Putting It Together

     Today I focused on finishing the organization/script for when I edit on Wondershare Filmora tomorrow. I expect the bulk of the extended episode to be completed by the end of Friday. Some concerns I have include the piece being way too long, the piece being boring, and not having enough B-roll footage to cover for the narration portions as well as portions of the interview. Below is a sample of the much longer script/plan: 

MVI_1625

M: “Since the first time…. Up until Carlos”

L: Martha refrained from moving to the United States so that her first son, Carlos, could finish his primary studies in Colombia. (Images of Carlos and Martha when they were younger)

M: “That was one of the last things keeping me from the US, after that we started planning..”

L: Martha, despite having the majority of her family in Colombia, was happy finally moving to the United States year 2000 with Carlos and her partner at the time, Pedro. (Images in the United States)

MVI_1626

M: Nosotros llegamos… (min 1:06)

L: Aside from purchasing a house and a car, Martha and her family sought to establish themselves legally as well. Martha took several steps to become an American, some of which led to unfortunate circumstances.

MVI_1632

M: Telling up until question of residency

L: Thankfully for Martha, those 90 days didn’t result in disaster. But the fear she felt would stay with her for a lifetime.

MVI_1634

M: Feelings of terror towards 90 days

L: Martha’s technique avoided a potentially perilous confrontation, eventually leading to a safe acquisition of her residency and citizenship in the decade that followed. Meanwhile, Martha remained unemployed until 2008, relying on capital she received from a company she co-founded in Colombia. In this time, Martha was able to focus on her children’s educations.

MVI_1635

M: going to all events at the schools, speaking about language

     I’ll see you guys again tomorrow. I’m unsure what I’ll be posting about yet, so I guess that will remain a surprise for the both of us till then!

Critics, Reviews, and All That Jazz

     I have chosen to write 3 extended reviews for my series that will be featured in the "Press" page on my website. I used this website https://www.ranker.com/list/famous-film-critics-from-united-states-of-america/reference to choose the critics the reviews would be written by. Originally, I had chosen A. O. Scott, B. Ruby Rich, and David Edelstein because of their qualifications. I settled with Scott because he is the chief film critic for the New York Times and I deemed Rich a perfect fit to critique because she is a "critic of independent, Latin American, documentary and gay films" and works as "a professor of Film & Digital Media and Social Documentation also known as "SocDoc" at UC Santa Cruz." Her background in documentation is vast, considering "she has also taught documentary film and queer studies during spring semesters at UC Berkeley." Moreover, I had used David Edelstein because of his job as a film critic on NPR's Fresh Air until I learned that he was laid off from his job at NPR for making an inappropriate, disgusting rape joke on air. I liked the idea of having someone from NPR, which is considered an informative and reliable media outlet, be a critic of the series, so I chose to base one of the critiques off of Bob Mondello who has worked at NPR since 1984 where he is the arts, film, and theater commentator for All Things Considered. I didn't want to write blind reviews, therefore I sought sample reviews each individual has written to use as models. I am observing Rich's 2001 review of "Back to the Future," Scott's recent review of the movie "Climax," and Mondello's 2019 review of "Hotel Mumbai" as examples of their written reviews. The three reviews can be found as links in the sources listed at the end of this post. 
     Aside from people critiquing the series, I wanted to include certifications from publications of film rating institutions as well. This included featuring the series as a "Critic's Pick" in both the New York Times and the Los Angeles Times. I also used Rolling Stone's 5-star rating system and Rotten Tomatoes "Fresh" meter to measure the quality of the series. These ratings aren't elaborated on but are displayed above the reviews in the "Press" page as pictured below: 

Sources: 

https://www.thenation.com/article/back-future/

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/28/movies/climax-review.html?rref=collection%2Fbyline%2Fa.o.-scott

https://www.npr.org/2019/03/22/705979744/movie-review-hotel-mumbai-looks-at-2008-terrorist-attack-that-shook-the-world

Hire Me Tech Companies!

     I have been hard at work, granted not on what I SHOULD be working on according to my checklist (aka the excerpt itself), but working nonetheless. I have been designing the website so that the last couple of things (the poster, the subject biographies, social media links, and "episode 1") can be uploaded easily to an already developed website. I'm going to walk you guys through what I have done and explain some of the choices I've made. 

