Me being existential and reflective one last time

Let's wrap this project up with what I've written the most about: Reflections.

I feel like I have done quite a lot of reflecting throughout this entire project, but I do feel right now is a good time to write this. I'm taking a break from editing the final touches of the film. I was editing the scene with the teacup and everything just hit me at once. It hit me that:

1. The reason why I'm doing this short film is because my grandmother is gone
2. This is the last little piece of me I am sharing with the world during my high school career 
3. I have been stripped away from  the last few AICE Media A Level classes with an amazing teacher (or cult leader) and with some of the most amazing and creative people I have ever met, whom I have formed a very strong bond with

This deadline feels like the end of an era. Am I being dramatic? Probably. It's okay. It's okay to get a little emotional.

This project has been hell of a ride for sure. I have documented everything on my blog—all the ups and downs. I feel like this was a bit of a sneak peek for the real world. When things go wrong, or not the way they are expected to go, one applies resilience. This trait is something that I have discovered about myself the past two years. Knowing how to adapt makes you a stronger individual. Sometimes when things don't go the way you want them to, plan B results even better. A good example: the Ricky Baker birthday song from Hunt for the Wilderpeople.  Yejin told me that the story behind it was that they couldn't get the rights to the happy birthday song, so the actress came up with that song instead. And it is probably one of my favorite scenes ever. I can't imagine it being as good with the original happy birthday song.

It was frustrating at first, to push through and start filming. There was a time when I felt extremely unmotivated to start the project because things didn't go the way I planned them out. And I'm sure this happened to everyone, or at least the people that didn't have any footage before the quarantine started. I was one of those people. Luckily, my entire story took place in my own house, so it was easy for me to shoot everything at any time I wanted. I did struggle with the actors in the beginning—I needed a little girl and an old lady. I ended up having my 6 year old neighbor act, which turned out perfect. As for the old lady, I only needed wrinkled hands. I was able to pull it off by using my mom's hands, which are not that wrinkled, but they worked. I basically kept my entire story the same, I just made the opening monologue part more experimental looking, using tighter shots that seem more abstract.

I am personally happy with how my project turned out. I know that there is a lot more I could've done, but I did do this to the best of my ability. There was a huge sense of helping each other out and supporting each other. We all had our little breakdowns from time to time, but it all worked out in the end. It feels good to finally complete this project after so much uncertainty and doubt. I know I will look back and think about how crazy these times were, with so many things happening and so many things that never happened.


I had to adjust with the situation a lot, but I feel like that's what makes this project so meaningful. I think I did accomplish what my ultimate goal was: make a project that is overloaded with authenticity and sincerity.

I can't wait until the day I come across the link to this blog again in 10 years and read all of my thought process.

Hi Sophie from the future, I hope you're doing exactly what you wanted to do.