classmates did and gain inspiration. With that, I learned that people have a multitude of perspectives, and realized that it is so much fun to see how a single topic can be expressed in such different ways. In Film, I learned the basics of how to use a DSLR camera, as well as the basics of film language. All the projects so far have allowed me to express my creativeness and theoretical ideas. With this still being the very first unit of my Freestyle career, I can’t wait to see what my mind explores through next time!

Photo Haiku!

For our very first project as a Freestyle student, we were challenged to write a Haiku but with a random intention statement that was given to us. My statement was “I am exploring the feeling of courage through admiring architecture” While learning about the different forms of abstract poetry, we created our Haiku in English and connected it to an image that expresses it metaphorically. In Digital Media, we learned how to use an audio recorder, to record our voiceover for the Haiku video, which we edited using Premiere Pro.

As this was our very first assignment as Freestyle students, some things I valued through the Haiku Video Production was that I was able to get a glimpse of the programs and how they run, as well as the process one goes through to produce amazing work. When we see all the talented works by famous directors and producers every day on our devices, it is so cool to finally know some parts that they go through behind the camera and the production process.

Doubles Effect

In this film project, we were assigned to create a film with there being multiple versions of the same person in one shot. I decided to film Ethan acting like two different people, one who is more put together and neat, and the other more messy and aggressive. Getting to learn different ways on how to edit films is so much fun and I’m very excited for what comes next!

Experimental Film!

In Film, we have learned how to use a DSLR camera, how to edit in Premiere Pro, as well as learning to work with others to produce short films. As August was the very first time I had a film camera in my hand, I believe that I’ve grown as a creative artist because I use all the basic knowledge that I learned in the beginning, and apply it to each and every project of mine so my work would truly show my worth. One thing I value about Film is the collaboration aspect. When working on short films with your fellow classmates, you get to grow as a film student but also as a human, because you maintain your communication skills with others, just in a more creative way.

The Experimental Film was our first big assignment in Film, as it showed different, unconventional forms of art and opposition to mainstream media. Leading up to the final production, I learned various techniques such as, how to use a DSLR camera and how to edit in Premiere Pro along the way. This assignment helped me think outside of the box because the film had to be associated with an idea, emotion, or feeling instead of a structured storyline. In the end, I was able to connect my film to my own culture and show how it influenced how the world views others.

This is my Premiere Pro Interface for my Experimental Film production process. We learned how to create a new timeline (where all the content is), and keyframe things (text and opacity), and also included audio to make it more appealing to watch.

Free Verse Poem!

With this poetry assignment, we were given the opportunity to write about a topic that we were interested in. I chose to write about my experience at my first Dance Spectrum show, and how my mind went through multiple emotions while performing. Similar to our Haiku Video production process, we wrote and critiqued our poems in English, and edited them using Photoshop and Protools in Digital Media.

Mind through Motion is a free verse poem about the feelings I experience throughout a dance show. The speaker is a dancer in Dance Spectrum. Dance Spectrum is a student-based program at my high school that allows for dancers to express their love for dance with their friends during school hours in class. The human mind goes through multiple emotions at a time and a dancer can mix that with their performance. The energy builds up as time passes, and the dancers are excited to finally hit the stage and show their families what they have learned, after months of rehearsals. They are in a situation of rehearsal for their very first dance show and they are observing the excitement of the night. In the second stanza, I use sensory descriptions to show what aspects I love about watching others perform. For example, the three lines of “A whiff of encouragement, A sound of excitement, The feeling of enjoyment”. I also use imagery in the third stanza to emphasize a strong feeling of courage through squeezing each other’s hands. Expressed through “squeezing each other’s hands like a cold winter day”. In the last stanza, I chose to balance the figurative elements of the poem with more literal imagery. When the poem changes from before the show to right after, the speaker’s attitude toward performing shifts from being anxious to elevated. The dancers realize how much fun getting to perform with their friends from school is and that influences more smiles to appear on their faces. In order to improve this poem, I adjusted some parts in order to make it less literal overall. I used my free verse poem brainstorm as a base and worked and critiqued that poem to form my final poem here Mind through Motion. For example, in my brainstorming, I said, “The show gets me so excited because I can perform, for friends and family”. Instead of talking about how I felt during that moment, I decided to express what was actually occurring at that moment through words. That now being, “Getting into a circle, We squeeze each other’s hands like a cold winter day, Feeling the humble heat go through from person to person.” I want to make the reader feel encouraged after reading this free verse poem because it expresses how even if you are scared at first, acknowledging the happiness you can experience through performing or any other activity is important and can help you achieve a higher and better goal for yourself.

Through this Free Verse Poem production process, I have valued that I have an opportunity to be able to learn how to use all these amazing softwares that professionals use to produce their work as well, and hopefully I’ll be using all the techniques that I’ve learned so far and much more in the future.

Scavenger Hunt

This is my scavenger hunt video, which was created with some of my fellow film students. This project was our very first assignment in the class, and we learned about all the different type of shots you could potentially use for your films in the future.

Photoshop Blend Modes!

In Digital Media, we had this assignment called “Photoshop Blend Modes” where we would use the blend modes in Photoshop as a way to manipulate photos. We explored the modes Multiple, which darkens the image, Screen, which lightens the image, and Overlay, where more contrast is created. With my new Photoshop skills, I can now edit images that need adjusting on my own, whether it’s the brightness or contrast of the photo. I value that I’m now able to combine my photos into 1 single photo with still having space to put a creative spin on it.

Green Screen

For this assignment called “Green Screen” we learned how to cut out the background in the orginal video and how to replace it with an image. Not perfect but in the end the process was fun!