https://drive.google.com/file/d/1E-PHxV33JFFnjHz7-xBGPqiYewxiGyrc/view?usp=sharing

no te preocupes, Puerto Rico:

https://www.dropbox.com/s/s26b6r4vabgiln5/FINAL%20Interview.mp4?dl=0

This interview was actually pretty important to me as it is part of a larger personal doc that I am in the works of making. It added a lot of stress for said reason, but it was also a chance to experiment and get a sense of what the final documentary could potentially look like.

It was interesting working with my mom because she is all about logistics, but in this case she just had no idea what she was doing. She fumbled a lot with her words and was very concerned with how everything was being said. It was the first time I really had control over my mom and had full rights to demand haha. In the end, I actually think she was more comfortable with her daughter filming as I was able to just talk to her as we normally do, which made it easier for her to start talking and just go on.

Looking back, I wished I had asked more questions or just more to the interview itself, but I enjoy what I came out with and I’m glad that people get a chance to see people like my mother taking action when the government does not. It is really important to me that people see this as something real and not something cute, or generous, or anything of that sort, as it is just our people surviving. This is NOT about the good work people like my mom do, but the fact that we have to do all we can to ensure our families are safe and will live through this humanitarian crisis.

https://drive.google.com/open?id=13sc7exf6zjV6vPaySLu65bGWdyyeNLnY

https://drive.google.com/open?id=1rVm4hvUBVEWK53C3hnLCQTg5qRvCIFCt

Who: For this interview, I will be interviewing my mother.

What: In the midst of the humanitarian crisis currently undergoing in Puerto Rico, the resilience of Puerto Rican citizens who have migrated to the U.S has been outstanding. People such as my mother are consistently in contact with organizations to provide basic human necessities to the people of Puerto Rico; a selfless act that most Americans are failing to consider. It seems as though America does not see Puerto Rican citizens as important as Americans on the mainland which has already caused political discourse between the two spaces.

My mom has been leading an organization in providing care packages to the people of Puerto Rico and has been doing so since the hurricane hit the island. She has been traveling all around Pennsylvania collecting from institutions, businesses, organizations, and even neighbors trying to send as many care packages as she possibly can. This act is not meant to result in a reward, but is an act in which she believes is necessary as a Puerto Rican living in America. As she has recognized the privileges of living here, she uses it to her advantage to assist those in desperate need.

Some questions I plan on asking will be:

-Is taking on this responsibility a result of the lack of awareness and assistance from the U.S?

-Should the Jones Act be permanently lifted so other countries can assist Puerto Rico?

-What is the responsibility of Puerto Ricans living in the U.S?

-What are the items included in the care packages and why?

-Who and where will these packages be sent to?

-Why take on this task all by yourself?

I find it interesting the ways in which people choose to tell their stories or even choose to represent themselves. I felt KJ choose a really unique way to sum up some of her most important and influential moments of her career, in a way that also reflects who she is. I was also captivated by the use of montage and how she paired images and sequences together for new ideas without even developing a formal plot line. I think the editing was breathtaking for this and really emphasized her talents as a cinematographer.

A lot of what I saw and heard from this screening I have taken into account for my own work as a filmmaker and really made me think about the art of our experiences and even if we use our experiences to tell a compelling story for the sake of awareness and activism, we can still make art of it. I never really saw my story as something I could make beautiful even if it is not the happiest of times for my country. This really made me want to apply montage style editing and filmmaking to a documentary I am currently working on and I’m glad I was able to use this film as an example and to build on what I would like to do.

Lastly, I love speakers such as KJ, because it shows how cool filmmakers themselves can be. I feel the way we look at film itself vs the people who create it are on different sides of the spectrum, but obviously if something as cool as filmmaking is someone’s passion, they’re bound to be dope!

“I alter the balance of power by my presence and act on behalf of one side or another in a conflict”

This quote from the director’s statement really stood out to me because as documentarians, we must acknowledge our agency and power when creating a film. One can easily become a catalyst to a movement or even as simple as someone’s story when it comes to getting it out to the masses. At the end of the day, however, we must understand that creating a documentary isn’t just about making a career or obtaining royalties, it’s about stories that matter and educating those to understand why it matters. That should be in the back of every filmmaker’s head when making a doc or else what’s the point of creating it? If you’re not passionate about the cause, the story, or the issue, then why put so much time and energy in something just to profit off of it yourself and leave the cause helpless? This is how one can abuse their power as a documentarian, so it’s really important that Kirsten Johnson said this because it gives her a sense of trust from the audience.

I think people have really put out some interesting ideas for a documentary for this course.

I believe “Criminal at the Age of 5” is a great story to take on because it is pressing and urgent, but it should have a bit more nuance in terms of how does it impact these students past the threatening of their human rights. This doc could touch on so many themes and issues that are currently pressing and I would love to see its outcome.

“Center City Thrift” is also a very interesting documentary because it’s a complex juxtaposition of a thrift store offering free wifi and would be an interesting story to unfold. Most people go to thrift shops to find clothes at better prices, so to provide free wifi is a very particular and beneficial decision for all. There are many questions that could be asked for this documentary, as well as so much visual potential.

“Gifted Youngin’s” could also be an interesting documentary, especially in terms of how the youth find success reachable in places that may not provide the best outlets for long-term success and network.