Pitch 1: Video Content for the FJI Website

The Faith Justice Insitute’s (FJI) website has no video media content. I intend on fixing that. 

Past Experience:

For my Digital Field Methods Class I created short Instagram videos for the social media page, but I never posted longer videos, or made content for the website.

 

How I’ll Learn and Grow Through This Project: 

Making longer videos is the enhancement that the FJI website needs to grow and improve. I have more experience with editing shorter videos (reel length on Instagram), so this project will challenge me to edit longer, professional content (interviews, tours, etc).  

 

Plan: 

With written consent, I’d interview the new hire of the FJI as well as the Director and Director of Community Partnerships. With direct long form interviews, people can learn about the mission of the institute, its employees, and other information about the Service-Learning program. For example, I could create helpful video content for Service-Learning students such as a tour to the student office. Students have difficulty finding the office, so this content could be useful. A QR code would be provided to students. I’d additionally create promotional posts on the FJI Instagram to highlight the new content on the website. 

 

I will film and edit five 10 minute interviews using Davinci Resolve. I’ll use the camera and audio recording software from the gear room. My interviews will be similar to one with Stacey Torrance posted on the Beautiful Social website, but my interviews will be longer. 

 

Pitch 2: Mental Health Mini Docu-Series

“1 in 5 U.S. adults experience mental illness each year” (NAMI). 

Breaking Stigma:

In this project I’d separately interview 5 different people about their mental health and any struggles they have faced due to stigma, lack of resources, and support. Whenever I discuss this topic with people, everyone’s stories and experiences vary so drastically that this project could bring awareness to the versatility of mental health and mental illness. This project could also help other people not feel alone in their struggles. 

 

Plan: 

I’d record with the film and audio equipment in the gear room. I would make each of the 5 interviews about 10 minutes. I’d edit with the software Davinci Resolve. I’d also ensure I have signed consent forms for everyone interviewed since these interviews involve personal subject matter. 

 

How I Will Learn and Grow Through This Project: 

Mental health and mental illness is a topic that I’ve explored through a dramatic narrative film I wrote and directed for my Digital Filmmaking class. I’ve never made content exploring this topic that wasn’t scripted. I’m interested in learning more about the topic by hearing people’s first-hand stories. It’ll challenge me to formulate interview questions that are respectful of boundaries and research the topic of mental health and mental illness in depth. This interview is similar to those I would conduct, except my interviews would be about 10 minutes. I’m looking to conduct authentic interviews that shine a light on this important topic. 

 

Pitch 3: How Stories Shape Us

“The purpose of a storyteller is not to tell you how to think, but to give you questions to think upon” (Brandon Sanderson). 

Stories:

Stories teach us about life, the world, and the human condition. Stories stemming from books, movies, television or otherwise have unique impacts on every individual who experiences them. Through this project I’d interview five individuals on what their favorite book, movie, and television show is and how the stories told through these mediums impacted their view of the world. 

 

Plan: 

I’d use the gear room’s camera and audio equipment to conduct these interviews. I’d have participants sign consent forms to be filmed. I’d ask questions such as “how have these stories impacted you?” I’d edit the interviews in Davinci Resolve. There would be 5 interviews each about 10 minutes in length. The interviews would be similar to this interview, but with one person per interview. 

 

How I Will Learn and Grow Through This Project: 

I believe that learning more about others through the content they’ve consumed throughout their life can teach us a lot about how information spreads and changes people’s lives. Communication takes a multitude of forms, and hearing how people have learned from the media they’ve been exposed to in their life can showcase a lot about the impact of media. I’ll be challenged to edit the long form interviews as well as organize my questions to be specific enough for the interviewees to share their ideas concisely.