This title includes a link to the first episode that is featured on the main page of the website below some reviews and a button that leads to the "Where To Watch" page which includes the streaming platforms the series is available on. I also added the logos for the services on the front page so that people visiting the site immediately know where to look if they're interested. Another important detail to note is the inclusion of the social media bar at the right. This bar scrolls alongside the viewer and is only present on this page. 

On the main page below the introductory title, there is a slide show displaying reviews from 3 film/tv critics that I found on the internet. I will be making a separate post dedicated to the research I did to choose these 3 individuals as well as the longer reviews I am developing to be included on the "Press" page on the website. The quotes are just snippets of extended reviews. Below this slideshow is going to be a video which will be the first full episode of the series. I am opting to include it in this post because it has yet to be uploaded (and made in the first place). Following the video will be a square split into 4 smaller squares that serve as inviting links to the main pages: 

I am fully embracing the theme of seeds and growth that comes with the title of the piece to create a sense of branding, hence why I chose the images for the first two squares. I obviously had to deviate on the third since I am, in other words, not a plant or a seed! The three first squares send you to the "About" page that includes the three sections listed. This is how that page looks so far without any elaboration in the text: 

"The People" square sends you to the "The People" page featured on the main navigation bar which the individuals featured in the first season of the series and their biographies.

This is a small snippet of what that page is going to look like. The other two individuals will be on a different row and their biographies will be below a note that indicates which episode is dedicated to them.



Going back to the main page, below the "link square" will be a note from me that explains the function of the contact box. Here is what it'll look like: 

The note indicates that people are free to 

share their stories with the producers of this series for a chance to be featured in the next season. This is how the contact option looks like: 

The end of each page includes a section called "Representation." This section features the contact information for PR, the Producer, Sales, and Festivals. The contact info offered is an email as well as a phone number. I have yet to create an individual email for the series that will be used for contact info as well as the social media accounts I'll be opening (this includes a Facebook, Twitter, and Youtube channel). Additionally, the section always includes the same social media bar that is present in the main page so the social media is readily accessible on any page. This is what the "Representation" section looks like: 

I have already shown you guys the "About" and "The People" pages, therefore I'll be moving away from the main page and onto the other pages. The "Where to Watch" page, as mentioned before, can be accessed through the button on the main page that says "Hear All Their Stories" or through the menu bar. Take a look: 

 
This page includes information for where the series can be streamed and offers buttons that link directly to the subscription pages for the websites listed. As I mentioned in my post about distribution, I would like people to have the option to watch the series in other settings other than the comfort of their own home. I developed an idea similar to that of "13" that offered select screenings in classrooms, where people can request a copy of the series for a special event they want to host. On another note, this is the perfect place to display the poster for the series, considering there is already an image present for the film this template was designed after. I will eventually upload the poster in that slot when it's been digitized. 

 

The "Review" page is an extension of the quotes seen on the main page. Each critic will have a longer review here, so the text seen currently will be smaller to fit the paragraph(s). I will also be extending the space between the title and the first review because I'd like to add ratings from different institutions/entities such as Rolling Stone and Rotton Tomatoes. I'll most likely show this updated version when I make a post about the final edition of the website. I feel very confident about my progress with the website because having done a lot of work on it gives me more space and time to focus on perfecting the episode. We'll see how it goes! 

Time is a Tricky Thing

     The film editor I typically use, Wondershare Filmora, has heavy software that will put together my final production. I didn't deem it necessary to use such complex programming to create the timelapse effect I wanted to make with the sun going down outside my mom's house. Earlier in the year, our teacher gave us the online editor, "WeVideo," to use for a project we had to complete through there. The program is easy to use and because I wanted to avoid using Wondershare for such a small clip, I chose to utilize WeVideo in the creation of the timelapse. 
     I was a bit confused at the formatting for speed adjustments on the site however, so I had to seek some online help in figuring out how to produce a flawless time lapse. This article; https://wevideo.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/213107738-How-do-I-change-the-speed-of-my-video-clip- helped tremendously, explaining the difference between range and value in the settings. 
     The time lapse was created out of 4 continuous videos. The first three lasted approximately 12 minutes each and the last one lasted for 55 seconds. I sped each one up by the maximum value, 10x, and eliminated all of the background audio. This helped condense the 4 videos (total 37 minutes of footage) into 1 clean, 3 minute video. However, this timelapse is evidently too long even at maximum value. I can't possibly narrate for 3 minutes straight and the length is pointless in the piece. Therefore, I downloaded the first draft of the timelapse as it is and uploaded it again to the program. From there, I sped up the video by 10x once again to successfully trim it to 22 seconds. 
     After watching the final draft, I wasn't satisfied with the progression of the timelapse. I felt like there was a disproportionate amount of time dedicated to there still being light out in comparison to the amount of time showing the outside of the house at night. I was compelled to trim the clip further, shortening it to a sweet 14 seconds that will *hopefully* serve as a nice transition between my mom's day routine and her night routine. Here is the final product: 

