I arrived in Monroe, Louisiana on April 5th after two days of non-stop driving. Having already set up much of my project in advance, I was expecting my first week to be spent exclusively conducting interviews and collecting footage, and for the most part it was spent doing just that. I drove around the surrounding area and collected footage from the Ouachita River, one of the most frequently flooding bodies of water in the area. Additionally, I hiked back into woods located in a flood plain to collect footage of the lasting effect the floods have left on the area. I explored a lake around an hour from where I’m staying that is frequently battered by extreme weather and flooding. I captured as much footage as possible. 

All in all, I spent my first week similarly to how I expected. I conducted an interview with a New Orleans-based Civil Engineer who played a large role in rebuilding the levees and water infrastructure post-Hurricane Katrina. He provided me with large amounts of information, context for the flooding pattern and state response, and personal stories of his own experiences as a resident of New Orleans through Hurricane Katrina, Hurricane Ida, and all the unnamed Tropical Storms that frequently hit the area. I recorded our conversation for later use in my documentary. After collecting more footage and reaching out to and corresponding with other potential interviewees, I conducted another interview, this time with the local Director of Homeland Security. I was provided with more information, this time from a different perspective, as well as personal experiences given that the Director of Homeland Security lives near where I’ve been staying and collecting footage. In general, 

I feel as though my first week has set a good precedent for the future of my project. I achieved a lot, collected far beyond the amount of footage I was expecting to, and conducted two very successful and productive interviews. The elements of my video are beginning to come together. I am starting to put together a comprehensive final product which is showing signs of progress. Although it will require more work and components to be completed, I do feel I am moving in the right direction, and have set the bar high for the remainder of my time here. I expected the project to be interesting to say the least, but I have so far found it to vastly surpass my expectations in terms of engagement. Doing a project on an issue plaguing a specific area while actually being stationed in the aforementioned area is not something I’ve experienced before, so it is a new, exciting, and gratifying experience. I look forward to continuing it in the weeks to come.