Brianna Media Studies A level

      Hey blog, we have an instagram account where you can follow along and support our documentary! It is called limitless.documentary  by Kaylee, Kyleigh, Molly and I. On this account you can find posts about the documentary and some parts of how it turned out! https://www.instagram.com/limitless.documentary?igsh=aTljdzdqemFseGpm

      Working with my group on this documentary showed us a lot about teamwork, communication, collaboration, and responsibility. With all our differing ideas, it made it a challenge to agree on one thing however, we learned that it is important to listen to each other and consider everyone’s idea’s and opinions. By doing this we were able to combine our ideas and make them even better.     We also learned how to be responsible for each of our jobs. By working together and trusting each other to do what they needed to it helped us work efficiently and stay on track. The teamwork we had helped us support each other and hold each other accountable so we could ensure that everything was done in time.      Working as a group taught us that we needed to be flexible with plans and instead of getting frustrated with each other we could work together and solve the problem together. This documentary brought us closer as collaborators and helped us grow as ...

      While working on this documentary, it changed the way I look at people with differences that aren’t really different after all. I learned that disabilities aren’t just medical conditions they are real life experiences that can happen to anyone. They affect how people communicate, learn, and interact with others everyday. I started to understand that everyone’s experiences are different from each other’s but, they all have one thing in common….they are not defined by their disability.      I learned that it is important to bring awareness to the issue of discrimination of people with disabilities. Learning the stories from people with disabilities helped me to realize that people with disabilities are often misunderstood and depreciated. Filing this documentary taught me that words and actions can have a big impact on someone who may be struggling. So, it is alway important to be kind because some disabilities are not seen.     Many peop...

      Hey blog , I wanted to give a short synopsis of what this documentary is about. This documentary talks about the topic of disabilities one being physical. This section tells what the disability is and gives a real life example of how it affects the way they are treated like discrimination. Another type of disability was mental. This puts the viewer inside a person with a mental disability. The last type was intellectual disabilities. Also showing how the disability effects the was they live their life. Everyone with a disability is seen as different when in reality they are limitless.

     Hey Limitless  fans! We can’t wait for you to watch this amazing documentary about disabilities. We are very happy with the way the documentary turned out. I think it has a very powerful and positive message that is important especially for people in school to understand. We are happy that we could educate the audience on the importance of not treating people with disabilities differently. I think we were able to portray our message that people who have disabilities are limitless very well and we told each individual’s story in an impactful way.

      Kaylee was the main editor of the documentary. She worked to lay everything in the timeline along with doing a lot of the sound and color. She chopped up the interviews to make everything cohesive adding any effects that were necessary.       Molly acted as the producer and helped write the script and come up with shots and other ideas to give the documentary sparkle. She gave honest opinions which helped make everything look the best it could be.      Kyleigh, who is a non-Cambridge member of our group, was part of the scripting and storyboard process with us. Also, being an anchor and reporter for the mental disability section. She helped us get b-roll from Isaias and Joseph by being in contact with them by texting back and forth. 

     One of my roles in this documentary was coming up with the idea/topic, planning the script, and storyboarding. We all worked together on this part. When we were denied our original idea of foster care I came up with the idea of doing the documentary on disabilities.      Another role I had was being on and behind camera. I was on screen talking about physical disabilities and when I wasn’t on screen I was behind the camera filming, listening to audio and checking the shots. Also, I was one of the interviewers asking questions to Isaias.      Then when it got around to the editing process, I helped make titles and gave input on effects, color, sound and the layout and flow of how everything was laid down. At first, the way we had it laid out did not flow very well so, I suggested we add a little clip with a fact and a staged scene to introduce the interview.      My title was assistant director along with Kyleigh. We were a...

      Today we editing our finial product down to six minutes and 55 seconds. We did end up cutting out a lot of the information in the mental disability section and a few other random things that were unnecessary. Along with shortening the credits at the very end of the product. We are very happy with how it turned out and we are glad we could distribute this message that everyone is equal no matter what. No one is limited.

