What I Learned

The process of creating a documentary taught me a lot about film, research, writing, and group work.  Before we started filming, I barely knew how to use a video camera.  Now I feel very professional because I am able to use techniques such as panning and zooming and I know which kinds of shots will be most effective for my purpose.  I have found that the hardest part about filmmaking is the editing.  It takes a lot of patience to cut a clip to the exact moment it should begin or end.  There are so many technical difficulties that could have occurred that I had to be aware of everything on the screen at all times.  I also learned a lot about research and blogging.  I realized that I had to be especially careful about my typing because I was representing myself, my class and teachers, my school, and the teenage population as I posted my information on my blog.  Anyone could have been reading it, so I had to be careful when I wrote.  I also was reminded about courtesy to strangers and adults because I had to remember to constantly respond to any comments that were made about my posts.  One of the biggest challenges I had with this project was learning how to work with others.  In the past I have usually been the person to step up in a group and take charge.  I thought that for this project I would try to be a follower.  I promised myself that I would follow any instructions I was given by a group member and I would put forth my best effort, but I would not be the one who did all of the work.  It turned out that nobody really took a leadership position, but it worked out well because Greg, Marty, and I worked well as a team.  We made decisions together and we were not afraid to voice our opinions.  I am very pleased with how well we worked together because it really helped us make our documentary work.