Suicide Awareness - ID# 27
Riverside Brookfield
Public Service Announcement
Entry Description
This PSA aims to raise awareness about suicide prevention, offering hope and essential facts to encourage help-seeking behavior.
Copyright Info
Recent Teacher Comments
- 4/30 2:23 pm - The PSA takes on some heavy subject matter, though the way Dr. Freytas is framed leaves a bit too much space above the head and feels a little too static. Mixing up the framing more could help keep things visually interesting. The typing effect and background music fit well and feel natural, but removing the reverse wipe would make the pacing smoother. Overall, nice work!
- 4/28 1:00 pm - Great job with the tone and the pace, the music matched the typing and the narrator in a way that didn’t feel cheesy or overly produced but just right. While the simplicity is nice, I would have loved to see more creativity with the video, and that can include simple black and white atmosphere shots of the school, either demonstrating loneliness or togetherness, but to showcase the visual elements that the narrator is speaking to. Keep it up, this is a really nice piece that shows advanced production ideas and skills.
Judge 1
Positives: Visually, the piece was striking and not distracting. The message was simple and to the point. Music choice was a strong element.
Improvements: Less headroom on the speaker would help the framing of the overall piece. The transitions from the speaker to the text on screen was not consistent. Having a fade to black then text would have helped (seen towards the end of the piece).
Judge 2
Positives: The script / narrative is well does and has a clear message. Suicide is a difficult topic, and the narrative had direction and didn’t sugar coat a difficult topic. The lighting and directing worked well. The lighting created an atmosphere of seriousness and reflection. The direction of Principal Freytas, and their performance, was respectful of the topic, but also felt approachable, which is the message of this PSA.
Improvements: The editing was cutting off Principal Freytas a little too aggressively. I didn’t see a motivation for cutting before he finished speaking, which made me notice the cuts more than I should’ve. This is subjective, but I’m not a fan of the music choice. Listening to somber organ music on a PSA about suicide, makes me think it is funeral music. Finding the right track can be extremely hard. I think a track that is reflective, without being overly optimistic, would work better.
Judge 3
Positives: Nothing can beat an honest, straight-forward talk from a real person, this being your principal. It's not an acting performance. You can tell he speaks form the heart, as carefully platformed by the gentle overhead lighting and accompanying music and text. I believe all PSAs should lean more towards a pure documentary aesthetic, letting a parental figure address this issue.
Improvements: "There is help and there is hope" -- cuts to black too soon to let this line breathe, in my opinion. Just something to consider.
Judge 4
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Judge 5
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