Testosterone "Shots"

     Reviewing interview footage made me conscious of possibly lacking B-Roll footage, first because I want to translate a lot of the content my mom speaks about into narration that would have to be played over B-roll footage and second because a lot of the footage doesn't have captured B-roll footage that accompanies it in the first place. Therefore, I tried thinking of something I could do with the resources I have here in Tallahassee for the rest of my spring break. I don't have access to my mom or photo albums or Weston locations. However, what I do have is my transitioning medication that can serve as perfect B-roll for when my mom is talking about her fears towards me being trans and on testosterone. Here are some of the shots I took to enhance the documentary (Ignore the audio that will eventually be eliminated):  

Who Met The Chop

     To introduce everyone to the "look" of the interviews, I've decided to share the videos that will 100% guaranteed NOT be in the final production of the documentary.

These two videos specifically cannot be used due to the audible barking of our dogs inside the house in both sets of footage.

This video was in my arsenal until my mom referred to the interviewer (who is me) as "tu," or "you" in English, which compromises the conversation being had between her and the questions. 

     

     As you can see, my mother remains sitting to the left of the frame. My mom is shot through a mid-shot that keeps her constant leg adjustments from view, makes her facial expressions clear, and allows for just the right amount of visible body movement to convey the different emotions she expresses throughout the interview. There is a relatively boring background behind her to avoid having any distractions present while the interviews are playing. The diegetic sounds of birds and nature are not prominent enough to detract from her words, but may pose a problem when I do some audio mixing with music or try to switch smoothly from narration to interview. Overall, I am pleased with how these interviews came out and will continue updating yall on the editing process. 

Let's Hear it For the Boy!

     I have finally come off what my teacher coined an "accomplishment high" that I've promptly been riding since Saturday when I heard back from USC and SCA. I only mention this because of how encouraging their decision has been for me going forward, not only in the admission's process but the creative process as well. I feel more confident entering the editing stages of this project and now that I've looked through the interview footage, I am ready to dive in! 
     As I watched the videos, I took notes of different talking points, important statements, imperative explanations, and feelings/reactions to events included in each individual clip. I think this will make the organization of the piece easier tomorrow when I develop the narration and order of the documentary. I also noted which clips had faults in them and which ones were unusable alltogether. After this, I went ahead and marked which bullet points I found would be most effective in the piece and/or had accompanying B-Roll footage that would visually stimulate the documentary. Finally, I highlighted what videos were going to be the most important to include to create an easier-to-navigate paper. Below are my results: 

     I will be using this review to organize the piece faster and easily. I will also be making a post dedicated to some of the videos that haven't made the cut as a way to introduce everyone to the composition of the interview (her positioning, the audio, etc) and express the challenges faced when we were filming. 

     On another note, something else that occurred while I was reviewing footage was the spontaneous decision to add more B-Roll shots based on some of the things my mom had said. When expressing her concerns for me being transgender, she mentions her fear of medical complications because of the medication I'm taking to transition. I got the idea to take some videos of my "testosterone pack" which includes my testosterone bottle and box, 2 needles, cleaning wipes, and latex gloves. I will dedicate a separate post to some of those shots as well. 

Itty Bitty Changes

     Hey guys! As you know, I'm still at the state thespian festival but will be leaving today! I have been unable to do much work between watching performances, performing myself, attending workshops, and doing troupe activities. I hadn't realized how time consuming the festival would be, but luckily my planning spread the work out enough that making small adjustments to the schedule won't completely destroy me or overload me with work at the last minute. I have 3 weeks to put together this awesome project after all! I'm very confident in my ability to complete a quality portfolio in the time I have left. That being said, here is my updated schedule: 

March 10th: Documentary Planning Due 

March 11th-14th: Gathering B-Roll footage, Start Poster Details 

March 14th: Shooting at Walmart 

March 15th: Interview with Martha 

March 17th: First Poster Draft Due  

March 27th: First Full Draft of Excerpt Due

March 31st: Final Draft of 5 minute Cut Excerpt Due, Website Complete

April 7^th: Rough Draft of CCR

April 12^th: Final Draft CCR

April 14^th: Full Project Due

Dependent: Final Poster Due 

     Noticeable changes include the elimination of reshooting due to lack of necessity, movement of the first full draft due date to a later time than the 24th, the addition of the CCR schedule, and a change to the way I'm measuring the completion of the poster since I am giving my artist the time she needs to complete her work. I will reveal her very soon as well. Happy Saturday! 

#Interviewed

     I realized today that I have yet to make a post reviewing the information I gathered from my mom last Friday during our interview. 
     It was interesting considering I had to do some on-the-spot reshoots due to her referring to me, the interviewer, by "you" rather than "Lau." Luckily I caught this dialogue from the second she started answering that way, so the reshooting wasn't excessive at all. 
     I also had a slight malfunction with a zoom in shot I was trying to take because the tri-pod was not adjusted to move smoothly and the frame moves abruptly at one point. I didn't want to reshoot that portion because of the genuine emotion my mom was delivering her thoughts with. I felt like trying to do a reshoot would've compromised the reality of the documentary, even if the audience may have not been able to tell. I value honesty rather than perfection in this case and I accept that I'll either have to supplment that portion of the zoom-in with a voiceover of her speaking on top of B-roll footage, substitute that small portion with B-roll and narration, or leave it as it is. Nonetheless, there are possible solutions to this mistake. 
     I haven't reviewed the footage like I should've already. I have some concerns for audio, considering I filmed outside which means we were subject to natural noises, cars in the neighborhood, etc. However, from the brief looking-over of footage I did after we shot the interview, I'm certain I don't need to do any reshooting and will simply have to do some audio cleaning to ensure my mom is heard clearly. 
     The good news is that I will be going to Tallahassee for spring break on Sunday and will be spending a lot of time working on my website and my excerpt. I will also keep everyone updated on the progress of the drawing as the artist I have chosen begins to bring it to life. My next post will most likely be an updated version of the checklist/schedule I've been following to keep track of my progress. See you guys soon! 

*Work in Progress*

     Hello guys! I'm checking in from Tampa because I am currently at Florida's Thespian States. I will admit that this event has prevented me from working diligently on my project, but I have been making some progress on the website design. The home page is coming along well and I expect to start working on the invidual pages soon. Here is a look at how I have accomodated the template design to my creation. 

     I'll keep updating you guys as I continue working on the project. I will hopefully upload the profile requirements I need from the other subjects that will be utilized to create their biographies on the website. See you guys soon! 

1-800-Artist

     Hello folks! I'm back to upload my first (extremely) rough draft of the promotional poster for the docu-series. Simultaneously, I'll be revealing the title for the series via the picture of my draft. It's not digitized and it's more of a concept drawing, but it's my first draft. 

     It would be an open book with an outline of the United States drawn inside to symbolize the stories of the people in the US I'm documenting. My classmate and good friend Maddie helped me come up with the title, which is supposed to encompass the way immigrants come to this country to plant new seeds. The weird things around the main tree symbolize small trees that are in the process of growing and instead of leaves at the end, I visualize small flags from all over the world supplmenting them. The tagline under the drawing will probably change since I'm not very satisfied with it. However, the end of poster detailing where the series will be available to watch will stay. I chose to omit any people from the poster because as much as the docu-series focuses on people, it doesn't fit to have those individuals be a representation of the message their stories are communicating on a poster. I firmly believe that the message must be what is depicted on the poster. I will be working on finding an artist to bring this idea to life well in the next week. Before then, I'll be thinking about colors that should be on the poster that will contribute to the sense of branding I am supposed to be cultivating in this project. See you guys next time! 

About Last Night...

     Yesterday was dedicated to filming my mom in her "natural habitat" as much as I could. I have updated my chart with the footage I've taken as well as the footage that I have decided is either nonessential or cannot be collected. 

