Summary
In the “This I Believe” Unit, students are encouraged to explore a core, central belief of their life, reflecting from experiences and contemplation on how that came to be and how they have affected the way they see life. Through multiple drafts of an essay before the creation of a video essay depicting this very belief, I managed to go in-depth of my own psyche and explore the very influences of my own life: from experience, family, and the world.
The very processes of the project were intricate but rewarding, not just in the writing and conception but also in the filming of the video. The necessity of reflecting one’s life and past, good or bad, prompted much thinking that left me utilizing a variety of techniques to achieve the meditating, contemplating feel to it (including green screen, shutter speed changes, lighting for darkness, etc). To prepare for all this, students also needed to interview three adults on their own central beliefs of life and come to an understanding of the relations others have with their own worlds before writing. This writing is then adapted to an audio recording accompanied by footage that all has to be original, further emphasizing the personal aspect of the project.
For me, it has overall been quite a rewarding project, allowing for reflection on myself, others and the world around me.