In My Eyes

Short Film, Poster

November 2019

Role:

Writer, Director, Producer, Videographer, Narrator, Editor, Actor

The Goal:

Create a short film or documentary about two minutes in length.Tell a narrative, almost similar to commercials that interview someone to show how passionate they are about the brand.

Details:

In My Eyes was a short film created to tell Maddie’s personal story as an artist living, studying
and working in Detroit, Michigan.
The personal goal of the project was to benefit herself as well as the city. She began with footage from news stories about crimes and violence there, then it fades into Maddie’s own voice with a narrative she wrote. She begins with negative stereotypes and connotations, showing some of the worst areas that are abandoned and broken down. The narrative was then redirected to the positives of the city. The footage shown after that is exemplary of how the city thrives. Once establishing the growth and character of Detroit, Maddie made it personal to how it plays into her life and career path. It was an uplifting experience for her as a creator. It not only gives the audience a brief overview of her work and passion, but also begins to change the negative thoughts that come up when outsiders hear about Detroit. She researched extensively first. She found footage, looked into facts surrounding the crime rates and homelessness to inform the narrative, and spoke with longtime residents to ask what the best and worst areas were. Most importantly, she seeked out murals and art installations, as well as the places mentioned in the voice over.

Challenges:

Taking a storyboarded concept and turning it into a fully developed video. A whole day was spent driving around to shoot the necessary footage, and another was spent on the narrative recording and audio production. A lot of time was consumed with sorting through footage as well. Choosing an order for each shot was difficult to keep the flow cohesive and clear.

Deliverables:

Short film, poster.
The biggest lesson that Maddie wanted to illustrate was that positivity can grow and be found anywhere if you look hard enough for it. It has been shown to quite a few people who are from different areas or backgrounds, and is very often met with positivity and new outlooks. She has been fortunate enough to see a look of awe and wonder cross a couple of viewers' faces, and that moment is priceless. She can use this piece to share her own passion and character to open people’s eyes to new possibilities.