Black In America - ID# 108

Lake Forest

Documentary

Entry Description

This is a documentary about police brutality and what it's like to live in fear based on the color of your skin. This will focus mainly on the victims of 2020, with images and video from protests that have happened this summer.

Copyright Info

Recent Teacher Comments

• 4/29 8:36 am - Keepers: I appreciate this piece so much. As a white teacher, I'm working to listen, examine my own white privilege and do more to actively support my students of color. This is a message that needs to be heard by so many and this was very well done. I loved the various voices from students to educators, administrators and professionals. The black and white treatment of the interviews made the message somehow more powerful. The broll was well incorporated into the piece. Improvements: I think the structure of the story could have been re-arranged a bit. In my opinion the most powerful moment of the piece was the personal stories that each interviewee shared, when they detailed their experiences of being black in America. I think this would have worked better as an opening rather than having it appear in the middle. The beginning worked fine but I've heard different versions of the same information from various voices throughout this year. That doesn't mean the message isn't powerful, but I don't think you lead with that. Hook your audience with the personal stories and then get broader. The interviews needed a bit more consistent framing. The eye lines of the subjects varied a bit and some interviews followed rule of thirds and some did not. I also think the interviews against a flat, white background needed to be reconsidered. Interview background should contain depth and nuance to keep the footage interesting. In terms of broll, some of the shots were paced a bit fast. Some of the photos felt rushed. Slow the broll pace a bit. Also, would it have been possible to film broll that moved away from the photo montages? Perhaps footage of BIPOC students at school? Perhaps not due to the pandemic, but having some of that footage juxtaposed against the personal stories would have been powerful. Again. Perhaps wishful thinking. Finally, the music got a bit stale and repetitive. The song was good but you needed a change in there somewhere to at least one other song. Perhaps towards the end you could have moved to a more hopeful song choice to reframe the message a bit. Overall, very good work and this is a piece you all should be very proud of. Thank you for sharing. I'm watching and listening to your voices!
• 4/15 1:44 pm - Very well done look at a topical and important subject. The range of voices was excellent and powerful. The visuals were well constructed and gave another important element to this gripping piece.
• 3/10 3:31 pm - Video would not play

Judge 1

Positives: The voice-over is both impactful and when followed by multiple statements of witnesses moves us through the introduction, to personal stories, to analysis to the questioning of the audience, which is powerful. The juxtaposition between archival images and footage with speakers is both visually compelling and drives the story to the question. Well done.

Improvements: Perhaps, the music could be brought down a bit as at times, it overtakes the voices and the message. The video of people in BLM t-shirts lifting their heads to look at the camera could be made more powerful if a bit more consistent and obvious.

Judge 2

Positives: The use of personal anecdotes were the strongest points of the narrative. It helped amplify the humanity of the interviewees as opposed to them simply lecturing on the topic of injustice and police brutality. The opening montage of protest imagery was a good opener and grabs your attention.

Improvements: The looped soundtrack was a bit distracting. The lack of creative lighting and framing during the interviews and in the b roll footage of the interviews was flat. Creating a more dramatic lighting would have added to the seriousness of the topic.

Judge 3

Positives: Very powerful important message to get across! Excellent use of pictures and footage from both the past and present. Very nice choice of music. Really liked your creative decision of using the interviews and some of the BRoll in black and white!

Improvements: Placing the microphone on the shirt or the outside of somebody's clothing can be improved - hiding that microphone and running it underneath the clothing will help your production look more professional. Seems as though you chose to shoot this in either 29.97 of 59.94FPS. I'm not opposed - but those frame rates can look just a little flat. Shooting in 23.98FPS will give your piece a more cinematic look.

Judge 4

Positives:

Improvements: