Daniel Day Lewis once remarked, “You don’t merely give over your creativity to making a film, but you give over your life, which you can then expect to mature as the film is made.” The accuracy of this statement was certainly proven to me as I began the year and a half production of a documentary of my parish, which I created as my Eagle Service Project. While I can say this production did require somewhat of a mammoth effort, I cannot say that I regret the time I spent working on it. This project was able to influence my maturity by strengthening my interest in film production, granting me the incredible privilege of hearing the stories of extraordinary people, allowing me to develop stronger leadership skills, and by demonstrating the unbelievable effect visual communication can have. The unbelievable experience and outcome of the project provoked my ambition to study film, video, and broadcast communications in college after graduating from high school.
Most boys that continue their participation in scouts to the point of devising an Eagle Service Project usually devise a project that requires some kind of basic labor intensity. My interest, however, has been strongly drawn to the art of film production since the age of ten, so I became determined to have my project incorporate that interest into my project in some way. This documentary, as a product of that determination, was devised with the intentions of attracting parishioners, helping those interested in the Catholic faith discover new opportunities, and of encouraging current members of the parish to participate more in their parish community. I realized that in strengthening the parishioner’s community, while attracting others, I was having some kind of a lasting impact on people’s lives. Becoming more obsessed with this project than anything else in my life, I gradually realized the enjoyment I was taking from this experience, and that this particular field might be something I would want to continue in an education and career.
The resulting 421 service hours may be largely accredited to the production team I assembled, who, unwavering in their support, allowed me to develop a confidence in my leadership as time wore on. Every stage of film production requires a leader to provide some kind of direction, from pre production to post production. This became apparent throughout this project, as I continuously seized the opportunity to submit suggestions and directions to my production team. For example, in order to effectively portray the beauty and intensity of the masses this parish offered, significant masses such as the Easter Vigil and the First Communion were incorporated into the film. For that reason, I established three vantage points of the masses from which my production team and I could film. With the help of walkie-talkies, I was able to provide direction to each of the volunteers who were stationed at these vantage points. In the face of technical problems during these masses, I learned how to remain calm, reassure my volunteers, and deal with the problem accordingly. Through these, and many other instances was I able to increasingly improve my communication skills, and develop the skills of a leader.
The parishioners I interviewed also deserve considerable recognition for their answers to every question with exceptional insight, and to such a degree that they were able to effectively express their unique, personal stories. These stories allowed me to catch a glimpse into each parishioner’s life in a way that could capture attention, in the same way it had with mine, and simultaneously convey the supportive community of the parish. It became apparent that each parishioner I interviewed practiced their faith in different ways, and for different reasons. In this way, the project was able to demonstrate to me that a person’s faith could be personal, but still a contribution to a community as a whole. The pursuit of individuality can benefit a community overall. Throughout the project, I also continuously absorbed lessons about film production, and the essence of organization. For example, it because my consistent goal to remain faithful to the overall message of the film, and constantly consider what kind of audience I intended the film to play for.
This film finally played before my entire parish of over 100 members in the auditorium below the church. I sat towards the back to enjoy the changes in the expressions of my audience from laughter at the footage of children chasing each other down the alter, to a complexity and understanding as a man recounted his financial struggles and the support he received from the parish community. In watching these reactions did I see what unbelievable power visual communication can have, especially when an audience is presented with stories in which they can relate. Even children who attended the screening sat still in a kind of appreciation of the grand architecture of a building they go to every week. In the ensuing weeks, the congregation’s size, participation, grew, and new families and programs were introduced at masses. Because of its effect on my parish and myself, this project has demonstrated to me the powerful impact visual communication can have, and the satisfaction it brings to its creator.
For this reason, I have applied and been granted admission by many colleges whose programs prove prestigious in the field of visual communications. Such schools include North Carolina School for the Arts, Emerson College, Penn State University Main Campus, Hofstra University, Drexel University, American University, and the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. At one of these schools, I hope to major in Broadcast Communications, and Film and Video Production. Throughout my education, I intend to apply for internship programs at National Geographic, NBC, CNN, and Disney, or more local production studios, such as KDKA or WQED. After receiving an education and gaining some experience in my desired field as a result of an internship, it is my aspiration to become either a broadcast journalist or film and video editor. These careers would enable me to utilize the craft of communication to hopefully influence, entertain, and inspire in a positive way with the messages of stories that surround our everyday lives.
