Senior Footprint Project

My Project

My Senior Footprint Project tells the story of all the ups and downs of my high school journey and how it has shaped me into who I am.

The opening scene of my video is myself sitting in my living room in the middle of the night and turning on my tv. It them flashes to a compilation of videos from my four years of high school. There were no reenacted situations and no acting for the purpose of showing these memories though. All the laughs, smiles, and tears were directly from the actual moment they happened.

During the compilation of my high school memories you can see snippets of my “current self” reacting and reflecting to the memories.

After the compilation is over, the sun has come up and its a new day. That’s when I walk outside and into the sunshine, representing how I am embracing myself for who I am and sharing that with others.

When it came to telling the story of my high school experience I was very hesitant. A lot of my high school experience was facing many challenges and sharing your personal struggles with people puts you in a very vulnerable position. I didn’t want to leave out any details however because it was my story and I’m a better person because of those experiences.

High Key Lighting

In this scene, I walk outside and into the sunlight, representing how I am embracing myself for who I am and sharing that with the world.

I used high key lighting to create a bright and open-looking scene, giving the feeling of happiness and peace, representing the joy that finding myself has brought me.

Courtesy of Kira Haas

I used high key lighting to create a joyous moment where the viewer can feel inspired and empowered. This scene is personally one of my favorites for that reason.

As this scene plays out I say “If you take away the makeup, the glitter, whatever costume I’m making at the moment, it’s just me.”

I created this scene for the sole purpose of showing other women that makeup doesn’t made you who you are and I hope this message positively impacts viewers.

Low Angle

In this scene, I turn off the tv as the video of my high school memories come to an end.

I used a low angle to create a scene that makes myself appear powerful and strong, representing how much I have grown as a person during my high school experience and demonstrating how I have the strength overcome my struggles now.

Courtesy of Kira Haas

I used a low angle to create a empowering moment where the viewer can feel strong.

Sound

Sounds were the first element that came to mind when I began to create this video. Music, being my passion, is how I convey emotion into a story, and this video was no different.

I specifically selected music for this video that had personal meanings and accurately suited the story of my journey.

Being who I am it was obvious I had to include some of my own vocals as well.

Courtesy of Kira Haas

I feel two of the strongest scenes in my video are where I am singing. The first features the song, All Too Well, by Taylor Swift and the second is In My Dreams from the musical, Anastasia.

Both tracks were either played by myself on piano or played and recorded for me by a friend.

CONCLUSION

Overall I feel my Senior Footprint Project has accomplished what I hoped it would through the film techniques I have used.

I believe I have created an empowering video accurately portraying my high school experience along with the lessons I have learned.

I hope my project inspires others and helps them through what ever challenges they face in high school.

Media & Me

“Your mind is being controlled by distant strangers who don’t have your best interests at heart.”

This quote from the article, Mind Control: It’s Happening to You Right Now, summarizes how the media affects our minds and holds power over our thoughts.

Since the early 2000s, technology has majorly developed and transformed the media.

From controlling our searches to creating standards we must meet, the media has influenced us in ways we never imagined it could.

Courtesy of Unsplash

Influences of the Media

With information surrounding us, media affects what we buy, what we read, and how we think.

Controlled Searches

It has recently been discovered that each individual person’s internet searches generate results based on that individual’s resent internet activity.

This personalizes the internet to each individual’s likes, dislikes, and things related to their previous searches.

Although in theory this sounds like a useful tool to finding things you’d like, it also has the negative aspect of allowing you to not be exposed to new things.

Surfing the internet can lead to new discoveries and new interests. Having a server narrow down what you see to what you like is limited the ability to discover new things and influences you to think and live like you always had.

Standards

The media has set a particular standard in how people should look, act, talk, and dress. Because of the media’s influence, many people are convinced to believe they have to fit in with the media’s expectations.

Glamour magazine wrote an article covering the topic and shared this statistic: “Women wrote more than 5 million negative tweets in 2014. Four out of every five negative beauty tweets from women were about themselves.”

These standards have no positive aspects; degrading people who don’t fit in these standards and making some people insecure and believe they have to change.

Courtesy of Unsplash

Advertising

The most profitable and influencial aspect of media is advertisements.

Companies will pay almost anything to have celebrities or well-known websites show and support their product. And through influences of the media, these sales tactics work.

Many people buy products depending on who advertises them. The people of today feel so pressured to ‘fit in’ to the media’s standards that if someone successful uses the product, they feel they must also use the product.

This method of influence by the media has worked on myself as well. There have been many times where I’ve seen a celebrity I like endorse a product and immediately gone out and bought the same product.

Tomorrow’s Media

There is no telling how the media will influence our future.

It is our responsibility to be aware of the influential tactics used by the media so we keep in mind how important it is to think for ourselves.

At the end of the day, our future is what we make it; not what the media controls.