First Vlog. Warning: Contains many awkward and cringe-worthy content. Also, anyone know how to set thumbnails for videos? That bench leg doesn't look too pleasing. Cool. Thanks.

     Hey Everyone! Today I will be sharing with you one of my favorite YouTubers, Connor Franta. I'm sure you may have heard of him. He's very popular, with a little over 5 million subscribers. He makes lifestyle vlogs, comedy skits, and inspirational videos. Personally, I enjoy his inspirational videos the best. He has written words or poems as voiceovers, with nature shots as the visual. For this week's reflective response, I will be talking about some of his inspirational films. I love his poems, and I find his editing style unique. Take his video, "Life Doesn't Wait", embedded below. There are some interesting rack focuses, and a pretty cool way of how he edited it. Every shot was coordinated to the beat. I think his content is really creative. In Life Doesn't Wait, Connor had a great story to tell and an inspiring message at the end. It's all about doing things that matter, that makes you happy, because truly, life doesn't wait. In his other video, "A Simple Question", he talks about his passion for photography. "Do what you love, and love what you do" is his motto. Even though he may get weird looks or stares, he'll go to full extremes to get the shot. I think my favorite part besides the writing in that video is of again, the rack-focus technique. By the way, that technique is where something in your shot is initially blurry, then focuses. The video, "New Year, New Me" is a poem-based video about New Years Resolutions. I like how each shot was composed so that the overlay of the captions could fit. Finally, his video, "More Than Just Words". Yet again, it was an inspirational video about the power of words and silence. The visuals for this video was a sequence of the surroundings during a sunrise. Connor Franta is one of my favorite content-creators on YouTube. Sure, some of his shots are shaky because they're handheld, but I think the message he tells in his videos is more important. He has a great positive attitude and I love watching his poems come to life. I also find his editing choice and shots compelling, too. Well, that's it for this week's constructive response! Thanks for reading! Below are the videos I mentioned in this blog, and you can click here to be directed to his channel. Bye!

     Hey Everyone! Last week Monday was Presidents Day. Being that there was no school, we took the opportunity to hold our Crazy 8's practice! Crazy 8's is an eight hour competition to create a video with a maximum of 8 minutes. There are two teams, film and news magazine. I am on the news magazine team, which is what they renamed broadcast as. Our team is split up into groups and we have to go out and find stories, and then put it all together with anchor segments in between. The topic we had to surround our stories around was "The Aloha Spirit". I am on team with Mia Thompson and Destrey Shibuya. I think we did okay, but there were problems that we stumbled upon, and need to fix for the actual competition
      I think overall our whole team did okay. The maximum time was supposed to be 8 minutes, but we surpassed it by 13 seconds. Also, the audio was not level at all. It would be very loud then change to extremely soft the next segment. Despite that, everyone got their stories in the final video. I think the final video was okay, and not terribly bad, but we certainly have to improve some things. If we had worked faster, we would have more time to touch up and fix these things. 
      During the practice, we encountered many problems. I think the most challenging problem was finding a good story. At 8am, not a lot of places are open, and many people were not out yet. Plus, it started pouring rain. We couldn't think of any specific story ideas so we decided to go out and scout. First our team went out to Kalapaki Beach, only to find that it was raining and there were hardly anyone out there. Then we went to Harbor Mall to see if any shops were open. All of them were closed being that it was still early and that it's a holiday. Next we went to Anchor Cove. Yet again, no luck. It was about 9 o'clock and we still didn't have a story. We went back to the beach and finally landed an interview with a worker from Beach Boys. Though the interview didn't go as great as we expected. We decided we needed a better story. By this time, it was around 10 and we needed to get a story done. Our team took a gamble by starting all over, but I think it was worth it. We went back to Harbor Mall originally to see if the toy store, Beach Rail was open. We asked them, but they were busy. While we were there we discovered that Skinny Mikes, the ice cream shop, was open and they agreed to help us out! Other problems was that we didn't shoot enough b-roll and so we sent someone to go back while I edited. Also, we were one of the groups who didn't get their story in on time at 2.
      Although we had some difficulties, our team also experienced some positive things. We managed to edit down our individual story to around 1:30, which was what they asked us to. We also leveled out the whole video so that it would be easier for the final editors to manage the audio. I think our story line was decent. It was about one of the workers at Skinny Mikes, Kristen Bernardo, who interprets 'Aloha Spirit' in a unique way. She used to be a hula dancer and is passionate about sharing the Aloha Spirit through her graceful movements to others. Most people define Aloha Spirit as the happiness and joy spread between others so it was really interesting to learn about her side of the story.
​      Lastly, I will talk about the things I am going to do to try and improve for STN. For one, we definitely all have to get our stories turned into the final editors by 2. Then, they'd have more time on trimming it down and leveling out the audio. For our smaller group, we have to work on making sure we have exactly everything we need before we leave. Instead of rushing, we should thoroughly make sure we have enough b-roll. 
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     "Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're going to get." The renowned quote comes from the six time Academy Award winning 1994 film, Forrest Gump. With a running time of nearly two and a half hours, this comedy drama film leaves you wondering what you'll get throughout the plot, following the life of Forrest Gump, played by actor Tom Hanks. Having an IQ under 75 and leg braces, Forrest is undoubtedly declared as the underdog, creating an emotional connection between Forrest and the audience, and a film full of pathos. The film starts off with Forrest waiting at a bus stop on a bench. With every stranger that sits down, Forrest retells his unique life. Forrest has practically lived through every major historical event, which is what makes the film so popular and interesting. He's crossed paths of famous people, and his flashbacks tell the creation of well known ideas and products used today. He tells each stranger about the people in his life, and his experiences. He played football, served as a soldier in the Vietnam War, had a shrimping company, was a runner, and a lot more. He did a lot in his lifetime, despite his restricted life as a child that his mother had set. Forrest Gump is one of my favorite movies. I love it for it's story line, and how innocent the character is as he often unintentionally inspires many inventions. Dimwitted with innocence, there are several sad moments in the film that Forrest fails to make the connection about what is happening around him. For example, Jenny, Forrest's playmate and whom he falls in love with, is a victim of child abuse. However, Forrest doesn't realize this. He always has an optimistic mind and attitude, even when insulted. His happiness is a tribute to his good heart, shown multiple times throughout the film. I think the whole message of this film is to live your life, and love it! Have integrity, be honorable, and honest. No matter what Forrest went through, he came out of it with a positive mindset. I think that's a great outlook to have on life. As for the technical side, this film is an example of excellent cinematography. The cinematography and the soundtrack helps create a strong connection between the audience and Forrest. Forrest Gump has a great story line and plot, amazing cinematography, and most importantly, a meaningful message. I highly suggest you watch Forrest Gump, you won't be disappointed! The movie is on Netflix, too. It's rated PG-13. Here's a trailer below.

