Week 9

This week was a little slow with production. An unfortunate family emergency within our group has pushed filming back a few days. We were supposed to shoot the girls at their school on Monday but now I think we are going to try and do that next week. I still think that when we finally get the footage at the school it’s going to be great. Next Wednesday we are showing our best 10 minutes to the class and I look forward to editing and making a pretty sweet clip. Last time we didn’t do much sound design for the clip we showed in class so this time I want to focus more on that and try to give everyone an idea of what the overall sound will be like. So far we have interviewed all of the girls in their own bedrooms asking formal questions and just getting ourselves comfortable with each other. I think the fun part is what’s coming next- observing the girls at their school and following them around for a day. I think that will make for some great footage and also we can get a better idea of who the girls are when they are around other people. 

Lovejoy?

This week we are filming some of Quincy’s rehearsal for a play. I don’t think we are going to use any sound with the footage because we’re probably just going to use it over her interview. It will be add a nice contrast to show some performance art rather than paintings and drawings. I’m really excited about getting to know the girls’ art teacher, Mr. Lovejoy, (talk about an awesome name). He seems to be very acquainted with film and is genuinely interested in what we are doing. Which is nice and I think will aid our interviews if the person getting interviewed actually wants to make it better. Kateland said he has some personal friends that do film stuff so he was more than welcoming of our inquiry about an interview. It will be cool to hear what he has to say about our girls in comparison to the entire class. I can’t wait to visit their school and see what they do every day. I hope that they are willing to let us follow them around and go through a complete day with them, I think that it would be very useful to get a solid grasp on exactly what these girls do every single day. 

Spring Break/Art Show

This Friday is the art show that all three girls are participating in. I think were going to get some great footage this week and I’m looking forward to seeing all the girls there and being able to look at their art collectively. Our sound for our first interview wasn’t the best so from now on I’m going to do everything I can to assure that it doesn’t happen again. I feel most comfortable with sound so I need to step up my game and learn everything I can in order to be an asset to my team. Our group dynamic has changed a little bit, I will be doing all of the sound and Taylor will be teaching me everything she knows about DP so I can get more comfortable with it. This week will be the first time I have ever used lavalier mics so I’m ready to get some experience with that. Sarah is in charge of setting up the art show so I think that we are going to go a little early to get some shots of her getting everything ready. They said they might not want us to film during the actual show because it could be distracting but I’m sure that we’ll get some great stuff from before and afterwards. 

Week 7

This week we got another interview done, this time with Sarah. We decided to cut one of the girls because she just wasn’t fitting in with the central idea. We’re planning on interviewing Quincy this week. I put in a request for the camera for Tuesday so we can have everything out early to make sure it’s all charged. Last time we rented out the equipment right before we had to film and the H4n was almost dead. We showed our two-minute clip of B roll in class last week and got some really good suggestions. The footage was extremely shaky because we didn’t use a tripod the first day we shot and that was all we used for the B roll clip. I’m glad my group is being patient with me, this is my first time being DP so I’m not 100% comfortable with being the one behind the camera, but I’m working on it. I rented out the camera again last week to just mess around with it and get more accustomed to using it. Taylor said she is happy to help me whenever I have questions with which is great, and I know I can ask other people in the class for advice. From now on I’m going to be doing the sound though, so I’m excited about that. 

First Interview

SooooooOOOOOOOOoooo this is the week we’ve all been waiting for. We were finally able to start filming yay! We actually did our first two interviews today with Morgan and Natalie. Kateland and I had met them last week to get some shots of the artwork and to introduce ourselves, but this was the first time we actually put them on camera. I thought it went really well, especially Natalie’s interview. Morgan seemed a little uncertain about talking about herself but I think the more we are around her the more comfortable she will be. Our central idea has changed a lot during pre-production, and I’m happy to say that I think we’re finally starting to get a grasp on what this is going to be about.  Kateland has this great idea of involving identity and how the girls present themselves to the outside world. Whether they choose to do that through art or writing, or whatever it is that they are interested in. I’ve only met three of the four girls but so far they have all surprised me with their interesting and diverse personalities along with a multitude of talents that they are willing to showcase for us. I’m excited to keep getting to know them and to learn from what the have to say. 

First week of shooting

This week we finally started shooting and it was great to meet our subjects and to start getting an idea of what the film is going to be. The girls all seem excited about being a part of our documentary and willing to share insights on their creative lives. So far we have met Quincy, Morgan, and Natalie. We are still waiting to meet our fourth subject, Sarah. Natalie and Morgan live in Wilmington while Quincy lives in Leland. All three of the girls are interested in art and know each other from going to the same school. Our assignment for this week was to shoot some B-roll and edit it down to a two-minute clip. We got shots of their artwork, some of them being in sketchbooks, hanging up in their rooms, or placed on an easel. Quincy has decided on going to school for journalism and shared some of her writing with us. We got some shots of her diaries that had a mixture of art and writing. I’m excited to see what were going to learn from these girls

Interviews

Natalie Register, 17, is a senior at Coastal Christian High School in Wilmington, NC. She has lived in North Carolina her entire life and hopes to attend art school in New York. She lives with her parents and younger brother in an upper middle class community. An academically focused young woman, her interests are in art and fashion. She has modeled multiple times for local boutiques in print advertisement. She serves as art club president and has won multiple awards throughout high school related to art and other academic subjects. Her style is ever changing, currently it displays itself through all black clothing and dying her hair various colors every few weeks. She describes herself as someone who makes and manipulates art, music, clothes and movement. 

Quincy Rife, 18, is a senior at Coastal Christian High School in Wilmington, NC. Originally from Ohio she has lived in North Carolina for the last nine years with her parents. She has attended private Christian school since the fifth grade and has been a cheerleader since the sixth grade. Writing and art are how she expresses herself. She quit choir and turned her focus towards art her junior year of high school and has carried that momentum into her senior year. She hopes to have a career as either an investigative journalist, human rights activist or civil rights attorney. 

1. What kind of art do you like to do?

2. What grade are you in?

3. Tell us about your average day

4. When did you get a cellphone and what do you mainly use it for?

5. Describe the people you surround yourself with at school

6. Do you have a boyfriend?

7. How involved are your parents in your social/school life?

8. Are there any problems you face everyday at school?

9. Do you feel affected by bullying?

10. Do you think there are cliques at your school?

11. In what ways does your life differ from your other friends that attend public schools?

12. What do you enjoy most about going to school?

13. Do you worry about your gender playing a role in your career?

14. Do you have anyone to talk to at school about any issues your having?

15. What do you like most about making art?

16. What makes you want to go to school in New York?

17. What makes you want to be an investigative journalist/human rights activist?

18. How long have you been making art?

19. Do you think you'll miss school when you graduate?

20. What do you look forward to after graduation?