      Hey blog! It’s almost time to submit that final product of our documentary. Today we are all going to watch over everything a few times just do be sure everything looks good and there are no glitches or issues we need to submit before submitting the final product.

      The first deadline we faced for this documentary was for our contest submission. The requirements of this has a limit of ten minutes and we hit almost nine minutes. This would not be within the time for the submission to Cambridge. So, after submitting it for contest we are working to cut the documentary down to below seven minutes.      We plan to make it shorter by taking out some things in the mental disability section where Kyleigh is talking about depression and just have it on the facts about anxiety and mental disabilities in general.

            For this scene we wanted the viewer to feel like they were experiencing anxiety. We wanted to portray what goes on in a persons mind with anxiety. We edited this with a vignette to make the viewer feel like they were seeing what Victoria was seeing helping them visualize how anxiety affects her. Also, we edited together a bunch of overlapping voice overs to show how overwhelming anxiety can be and that it is hard to shut it out. These little touches have a big impact on the viewer by making it aware to them that anxiety cannot be overlooked and is a real life problem that truly can has an effect of someone’s everyday life.

    These are the copyright free background music we used in our documentary that we decided was fit for the emotional vibe of the topic of disability.  We used this music for the beginning and end of each section. This music has a hopeful and uplifting tone to it:  https://youtu.be/oJ8TZqeWmlo This is the music we used over the Anxiety section with Victoria to help get our message across:  https://youtu.be/_Qr2T1az1Ck Along with sad and emotional sounding instrumental music to pull at the heart strings of the viewer:  https://youtu.be/cmXrHQENZ6A      https://youtu.be/taAxpw03dgM      https://youtu.be/XQaNaFtI11Q

      When edit interviews, we had to chop it up to make sure everything they were saying flowed. Kaylee and I worked together on this part ensuring that the things they were saying made sense together. We decided on what we definitely wanted to include and cut things that were random and didn’t make sense. On Isaias’s interview we knew we wanted to include the section where he talks about playing basketball because that was easy to get b-roll for and it was a big part of what he does and what gets him inspired. On Joseph’s interview, we wanted to include something about his job and his passion for music but, he didn’t say anything about it. In this case we had to have Joseph come into our class to film some voiceovers along with Isaias to make things flow. We had them say stuff along the lines of  “my disability doesn’t limit me” and “it makes me who I am.” And on Joseph’s interview we had him talk about the music part of his life and his job just like any other kid...

      We used two different fonts throughout. The one I used for the text boxes was Superclaredon. I made sure this was consistent throughout each section. I used this font because it was easy to read and was not smushed together, even with effects like drop shadow. For the Final Cut template we used a different font called Hiragino Kaku Gothic STD. I think we should have been more consistent with the font and agreed on one to use on everything. However, this font was similar and was also easy to read so it worked well. 

      Kyleigh and I worked to find background music, we had some input from Molly too. We had to find an instrumental and emotional song. We did not want anything upbeat because it would not get the effect of it being a sad/emotional topic. However, we did not want anything too slow that would make it boring and hard to watch. W e had to find a median.      We looked on YouTube for non-copyright songs that we could use. We found a few options and decided on two or three that we felt fit for the vibe of the documentary. Also, on Joseph’s interview we thought it would be a cool touch to make a portion of his interview have the instrumental sound of him playing the piano himself. 

      We are trying to create title bars that appeal to the color scheme and theme of each section. Our teacher was going to make us title bars but, the ones she had were hard to see on the background. So we made a design for each and will key frame them in as we go. We made titles for each person.      Also, we used Final Cut Pro templates for other text like the disability titles, facts, and captions. 

