How did this project originate?
In the beginning of our work, Ryan and I brainstormed the core aspects of our senior project. We knew that we wanted to center our project around science, but we debated over the medium in which we should portray it. Ultimately, we decided to create an informative video series with the purpose of teaching scientific concepts. Now that we understood the frame of our project, I had to determine which scientific topics we would talk about. Based on our prior knowledge and the relevance of these topics, we confirmed that the Scientific Method, Biology, Earth Science, and World Culture would be the subjects of our videos. I took inspiration from several educational series, including Crash Course, Map Men, and Bill Nye the Science Guy. I wanted to model the videos in a similar manner to these web series because they perfectly mix information with humor, making the content more interesting and practical for viewers to learn. We pondered the foundations of our project for quite some time, but brainstorming was just the beginning.
How did I develop the project?
Now that we had a firm understanding of what we wanted to do. Ryan and I started writing our scripts for the videos. As Ryan's main contribution to the project was editing the content into videos, I tasked myself with researching extensively and writing the majority of the scripts. I derived most of my research from scientific articles and my mentor, Dr. Shikiya, who provided an invaluable amount of insight on the topic of multiculturalism in the scientific community. I conducted the research revolving around other scientific concepts from these aforementioned, reputable scientific sources. The writing process concerned the conversion of core ideas into teachable information. In general, subtopics pertaining to the topics of the videos were determined by our understanding of science, through the classes we have taken at SSHS. For example, we understood that hypotheses were integral to the scientific method, based on our previous knowledge. Therefore, I researched more into hypotheses, and other aspects of science we recalled as important. In addition, I wrote lines that fostered a personal connection between us (the speakers) and the viewer, making learning more efficient. Many nights of calling and collaborating resulted in the completion of the script that you can see in the Artifacts page. Along with insightful information relevant to the video's topic, we incorporated several skits and jokes to keep any potential viewer interested and involved. In the end, we had four scripts for four videos. Our next step was to film.
How did I execute the project?
The filming stage of our project involved a lengthy process, involving many locations and techniques. We had the scripts, now we needed to convert what we wrote into viewable content. First, we needed props and materials. Since we were mostly filming in Ryan's garage, we wanted to make the background interesting. I provided tripods, clamps, and a greenscreen to allow Ryan to change the background in post-production. In addition to these materials, I brought many props relevant to the scientific topics to support our video lessons, including cell models, lab coats, geodes, and a caveman costume. In regards to that costume, we traveled to distinct locations to film skits, like the caveman skit we developed. We even met up at the Grand Canyon to film a segment about erosion and geology! Overall, we spent a hefty amount of time setting up shots, reading our lines, and filming scenes for the project. After filming every line and skit, Ryan edited the footage into the final products. The collective videos formed "Endeavors of the Teenage Mind". With the episodes in our hands, we were able to distribute them online through YouTube, making our project public. Also, we directly emailed science and language teachers, encouraging them to watch the videos themselves, and possibly show their classes to help more students understand the bigger concepts of science. Being able to distribute our project with students and those interested in scientific concepts helped me achieve my purpose in fostering the understanding of said concepts.
Who helped me along the way?
Ryan Schantz
Ryan Schantz was my reliable and hardworking partner for this project. Ryan was integral to our project because he contributed his unique filmmaking skills to make our videos stand out. He implemented many unique shots, angles, and transitions to keep the content engaging and interesting. Being an excellent film student of four years, he efficiently edited the content we produced into the "Endeavors of the Teenage Mind" videos. I could not have completed this project without him. Together, we formed a powerful dynamic: research and technical craft.
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Cecil Shikiya, D.O.
Dr. Shikiya was my mentor for this project. He helped me extensively by answering any questions I asked about world culture, the scientific community, and the way in which these global aspects affect each other. Dr. Shikiya was born and raised in Lima, Peru. He studied biology at California State University Northridge and studied medicine at New York College of Osteopathic Medicine at New York Institute of Technology. Currently, he works as a family physician practicing in a local medical group. Because of his incredible scientific status and his diverse cultural background, he was an excellent mentor for my science-and-culture-oriented project.
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