General Learner Outcomes Portfolio

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Journal #4: Process Paper: How I shaped and produced the "impact activity"

Targeting a certain group of society and focusing them as the film’s audience was a challenge on my part. It was the basis of my short film. The goal was to influence them in making a difference in the world around them and taking action to make a change. To do that, I had to create a short film that is able to convey a message and is able to achieve a response from the targeted audience. As usual, I wanted to go beyond the issues of poverty, violence, drugs, and the like. At first, I wanted to bring awareness about those who are blind and the gift that the blind are given although they don’t have the ability to see, but to hear and touch. I wanted to grasp the importance of hearing and the feeling of touch. However, this was very unsuccessful because I was so pressed on time and I didn’t have the resources to help me capture the film the way I imagined it. So, I refined it into a story about those who are suffering from a type of dementia. I then added the belief of the “power of love” and how it can conquer. However, I realized that this was a much more difficult project because I needed the help from multiple beings, but unfortunately, those around me were busy developing their own projects and the professionals I contacted were unavailable. So, I had to reinvent my screenplay and script into a simple story that didn’t require much resources, but is still able to receive a response from the audience, showing that my message was understood through my short film. So, I wandered around for a few days and carefully observed those around me. I also looked into my own personal experiences and the many trials and tribulations I go through in my life. After a few days of intense pondering and with the help from my peers, I was able to develop a story about the relationship between a mother and her child. Due to the limited amount of time, characters, and resources I had, the screenplay was simplified during filming. I had only one day to film and within that one day, I worked hard in using my skills in digital media to capture the message the way I pictured it - details, foreshadow, and so on. Unfortunately, one of the scenes in my screenplay was skipped because I was short on characters, so I used my skills in video editing to manipulate that scene just a little bit. This was a challenge and a stretch for me because it taught me the importance of alternative plans when a certain task cannot be completed or when a previous plan/idea has failed. In the process, I also added a certain twist to the story, an array of hope. The end result, although it didn’t turn out the way I wanted it to, still had an effect on the audience. My short film was molded into a narrative piece about the importance of practicing moral values, especially to those who deserve the respect. It eventually turned into a story about a disobedient teenager who learns the importance of changing her former ways (bad attitude). With this, I was able to receive a response from my teacher and from my friend, showing that my video did have a certain effect/impact on them. Through Project Icarus, I have learned the importance of targeting the audience and the importance of successfully capturing the story through digital media. From here, I will continue to stay in contact with the Academy of Creative Media and the individuals I tried to get in touch with. With their help, I will be able to improve my skills and develop as a learner and thus, gain a more valuable learning experience.

Journal #3: Reflective Journal: Response to my learning

Ever since I was in elementary school, I have always been interested in film-making and video editing. I have always wondered about how established film-making companies were able to capture dramatic action scenes and scenes with nature and wildlife. I always used the term “magic” to explain my confusions. With this, I began creating my own videos, using my cellphone. I didn’t have a program or a camera, so I used whatever was available. I became serious about film-making when I was in middle school. I registered media as my elective and ever since I became a finalist in the Olelo Youth Exchange Awards, I decided that I should expand my own learning and so I did. Beginning freshman year, I became a member of the Mene Mac Learning Center. My goal was to be exemplary and to go beyond what I already knew and what I was able to do. I focused on story-telling, cinematography, and video editing while using animations and techniques such as green screen. I wanted to be different and I wanted others to notice my work and what I was able to do. I always wanted to tell a story through my videos. I don’t want it just to be a compilation of random things and happy objects. I wanted to grasp the audience. When my music video, What Hurts the Most, was released through YouTube and posted on blogging sites, my group and I received positive responses. I didn’t actually think anyone would respond, but majority of their comments said that the music video made them cry. They were able to relate the story to their own personal experiences. When I read about their responses, that was when I realized I wanted to do more. Beginning sophomore year, I decided I wanted to travel a more narrow path. I desired uniqueness and rarity and I didn’t want to have the cliche and the common things in my video. So, in every project I was assigned, I tried to mold it so that I could capture something different compared to what has been done before. At times I find myself creating my own projects as a single person. Now, there are people, like my friends, relatives and acquaintances who want to collaborate with me and this has given me the motivation to continue and expand in film-making. Project Icarus has pushed me to achieve a certain stretch - the ability to influence a targeted audience through narrative and story telling. I was able to do this through my very first short film about teenagers and the importance of the awareness of moral values. I would not have been able to do this without training in school. I would not have been able to master my skills and develop my abilities in film-making if school was inexistent. It has trained me to push further and to continue progressing and improving. School has also introduced me to many different aspects of digital media. It has also taught me the importance of time management and the required content in certain types of media. With the help of my teachers, I was able to approach and get in contact experts and those who are experienced in film-making, such as the chair person of the Academy of Creative Media. These experiences have shaped me into a person with a better outlook of the future and has helped me refine my skills and abilities.