     In this day and age, it's so easy to access content. Important events and urgent news are occurring all around us, everyday. So it is essential to be able to keep up with what's happening worldwide and in you own community. For this week's constructed response, I will be sharing with you how I receive my content; where I go, what I look for, and how I access it. Many people read the newspaper, watch the news on television, or just hear about it through the word of the mouth. For me, I receive my content through the online newspaper, television news stations, social media, and from other people. 
      I go to many places to find my content. Sometimes I'll read the digital version of The Garden Island on my phone, just because it's much more accessible for me that way. The Garden Island is a great source for information, especially because they release new articles every day. Most of the articles are pertaining to Kauai, since it is a Kauai and Ni'ihau newspaper. If I'm not reading the online newspaper, I'll get my information through the television. I usually watch the 10 o'clock news. They share what's happening worldwide, and throughout the state. I usually find out urgent news through social media, mainly Instagram. Many people have Instagram accounts, so it's really easy for word to be spread around. Things called hashtags show the latest trends or popular events. Or I'll just be scrolling through my feed, and I may come across some news. My last way I receive content is through people. I think we all get information in this way. We hear something from our relative, or friends about an event or something happening. Getting information through family and friends are a great way to be kept updated. I get my content from various places; the newspaper, television, social media, and through my family and friends.
     Next, what do I look for? If I'm on social media, I don't really look for news. I just stumble upon it through chance by looking at my feed or the trending tab. It's probably not the most reliable way if you really want to know what's happening. When I'm reading the newspaper online, I usually look for possible news or feature stories. If you just look, you can find some great people with unique stories to tell. It won't just happen if you read the newspaper once, the day before a pitch party. You'll have to read it daily, and if by chance you see a cool story, write it down! When I'm reading the newspaper, I look for articles about interesting people.
​     Last, how do I access my information? As I previously stated, I find it easier to check the Garden Island site online. I prefer it over the actual physical copy. I just go to the site online, or the app on my phone. Instagram is a mobile app, so of course, I access social media through my phone. If I'm watching the News, I'll access it through the Hawaii News Now, or HNN, channel on television. There are many places you can go to for your information, but I get mine through my phone or the television.
      Knowing what's happening around the world and in your own community is important. I keep updated by receiving my content through the newspaper, TV, social media, and other people. Being updated helps others be informed and safe. It helps us be prepared if an emergency were to happen. Well, that is it for this week's constructed response! Thanks for reading! Bye!

