After using the feedback I got from my teachers, collegues, friends and family members, it is finally time for the reflection of my major task, “ECUADOR The Unsung Realm.” And I hope you enjoy watching it as much as I enjoyed making it.
Now, since you probably watched it, I will write a small reflection on this documentary with minimal effort, since I will keep the main one for the Critical Reflection category of this blog, and because I also want to keep you curious, waiting for more. I have planned some questions that I will reflect on. The questions are:
1. Comparing what you imagined in the beginning with the final work you created, is there a big or small difference?
What I had imagined and planned was somewhat different from the outcome. In my head, it seemed perfect (both planned and executed), but once I got to the stage of preparing, filming, and editing, I realized it was much harder than I thought it would be. However, the final project turned out quite similar to what I had in mind, especially in the fixed parts like the opening scene, the montage, the ending scene, and the credits. For the interviews, though, I wasn’t sure what to expect, so I didn’t put much thought into them initially.
2. If you were to do it again, what would you do the same and what would you do differently?
I would keep the credits, ending scene, opening, and montage the same. However, I would change certain aspects, particularly because much of the B-roll consisted of archived images. If I had the time, I would film everything in a horizontal format so it better fits the documentary. Regarding the interviews, I would advise participants to speak slower and provide more detail in their responses, as that would make it easier to add longer and more fitting B-roll footage.
3. Which skills did you learn during this project, and you think might be used further on in other works?
I learned valuable editing skills using a good application (DaVinci Resolve), starting from zero experience. I also learned to plan more thoroughly, which will help me be more organized in future tasks. Additionally, I also learned how to use social media to my advantage, especially since we’re living in a highly saturated media society, where having the internet and all these devices at our disposal is a huge help. So, I learned to identify potential risks and take steps to avoid them.
4. How do you feel now at the end of this very long-term project? What about its results? Are you happy with them?
I feel very proud. Even though it was really hard and stressful at times, I’m glad I completed it and can share it with my friends, family, and anyone else who sees it. As I’ve mentioned before, I’m really happy with the results; I was expecting something good, but I think it turned out better than I anticipated.