TWEENAGE: Short Documentary
Cancelled Birthday Party – July 25, 2009
Meriah got herself into some trouble, which is about as specific as her parents want me to get. My plan to film her August birthday party is cancelled, because she’s grounded for the rest of the summer. This is a big disappointment because her 13th birthday party would have provided some great b-roll, but we’ll make due without it.
Equipment Roundup - June 19, 2009
I’ll be shooting on a Canon HV20, supplemented by footage from a flip cam. I’ve got a wireless lavaliere mic, and another handheld mic of questionable quality. Soon I’ll be buying a Letus Mini adapter, and I’m hoping to either rent or borrow a field recorder from a friend. A basic light kit will be supplied by UCF when I need them. #1 Goal: Spend as little money as possible… Well, ok maybe that’s the #2 goal. The #1 priority is achieving what I want, in terms of content and aesthetic.
Two Become One – June 5, 2009
Due to scheduling conflicts and some creative differences, the co-director Marissa and I are parting ways on this project. She will now be directing a different film about college students nearing graduation. We’re sorry to make the break, but think it’s the best thing for the project. 
Getting to Know Meriah - April 10, 2009
She’s awesome, and the perfect subject for this documentary. This 2 minute selects reel of Meriah’s hour-long interview gives insight to who she is, and how she reacts to her environment.
Preliminary Interviews - March 25, 2009
The search is on to find a girl who can honestly illustrate the effects of media influence on tweens. We screened dozens of girls at UCF this week, aged 4-14.
Some parents who brought their kids in were kind of insane. One man we liked to call “Mullet-dad” wanted us to interview his daughter with her on his lap. When I said we usually have the parents wait outside so the kids will be more honest, he then insisted on watching the interview in full, and asked us to email him a copy of it for his records. We definitely weren’t going to work with them!
A 12-year-old named Meriah is our top pick, because she’s honest and her mother is very supportive of the film.
Co-Direction - March 10, 2009
A friend and classmate, Marissa (right), asked me if she can work on my film for a joint senior thesis project. We’ve decided that two strong women are better than one, and will be co-directing the project together.
From Concept to Action – February 2, 2009
I’ve decided to focus my senior film project on the problems young girls face, especially in regards to negative media messages. During this process, I collected YouTube footage of sexy music videos, and young girls who imitate their idols’ dance moves. I put together this satirical montage I call “Pop Star Protocol: Gettin’ Em Young.”
All of the preliminary research will cover a variety of relevant topics, as I try to narrow down the scope of the film. My studies will include body image issues, eating disorders, plastic surgery on minors, and common media messages targeted toward preteens. All the peripheral research I don’t use for the documentary will be filtered through StilettoREVOLT, my brand new blog.