Location	Footage Collected
Mother’s Room	-Images from photo albums (B-Roll + accompanying past talk) -Mom getting ready for work (B-Roll + accompanying routine talk) -Mom relaxing with Candy (B-Roll) -Mom sleeping (B-Roll)
Outside Mother’s Home/Her Neighborhood	-Interview with mom on front porch -Time lapse of house as the sun is setting (transition between day and night) -Mom walking Candy (B-Roll)
Cypress Bay High School, Imagine Charter School	-Images of Cypress (B-Roll + accompanying sons’ education talk) -Images of Imagine (B-Roll + accompanying Lau’s primary education talk)
Walmart	-Mom working on shelves (B-Roll) -Images of the store, both inside and out (B-Roll)

Deleted Footage/Footage I Couldn’t Capture:

-Mom during her lunch break (B-Roll)

-Sped up POV tour of the store (B-Roll)

-Time lapse of store as the sun is rising (transition between night and morning)

-Images of old home (B-Roll + accompanying talk about old house)

     There were two conditions I was given by the manager at Walmart when I was filming last night and those are that 1) no one other than my mother or coworker that has expressed consent can be included in the footage and 2) private spaces like the store's storage facility and their lunch room would remain out of the film. This is why I avoided making a sped up POV tour of the store and filming my mom during her lunch break. I was also unable to capture the time lapse of the store as the sun was rising because I had to get to school at a certain time, which is when the sun was set to rise. Additionally, I'll refrain from going to my old house to take videos since that is, you know, no longer my property and I was able to get that footage from pictures in our photo albums. I'd also argue that this is a better option than footage of the house's current state since we will be speaking of that house in the past tense. Today I will be conducting the interview with my mom and capturing more B-Roll footage at my mom's house. Below is an updated version of my checklist. 

March 10th: Documentary Planning Due 

March 11th-14th: Gathering B-Roll footage, Start Poster Details 

March 14th: Shooting at Walmart 

March 15th: Interview with Martha 

March 17th: First Poster Draft Due  

March 19th: Reshooting (if needed: most likely not needed as of now)  

March 24th: First Draft of 5 Min Excerpt Due, Final Poster Due 

March 31st: Final Draft of Excerpt Due, Website Complete

April 7^th: Rough Draft of CCR

April 12^th: Final Draft CCR

April 14^th: Full Project Due 

Scene One: CUT!

     Today I finally began filming! I convinced my mom to climb into the attic to collect some of the more recent photo albums from when we came to the US and she complied!! I was able to capture the majority of the albums where I deemed appropriate and will finish the second half of the last album tomorrow. I tried to film at different angles to keep the B-Roll footage engaging, since visual diversity is something my previous documentary lacked. I also used a range of camera movements to film several photos in one shot. Please ignore the audio of these examples, as I will eventually be eliminating the background noise. Hopefully the quality comes out okay. 

     I also captured some footage of my mom during her daily routine. However, it was only two videos total and Im unsure if I will use them if my mom uses different clothing tomorrow and Friday when I film more of her routine. I think it could be distracting if these two shots seem out of place due to her clothing, but I would like to show them here before I make that decision regardless. 

     Enjoy this first look at my awesome mom! I'll see you guys soon with more updates, possibly involving the continuation of the website and the beginning of the poster as well. 

Location Checklist

     Hello everyone! I have compiled ANOTHER chart (don't ask me what's up with all the charts) with the list of locations  I will be filming at as well as the footage I aim to gather at each of those locations. I will be gathering the footage throughout the next 3 days, which is why I chose to omit specific dates I'll be traveling to those locations to shoot. Here is the chart: 

Location	Footage Collected
Mother’s Room	-Images from photo albums (B-Roll + accompanying past talk) -Mom getting ready for work (B-Roll + accompanying routine talk) -Mom relaxing with Candy (B-Roll) -Mom sleeping (B-Roll)
Outside Mother’s Home/Her Neighborhood	-Interview with mom on front porch -Time lapse of house as the sun is setting (transition between day and night) -Mom walking Candy (B-Roll)
Cypress Bay High School, Imagine Charter School	-Images of Cypress (B-Roll + accompanying sons’ education talk) -Images of Imagine (B-Roll + accompanying Lau’s primary education talk)
Outside Old House	-Images of old home (B-Roll + accompanying talk about old house)
Walmart	-Mom working on shelves (B-Roll) -Mom during her lunch break (B-Roll) -Images of the store, both inside and out (B-Roll) -Sped up POV tour of the store (B-Roll) -Time lapse of store as the sun is rising (transition between night and morning)

I am keeping this chart as well as the checklist I have with dates and goals I mentioned in an earlier post in documents on my computer where I will be highlighting items as I check off footage I've gathered and completed goals. By the end of the weekend I will make a post with updated versions of this chart and the checklist. Expect posts documenting the footage I take as well as any updates to the website I make in the next few days. See you guys next time!

