Interviews, Proposals, and Notes

Hello Everyone,
I posted earlier today so this one is going to be short and sweet.
I feel better than I did earlier today, but I am worried that two cameras will not be enough. I guess because I really do not know what I am doing, I just want to be extra prepared so I wont miss anything. I think I want to sit down with Mr. Oliver and Ms. Wilds soon to talk again, just to make sure I'm on the right track.
My goal this week is to present my topic to the class, as well as finish my pre-write.
I don't really know what's going on with the Amy interview, I wrote DeAnna last week, but she hasn't written back, so I'm going to ask her later if I don't forget. I'm also worried about getting everything I need to know from Matt. I should probably e-mail telling him everything, but I guess I'm just nervous, and don't really know what to say.
I also need to create a journal recording each step, but with my other school work this just seems like too much. I definitely need one by the trip, but I think I'll be okay as far as the process leading up to it because it is all on Edline.
I guess I'm just getting a little stressed, but hopefully I'll have it all figured out soon.

There's so much to do!

Hello Everyone,

It's been forever since I've written, and I'm really starting to feel the pressure. I've conducted the interview with Mr. Duty last Tuesday, and found out about the Digital Media class. Now I need to finish all of my note taking templates and finish my pre-writing. I don't know how I am going to get this all done in like the two weeks that I have before the trip. And I still have to announce this to my Latin American Class.
Well I wish I had more time to make an update, but it's back to work.

Still Working

Hello Everyone,



I realize it has been a while since my last post, so I'm just going to give you a brief update. I have finished my webliography, and I have a good idea of what I need to get done. Hopefully on Thursday I am going to meet with Mr. Duty to give me the information that I need technology wise.
I have been taking notes to answer my foundation questions, which is a lot harder than I expected it would be, I know their due this Friday but I'm worried I will not complete everything in time. I have written down my questions for different interviews as well. I am going to interview Ms. Wilds, Mr. Duty, Matt from CASE, and Amy, a Pitt student who studied abroad in Costa Rica. DeAnna informed me of Amy and I'm really glad she did because it would be someone from the outside looking in, and her experience. A lot of my notes have to be answered in the interview, but I don't really know how I'm doing my interviews yet, so I'm just going to have to put them on hold.

Update!

Hello Everyone,

It's been a while since I have blogged so now I figure I need to update to where I have been.

I finally got to talk to both Mr. Oliver and Ms. Wilds about the project and got a better grasp on what I'm doing. Mr. Oliver suggested that I had other students do the filming, and I be more of a director, so I'm going to soon announce my project to the rest of the class. I still want to do at least a little filming anyways though. Besides the film, I'm going to create a website that informs students, parents, and sponsors about the trip. Then, hopefully if I have enough time, I'm going to try to improve the curriculum for future years.

Now that I finally feel better about that, I keep getting overwhelmed with work in this class that i feel isn't useful to my topic. I would rather just jump in and see what I need than do all of this background information on things that can't really be researched. I'm just becoming frustrated because everything requires the internet too, and I don't have that at home, and I run out of time in class. Hopefully everything works out.

Foundation Questions

Hello Everyone,

I'm going to stop working on my Key Terms to start working on my Foundation Questions.

So, as of now this is my essential question:
How can I promote the City High Costa Rica trip to sponsors and students?

Foundation Questions:

1. What is City High's purpose for the Costa Rica Trip?
2. What is the process leading up to the trip?
3. What activities will we participate in while in Costa Rica?
4. Why do students want to become a part of this experience?
5. What is the Costa Rican life like?
6. What role does Ecotourism play in Costa Rica?
7. What significance do tribal masks have in Costa Rica?
8. What is history about La Carpio?
9. What is Los Campesinos, what is it's history?
10. Who are Epsy Campbell, and Manuel Obregón?
11. What makes a good documentary or short film?
12. What are successful documentaries? And what made them successful?
13. What kind of film do I want to make? What's going to be my angle?
14. What software program should I use to edit my film? Or what is the best software program to edit my film?
15. What materials are available to me? What materials do I still need?
16. How do I make a documentary?

I'm starting to think up of more ideas, so I need to maybe make a story board or something.

Documentary

Hello Everyone,

I think I've decided on creating the film. I just now need to work out the specifics. I don't know if the last time I posted I mentioned I sent out e-mails to everyone involved, and they all seem supportive of this decision. I need to find out what I have to work with, and what the objective of my film is going to be. Although I continue to throw around the word documentary, I'm thinking it's going to be more of a commercial type film. I don't know though, I need to talk to everyone I guess and get it all worked out, because everyday is another day of work wasted.

I got my camera permission slip signed today, so I just need to turn it in. I talked to Mr.Duty and he said that there are meetings Wednesday and Tuesdays after school. I'm going to try to make it to a few Tuesdays, but I have robotics, so I'll have to talk to Mr.Check. Wednesdays I have Duquesne, so that's not going to work out either.

This weekend I'm going to buy a notebook to keep track of everything I'm doing, especially in my Latin American Class, that way I can remember what I did each day. And I'll take it with me on the trip, and won't have to worry about technology, so I can just write everyday, for another approach on how to document it. I also need to work out my plan on what I'm shooting, like write down a little outline or summary or something on the path I plan to take.

I'm feeling like I'm already behind, but at least I finally made the decision to do this topic. Oh, I finished my ten websites essential question, and topic today. But I really can't even remember what my essential questions was, I'm sure I'll change it 10 more times again.