      We planned to film b-roll for both interviews on the same day because both Isaias and Joseph were available. Isaias’s interview he talked about how he enjoyed playing basketball so we asked him to bring his blades so we could get the full visual of how he is able to play. We got b-roll of him putting on the prosthetic legs to show when he talks about how he is able to do sports and run like he does. Later that day, Kyleigh went to Publix where he works and got some clips of him working.      Joseph likes to play the piano so we involved that in his day filming b-roll. Along with him in his classroom setting and he sent us pictures of him with his family and his connection with God.

      We have been asking the two who we interviewed for b-roll pictures of things like their family, their job and anything else that is important to them but they have not gotten around to sending it. We also need to work on getting other sections of b-roll filmed so we can see what needs to be cut from the interviews.      I have started working on titles for things like descriptions, definitions, and extra facts about each type of disability. Each section has a different theme/color. I made the physical disability section blue and white, the mental disability section a teal color to symbolize anxiety awareness, and intellectual disability includes puzzle pieces for autism. I used the same font and effects like a drop shadow and stroke on all the text boxes to make sure they looked cohesive and were easy to read. Kaylee worked on key framing these in and out of the screen and Kyleigh and Molly checked for any spelling errors I may have missed and they ca...

      Now that we have everything filmed we can start the editing process. We have begun laying everything down in the timeline to see if anything needs to be re-filmed. Along with editing the color and audio to make sure everything looks clear and the audio is easy to understand. Kaylee did most of this editing part and I helped with color occasionally if needed.

    At first we were not sure of what exactly we wanted the outro to look like but, after a few days of brainstorming ideas,  Kaylee came up with an idea we all agreed would work.      She suggested that each person walk with the person with the disability from their section. So, I walk with Isaias, Kyleigh with Victoria and Kaylee with Joseph. Each is us will say a little fact as we all walk in together. In the end each person with the disability will walk forward and say “we are limitless” all together to move the audience and make it seem powerful.      Filming this we used lapels as we walk then in the end their audio gets picked up off of our microphones. Molly was behind the camera in this shot she helped to make sure they all say “we are limitless” on time by counting down from three. 

      We filmed this section at school in an empty classroom so we used other people in the class as background characters. Molly was involved in this section as the teacher of Victoria who calls her up as we demonstrate her anxiety effecting the way she is feeling. We used creative point of view shots to help get the point across that Victoria was having a disability of anxiety. 

                             We filmed this interview at the Winter Haven Public Library. Now that we know we need to use two camera angles, this interview ran a lot smoother. This time Kyleigh and Kaylee were behind the camera listening to audio and making sure the shot was clear. I was asking Isaias questions. Kaylee also contributed by asking some follow up questions in addition to the questions we had in our script/storyboard. The fountain in the back caused there to be noise in the background of the interview but, we used voice isolation and enhance to make it go away and it worked great!

     The first time we filmed Joseph’s interview I was there behind the camera listening to audio and looking at the scene and Kaylee asked him the interview questions. But, once we started editing I said we should use two angles and then we had to film his interview a second time. I could not make it to this interview so Bryan Rivas stepped in for me he is friends with Joseph and this made Joseph feel more comfortable answering and he didn’t seem as nervous. Kyleigh was behind the camera for this interview but, she didn’t realize the audio was not as clear as it should be. This became an issue when editing because his audio was very quiet and it was hard to understand him even after adding voice enhancing and isolation. Along with his coloring, it was not the best and it was hard to get the coloring of both camera angles to look the same. 

      We chose to film our informational sections at Bok Tower Gardens and this is the location that is used in a few of our informational spots. However, when filming here we faced an issue. The Gardens began to close and we were not done filming so, we had to find a new location.  The other location you will see is the public library in Downtown Winter Haven. This location was a lot easier to get to because it was a lot closer to where Kyleigh, Kaylee, Molly and I live.      When filming at Bok Tower only Kaylee and Kyleigh went with me so we took turns being behind the camera. We all worked together to find locations with good lighting and background scenery that was appealing to look at.               When we filmed at the public library, Molly helped us behind the camera. She made sure sound was clear, camera was white balanced, and lighting was good. She helped us get the perfect shot! She helped behind the...