My Life = Condensed

     It was very hard to try an condense my mom's last 18 years into a single chart. I managed though, separating important periods of her life based off of things such as my brother and I's education, changes in our living situation, significant events that changed her life like being approved as a citizen, etc. It's hard to not be involved in the documentary's content considering I'm her son, which is why I have to emphasize that she must not change her answers solely because I'm the one asking them. A lot of the questions do pertain to me, but a good portion of the questions ask my mom to reflect on experiences. These questions also aim to collect important information I will need when I develop a narration script that'll include specific details such as dates, times, and locations I am currently unaware of. Below is the chart that I created to organize the time periods accordingly. 

(2000) Final decision to move to the US	What prompted the final decision to move to the US? How did you feel moving from Colombia permanently? Who came with you? Did you have a plan upon arriving?
(2001-2002) Lau’s birth, going back to Colombia	Why did you go back to Colombia for that year? What were you able to establish in the US before leaving? How did you feel about giving birth to your second child?
(2002-2006) Lau enters primary school, separation with Pedro, Carlos graduates from high school	What was your financial situation during this time? Were you working? What were some of the things you did here to establish yourself as an American? When did you apply for citizenship? Did you take any English courses? Describe your separation with Pedro. What was the aftermath? How did you feel as an immigrant during this time? What role did you take in Carlos’ education?
(2006-2012) Lau’s elementary school years, Carlos attends NSU, Martha begins working at Walmart, problems with the house begin	Describe your first year working at Walmart. How was this an adjustment? Why Walmart? Living in Weston, how was it communicating with other adults, such as those you had to interact with because of Lau’s schooling? How did Carlos going to college affect you and your household? What financial struggles became more prominent during this time? How did your language barrier affect your job? Your life overall? What was happening with the house you once lived in? How did you feel about the divorce?
(2012-2015) Lau is in middle school, Carlos leaves to live in Colombia, Martha loses long battle with housing market, the family gets Candy	What happened after you lost the house?  How did you feel about losing the house? What emotional attachment did you have? How many years have you been smoking now? What does this do for you? What kind of treatment do you get at work? Is the language barrier a huge obstacle for you? What was it like not having Lau live at home permanently anymore? How does he serve as a help to you? Does he translate a lot? How was Candy a happy addition to the family? What prompted you to buy her? How did your living situation change? Do you feel comfortable? How is it different than living in your own house?
(2015-present) Lau is in high school and comes out in 2017, Martha votes for the first time and volunteers at polling stations, she receives her citizenship 2018 marks 10 years working at Walmart, Lau turns 18, Martha contemplates her life when Lau goes off to college	Has Pedro played a significant role other than financially in helping you raise Lau? Do you feel the burden of having to raise him on your own? What fears did you have as Lau came out? What did you feel as a parent during that transitioning period? Coming from Colombia, how did your views have to adapt? How did it feel to finally become a citizen? When did this happen? How did you feel the first time you voted? What about completing your first few civil services, such as helping at voting centers? What is your current daily routine like? Why do you buy lottery tickets so often? What would you do with the money? Tell us about your working situation and how working at a new Walmart has changed your life. What concerns you about your second child becoming an adult? What do you think your life will be like when Lau leaves? Will his help be missed? What do you think you’ll have to do to be more independent? What role does religion play in your life? What about your family in Colombia?

I predict that in asking all of these questions, I will be collecting more footage than needed. It will most definitely exceed 5 minutes, which is why the pre-production process of sifting through footage will be extensive and extremely important. This chart is condensed in itself, but the excerpt will be even more condensed. My next post will include the locations/footage I would like to collect this week that will most likely serve as b-roll footage. I will also try my best to specify the information/portion of the documentary the footage would accompany. 

