I am going into my senior project with a guiding question of: “How does the experience of working with and learning from professional documentary filmmakers support and improve my ability to create a movie?” I will achieve this through two components of my senior project, which consist of individual work in developing a storyboard and writing a film treatment and an internship at a documentary film production company.

Specifically, I will be developing a storyboard and film treatment from scratch. I will not film the movie due to funding and time. However, I will outline the story and creative aspects of the film, so it is ready to share with others for potential funding and production in the future. I will structure, create, and write my own original movie from scratch, checking in with and getting guidance and feedback from my advisors along the way. 

I will also gain insight from working in a film production company with experts. I will gain the experience of how to work with important subject matter and translate the content to film. I will also learn the process of telling a story through a screenwriting format. Throughout my internship, I will most likely work on several different films and documentaries, such as focusing on films about the impacts of PTSD on veterans,  how big money and corporate funding impact our political process, and other projects that I am not at liberty to share. 

How will I measure my success? 

• I will deliver on and assess my ability to complete a storyboard and treatment for a screenplay through individual work that is reviewed by professionals in the field and faculty advisors, who provide feedback and guidance. 
• I will reflect on and keep a journal of the  insight and experience that I gained  from working in the documentary film industry at a production company to support really interesting film projects that focus on social good. 

I am extremely excited to have first hand experience in the documentary film industry for the first time, as well as write a movie through individual work! I took a film class over the summer, and wrote a short film. I’m interested to experience how much harder writing a longer formant piece will be than a shorter film, as well as to have the opportunity to learn directly from and improve my abilities from professionals in the field and my faculty advisors. All of these factors will contribute to measuring my success throughout the process. I look forward to sharing my experiences and keeping everyone posted along the way.