     Developing this section we were inspired by a scene in the movie Inside Out where in the character Riley’s dream she gets up in class and has to tell a little bit about herself and she has all these crazy things happen to her. We want to use this demonstration to portray anxiety. So, using point of view shots showing what Victoria is seeing and make the camera shake and look trippy to give the viewer the effect of how anxiety can make a person feel. Along with showing what she is thinking by overlapping a bunch of voiceovers making it very overwhelming. 

      After filming Joseph’s interview the first time, I suggested that we should use two different cameras to have two angles. This is important because it will be easier to cut out things like pauses, mistakes, or stumbles. Switching the angle will make the editing look smoother instead of jumpy and make things flow better. Also, switching the angles prevent the interview from feeling boring. We can use a close up angle as one which we can use to get the readers attention when the person being interviewed is saying something important or to show emotion and facial expressions. Along with a wider angle shot as the second angle which can capture body language.

      For the opening montage when each person is introduced themselves and their disability we want to use wide angle shots to show their full body and put the title underneath. The wide angle shots will give the viewer the sense that the person in the shot is vulnerable. 

      We have created a printed calendar to plan out filming dates. We also need to plan a date to film b-roll for each interview.

       My group and I have been working on our story board and are set on our ideas for the informative documentary. We have officially decided on the topic of disabilities.      We met over Christmas break to come up with the script and information we want to include (this script is what is seen in the image.) We found two people to interview and another person for the demonstration of mental disability. Isaias Suarez has a physical disability missing both legs and one hand. Joseph Kramer has a case of Autism and ADHD. Lastly, Victoria Hall who has diagnosed Anxiety and panic disorders.      We plan to interview Isaias and Joseph and use Victoria for a point of view demonstration of how anxiety affects the brain and how a person thinks. Joseph and Isaias agreed to share their story’s with how their disability affects their daily life.        In the opening montage we want to introduce each individual and ha...

     Limitless is going to have three sections showing three different types of disability and how they affect everyday life.      The three sections include physical disabilities, mental disabilities, and intellectual disabilities. Each section includes an informational segment where Kaylee, Kyleigh and I will tell about what the disability is. Then for the physical and intellectual section we will have an interview with someone who has the disability. For. The mental disability section we plan to have some sort of demonstration of inside the person with the mental condition. Showing their thought and emotions.      Then in the outro we want to bring everything together and have all three sections connect. We have a tentative plan for this part right now. All we know is that we want to have each of the three people with the disabilities say “we are limitless” whether they say it in different clips or in one clip together.

      The main theme we want to get across is that the people who we interview are “limitless.” So this is what we decided to make the title of the documentary. The meaning of limitless is having no limits, restrictions, or boundaries. We believe that no person with a disability should be looked down upon or be shameful of their disability. Therefore, we feel the title “Limitless” was perfect to get our message across that no one should be treated unfair just because they are different. Their disability, which is something they cannot control, shouldn’t cause them to miss out of opportunities and dreams.

       We would like to create an informational and emotional documentary where it will pull at the heart strings, bring awareness, and help people understand the issue better. The topic we plan to do it on is disabilities. We want to make it aware to people that people who have a disability are not limit to their disability they can do so much more. They are just like any normal person and they deserve equal treatment and fair opportunities.     However, it took my group and I a few weeks to come up with this topic. We knew we wanted to make it pull at the heart strings so at first we were between the topics of foster care and cancer. These are both very sad and real life issues but when we began to plan it out we came across problems with people allowing us to film and finding people who would be ok talking about their experiences. After consulting with my group member we settled on the topic of disabilities.     This was a great choice because ...

      The people I will be working with on this documentary is Molly Hutchinson and Kaylee Craig. Also, Kyleigh Peterson who is a non Cambridge student worked with us filming and coming up with the plan for the documentary. We have plans to create an emotional documentary about disabilities in teens and the way they aren’t limited because of their disability.