Final blog post

Photo 1: more answering machine cassette tapes!

Photo 2: Jesus Christ tape: one of the many idiosyncrasies of David Greenberger!

This project has been a great learning experience for me. I thoroughly enjoyed working with Beth and learning about filmmaking and her life. 

Below are the goals I set for myself at the beginning of the internship as well as my reflections on my progress towards them. 

1) Learn what it's like to be a documentary filmmaker and understand all the steps that go into a film

Yes, I have accomplished this. See below in the section discussing the college professor.

2) Make an impact by helping expedite the production of the documentary since it was postponed due to COVID-19 (the plan was to shoot in some nursing homes around the time the first US COVID-19 cases arrived in Seattle nursing homes)

Yes, I have accomplished this goal. I made a significant dent in getting through the audio clips that will be used in the film as story lines and transitions. Also, on the final day of the internship, Beth let me know that I will be named as a Production Assistant in the credits of the Beyond The Duplex Planet film when it is published (likely 2022)! This was very exciting for me!

3) Learn about Beth's career trajectory

Yes, I learned a lot about Beth's career. I learned about her trajectory from working in public television to independent filmmaking to filmmaking during COVID-19 and more. It was also interesting to hear about the difference between critical success and financial success in documentary filmmaking. 

I would recommend this senior project to another student. The project gave a no-frills view into the life of a documentary filmmaker, especially during COVID-19. Beth told me a story about how she was invited to a college to speak about her work by a professor, she warned him that she might scare them off, and the professor insisted she come. She spoke to the class and the professor followed up with her afterward surprised by how "un-idyllically" Beth described her life and work. I feel like I got this same experience that reaffirmed my belief that I do not want to pursue independent documentary filmmaking for my career. However, through my work with Beth, I have seen the amazing aspects of creating a film that inspire me to pursue filmmaking as a hobby.