Journal #2: Essay: Data and Information Gathering

The Academy for Creative Media in University of Hawaii’s College of Arts and Humanities encourages students to tell their own stories while applying the different aspects of digital media. This program offers courses in Digital Media, Computer Animation, and Critical Studies - allowing students to master their skills in narrative, story telling, and digital media. Students in this program have the opportunity to create their own program in film studies beyond the ACM core courses. Students are also provided with an ACM Media Center, which is where all of the equipments are held for students to check in and out and to report any problems with the equipments. Students also have access to tutorials to aide them with the basic operating of the equipment. Students in the ACM program produce over 100 short films every semester. These films are entered into competitions in local film festivals. ACM is also part of an international program called the Student Media Art Exchange. This is an integrated program with China that allows students to film on location and gives students the opportunity to experience filmmaking outside of the school complex. Students gain a better outlook in the film-making business through this international program.

WongFu Productions is an independent production company who is well-known through YouTube. Ted Fu, Wesley Chan, and Philip Wang create short films, music videos, and vlogs. They write, direct, and edit on their own with their own equipment. They have also started their own t-shirt brand, Nice Guy, designed, run, and modeled by them as well. Collaborating with Far East Movement has given them the opportunity to begin their own concert series known as the International Secret Agents, held seasonally with various artists in the making, such as David Choi, Kina Grannis, and many other famous YouTube artists. Their videos are very inspirational and they are able to bring a positive impact on themselves and to their audience. They are very entertaining and they have succeeded in reaching a new aspect of film-making through their own humor. Today, they are working on a new series and collaborating with Far East Movement and many other YouTube artists, as previously mentioned, to develop their new Spring Concert Tour 2011.

MainStay Productions is another “underground” and independent professional company in the making - focused in the art of film-making. There isn’t much information about their background and the development of the company. However, they are exemplary for multi-tasking and time management. As of now, they have 10 open projects in various stages of development. Their challenge is finding the time to focus on just one of the projects. Their collaboration skills and their ability to manage their time wisely allows them to be able to progress through all 10 projects, but at the same time, develop quality work. MainStay Productions is currently working on a Hunger Games Project. They have previously released previews and sneak peeks of their project, which is the cave scene with Katniss and Peeta, Rue’s death scene with Katniss, and a small introduction to Mockingjay. This is not the only project they are working. They are also working hard in producing Taylor Swift’s official music video for her song, Mary. They were able to contact her record label and they have started a campaign to help them become selected to shoot her music video. They have many projects in the making and yet they are able to produce them with quality content, cinematography, videography, and sound.

The Jubilee Project is also another film-making crew. Their videos are mainly focused in bringing awareness about the issues occurring in society today, such as poverty in Africa and the blind. They receive sponsorships through their videos to help support the organizations who are helping those in need. The Jubilee Project’s main goal is to impact society in a positive manner, hopefully bringing about a change and influencing their audience to make a difference in the world today in the process.