Final Creative Critical Reflection

How do your products represent social groups or issues?

Mental health has become one of the most prevalent social issues, especially in a post-COVID world where many people are struggling with a return to normalcy. People spent months and years isolated from those around them. Teenagers missed out on crucial developmental years. Now, teens are struggling with mental health illnesses like anxiety and depression, and most are disconnected from essential support and resources. In the United States, those struggling with mental health illnesses have become stigmatized and are seen as dangerous and incompetent individuals, rather than being unwell. 

Teens were participating in school online for almost two academic years and were away from their friends. The sudden change in reality that occurred because of the pandemic, has given teens time for reflection and personal growth. In the midst of personal development, the state of loneliness and being away from family and friends, has proven a lot to overcome for many. 

With a lack of understanding and fear in society, teens are more hesitant to reach out for the support they need. Leaders in society have not taken the necessary steps to make those struggling with mental illnesses feel supported and included. The resources that should be available are not, limiting the ability of teens to seek help. In minority communities, issues like mental health are not recognized and can discourage students coming from ethnic backgrounds to reach for support. 

Now as students return to school, they are spending most of their time in an environment that is familiar to them, but still different. Teens are spending more time at school with their teachers and friends than their own parents. In the return to a normal school setting, teens have begun to confide in their teachers for support, both academically and personally. 

How do the elements of your production work together to create a sense of ‘branding’?

“A Teacher's Hand” reflects on the relationship between teachers and students at school, providing deep insight through interviews and background footage in real time. The four interviews in my film represent teachers and students from minority backgrounds portraying the significance of a support system on a wider scale. 

The elements of my production work together to create a sense of branding through KP Films.

In the beginning of creating my portfolio, I created a stop-motion title with a set of colors: red, orange, yellow. Through the theory of color semiotics, I chose this pallet because of its association with feelings of optimism and friendliness. The following documentary feeds off the calming, positive sunset colors through its story and accompanying tasks. 

The stop-motion title card is added in the beginning of the film, and at the end, the production logo which follows the same house color set is faded as the film comes to a close. By positioning each of these elements apart from each other, a sense of branding is created under KP Films. 

The house colors are also implemented in my magazine article and blog portfolio. My magazine article, “A New Support System”, uses the color orange in text headings to add emphasis to the feeling of comfort the article covers and coincide with colors used in other elements of my product. My blog portfolio is themed with the color red with a light background of white to off-set it. 

In the film, mise-en-scene adds to the uniformity of my brand. The interview subjects are wearing their school uniform, emphasizing their association as students and teachers. Each interview was conducted in the school environment: in the classroom and outside. The connections through mise-en-scene further connects the representation of the social group in teens who understand the impact of mental health. 

Through the use of color semiotics and mise-en-scene, each element helps deliver the story to my audience under my brand KP Films. Each element comes together and keeps the portfolio coherent and connected. 

The elements of my products elevate the level of engagement each part of my portfolio has with my targeted audience. 

How do your products engage with the audience? 

The audience my film targets are teens who are highschoolers, those aged 14-18. Teens in that age range were the most impacted by the COVID-19 and can relate to the story being told through my portfolio. 

The documentary portrays the importance of having a support system and the impact teachers have on students. The film is composed of interviews from students and teachers and real classroom footage to capture the authenticity needed to explain the depth of support teachers provide to students. 

Through the interviews in my film, my target audience is connected through the theory of uses and gratifications. The insight the teachers and students provided allow the audience to understand that the story being told is something real and relatable. Teens will be able to understand that they are not alone in their struggles, and how it is acceptable to have relationships with friends and teachers for support. 

As part of my portfolio, the social media page promotes the documentary and encourages an active audience. In my social media planning blog post and the final mock up, I detailed a plan that would stimulate interaction. As I was filming footage in the school environment, people would notice my process and inquire what it was about. I uploaded background footage and the exclusive interviews I recorded providing my audience with a preview to the film. Through this plan, the social media page allows my target audience to explore my portfolio, share the previews, analyze and understand my story by participating as an active audience. 

How did your research inform your products and the way they use or challenge conventions?

In the pre-production part of the portfolio, deciding between a short film or documentary took time and research into what each project would entail. In my blogs, I analyzed Burgers of Karachi, Tap Mun, and DJ’s of Osman, among other documentaries to learn about the conventions and different ways stories could be told. These documentaries included interviews from different perspectives to provide the insight needed to create the impact the producer intended with the story. I implemented these techniques through the student and teacher interviews I conducted in my film. 

In one documentary in particular, Burgers of Karachi, I learned how to add an unconventional sequence that adds to the story. The film centers around the city of Karachi, Pakistan, and how the culture has changed throughout the years. The director included a montage of footage of what life in the city looks like. Sequences of footage like these are not a standard of documentaries because it is an outlier of the rest of the film. By including an unconventional sequence like the one mentioned, it allows the audience to receive a well-rounded understanding of the story being told. 

In my film, I gathered photos of students and teachers together from around my school and put them into a reel at the end of the documentary. This reel emphasizes the relationship of support between students and teachers that was told in the story and represents and engages my audience.