A Matter of Subjects

     In a series of 4, I believe I have figured out 2 of the other 3 subjects I'd be basing the other episodes in the docu-series off. Diversity, being one of the main themes my docu-series is meant to embody, led me to look for people different than my mother. The differences were both general and specific. First and foremost, I searched for candidates who immigrated from somewhere other than South America. I aimed for a difference in age, gender, and current location as well. The more specific qualifications I wanted included whether a person was a citizen or not, level of education, current and past employment, and aspirations. The two people I have approached have both been different than my other in more than one of the characteristics I mentioned above. I also wanted to depict a different message with each episode under the greater message of humanizing immigrants. My mother is a single, working mom who's life consists of me and our dog. These individuals don't fit this profile even one bit. 
     The first person I will make a biography for is my girlfriend Sarah. I think it's important to establish her relationship with me to clarify that there will be no bias given to her whatsoever. I believe she is unique as an immigrant and brings perspective to the piece. Sarah Romestant is an 18 year-old college student at FSU who was born in Venezeula, studied in France for the majority of her primary schooling, moved to Colombia for what we in the US refer to as middle school, and finally moved to South Florida for the entirety of high school. She has experience being an immigrant not only in the US, but in two other countries as well. Sarah is currently studying civil engineering and waiting for her citizenship application to be approved. Although not fully undocumented, Sarah doesn't have the privilege of participating in things such as voting. This brief description is what I would base my official website biography off of. In comparison, my mother is much older, a mother of 2, has her citizenship, is employed, and has lived in Colombia for the majority of her life with the exception of the last 18 years and the year she lived in Houston to give birth to my brother Carlos in 1987. 
     The second person I will make a biography for is technically still undecided. I contacted my friend Anish in search for his help since I know his family is from India. I approached him not knowing if he himself was an immigrant and hoping he or someone close in his family was, only to find out that he was born here. However, he mentioned that both his parents immigrated here from India before he was born and he would be more than willing to talk about their journey as well as his own experience connecting with both American and Indian culture. The original plan would have been to focus on a single person, however, focusing on a couple who is still, to this day, together and both of immigrant status would bring even more diversity in demographic to the docu-series. I don't have enough information to create a mini biography for them yet. When Anish mentioned talking about his own experience, I got a brilliant idea too. I believe Anish's parents can both speak English well enough that they wouldn't require subtitles in their hypothetical episode. BUT..... it would be, to simply put it, REALLY cool to have Anish be the narrator for their episode in the same way I'm the narrator for my mom's episode. Narration is a primary characteristic of documentaries, so I think every single episode regardless of how articulate the subject may be in English should include a narrator. The idea Anish sparked went beyond just his narration. Ideally, the subjects' episodes would be narrated by a family member close to them. In Sarah's case, I would like either of her parents to narrate her episode since she is an only child and they are the two family members closest to her. 
     In conclusion, I have found who I would like 2 other hypothetical subjects for the docu-series! Finding these subjects will make the website making process much easier the sooner I can finalize my choices. I am currently writing up my "pitch" to one of my debate camp instructors who has worked with me since the beginning of my sophomore year. His name is Yaw and he is a college professor/debate sponsor in California who moved here from Nigeria when he was younger. He is also an awesome poet and an even cooler individual, so I look forward to speaking to him in the coming week to see if he's willing to collaborate with me on this project. On another note, expect a post tomorrow with the questions I'll be asking my mom, a hopeful projection of how the excerpt will be organized, and the information I need from my subjects. 

My Role(s)

     "Girl, Rising" is an interesting documentary that revolves around the lives of 9 girls from around the world who have worked to overcome their unfortunate cirumstances. My teacher pointed at this piece for inspiration in regards to narration and after observing the first story about the Peruvian girl, Senna, I have made a decision on how the narration in my own piece would sound like. 
     Senna only spoke in Spanish, so Salma Hayek translated Senna's story that she had told her into English. However, Hayek narrates the piece in first person. While I found this mode of communication very effective in its respective documentary, I don't believe it would necessarily fit my own. My documentary is significantly less emotional in comparison to "Girl, Rising" because of the different situations the subjects are in. Nonetheless, I think narration in the third person would be appropriate for my documentary. I'd be the one narrating by depicting a condensed image of my mother's life in the past and present. The interviews would serve as her personal account of the situations I dictate, demonstrating how she felt during a particular event or how she feels about her daily routine, for example. 
     Aside from being the narrator, interviewer, director, and producer, I had initially had in mind to add myself as an interviewee. I have decided against this original thought after discussing it with my instructor, realizing how it could compromise the integrity of the piece if I was to be featured as someone answering questions I designed. That being said, my final roles in the making of this documentary will be as follows: narrator, interviewer, director, and producer.