Senior Thesis:
Commitment Conversations

Book System, Motion Video, Dress

Spring 2022

What are the Commitment Conversations?

The Commitment Conversations consist of 22 interviews, over 22 days,
to examine the meaning of commitment in 2022.

Maddie interviewed people in varying degrees of her social circle, beginning with herself.
She chose to speak about her relationship with herself, and learning to put herself first in order to heal.

The Goal:

Gain a better understanding of what it takes for people to say,

“No matter what.”

Maddie also wanted to take what she learned,
and use that information to be a guide for people who
may be struggling with any of these topics.

The Solution – Motion:

In addition to the books, Maddie also created a motion video, using the audio from the interviews, and photos submitted by interviewees.
The video gives a deeper explaination into the project, why Maddie created it, and some of the most prominent lessons learned by herself and the people she spoke to.

Challenges Faced:

The hardest part for Maddie was putting visuals into the motion piece.
She did not capture much video footage while interviewing people, as most of them had to be done over the phone.
This meant she had to figure out a creative solution to combine B-roll and found footage, with motion design and animating text.

Roles:

Interviewer, Book Designer, Copywriter, Book Binder, Motion Designer, Dressmaker

The Solution – Books:

As seen above, Maddie created books for every interview,
each divided into six categories:

Lifestyle Change
Faith
Relationships
Career
Education
Caretaker

Each book was comprised of three to four interviews, all from the same category seen on the cover,
and indicated by the color of the covers and dividers.
The paper used for the covers and dividers is hand-dyed, then letterpress printed upon.
Each book is hand-bound by Maddie using the “sewing through tapes” method.

The Solution – The Dress:

Maddie took a screenprinting class while working on this project, and felt she could bring an extra interdisciplinary approach to top it off.
The entire project was very experimental, based on different things Maddie learned as she went. There was a lot of problem-solving that went into all steps of the project, and the dress was no different.
This was the first garment she had ever sewn, and she followed a tutorial to make the pattern for herself.
It was a labor of love, from plain, black fabric, to dress, in 10 days.

Deliverables:

Six books, Motion Video, Dress, extra matching belt
This was one of the most intense projects Maddie has ever taken on.
It was done over the course of three months, February to April.