"I'm not able to make amazingly perfect, precious pieces of content, but I get to make awesome spontaneous content that's frequently ephemeral."
                                                                                                 -Casey Neistat
     I'm sure you have heard of Casey Neistat. Mr. M has talked about him in class, wrote it in his blog topic, and I even made a blog about him a year ago. If you aren't familiar with him, Casey Neistat is a filmmaker who makes movies, or vlogs every single day on his YouTube channel. He shows his whole day, but manages to find a lesson or story within each day. He's very successful, and well known. However, it wasn't an easy journey for him to get there. Today for this week's reflective response, I will be talking about Casey Neistat again. But this time, I won't be talking about the technical side of his videos, not his editing or cinematography. Today I will be talking about his principles on life. He's a great role model in my opinion. I admire his values, his determination, motivation, and his perspective on situations. He's a very optimistic person. He always have a very positive outlook on things. He believes that being negative is so easy to do, that it's much easier to say something mean than say something nice. Therefore, negative people are much lazier. Though in my eyes, being a positive person is a much better alternative to being a mean negative person. He makes vlogs everyday to keep up his motivation for creating. He really believes in the quote, "Without a goal, you can't score." I totally agree. If you don't have a deadline, how long would it take you to actually complete something, and would you actually do it? If we didn't have our set deadlines for our PSA's, how many of us would honestly get them done? Vlogging for Casey has forced him to make a movie every single day. Casey created his own business, so he's the boss of himself. But to get there was not an easy thing. When he was 16 years old, he had to drop out of high school to get a job as a dishwasher to support his girlfriend and his baby. Despite that, Casey has a very profound out look on that situation. He is highly against complaining and whining. He reminds himself that there are other people that are much worse off. He didn't go to film school or even college, and had to work hard for everything he has. He got there through working hard, not all from natural ability. For example, many people look at a talented musician and think, "Oh, that's natural talent." Many of them have to work hard at what they do, put in the effort. For Casey, it may not be music, but it's the same thing with his passion for filmmaking. To become successful and to actually make something out of his passion, he had to work. His motto is to always keep yourself busy. You shouldn't have free time or be bored, because if you do, you're being lazy when you can become so much more or create amazing things. His favorite day of the week is Monday, because it's when he goes to work. He loves work. It's the only way you're gonna get progress; by working, not by sitting down all day doing nothing. As his mantra states, "Do More." One more thing I'd like to say about Casey. His view on gear is truly important, and cannot be stressed enough. If you watch his vlogs, you'll see in some clips that he'll drop his camera or have shake in them. Gear doesn't matter. Story does. That's why whenever I see a notification for a new vlog from him, I'm excited about what story he's going to share that day, not how high quality his footage may be. This video below is about 32 minutes. It may be long, but it is certainly worth the watch. It's a compilation of great quotes, wisdom, and life lessons he's shared over time in his vlogs. His words can change your perspective on how you view things, which definitely affected mine. Well, that is it for this week's reflective response! Thanks for reading! Bye! 

     Hey Everyone! We're just about in the middle of quarter three. Our PSA's our due soon, we have our STN trip right around the corner, and we have two contests coming up! The two upcoming contests are the Kaua'i Museum Art Contest and the Olelo Youth XChange. For the Kaua'i Museum Art Contest, we have to submit a photo either in color or black and white. The photo could be of anything, there isn't a specific theme or topic that it has to be about. The other contest is the Olelo Youth XChange. Each year we submit our third quarter projects, or our PSA's for Olelo. However, you could also submit a news story, too. For this week's constructed response I will be sharing my ideas for my photo, and whether or not I will be submitting a news story for Olelo.
     Living on a beautiful island with many greenery and sites, there's a lot of opportunity for great photos. When I first heard of the contest, I initially knew that I wanted to take a photo of something that deals with nature. I just love photos that show the natural beauty of the scenery. I could review the photos we took on the Kokee hike to see if there's anything that would work. If not, I'll probably take close-ups of birds or flowers. Or get landscape shots of mountains or perhaps a sunset or sunrise. There's a lot of beauty on Kaua'i!
      If I were to take a photo of say the mountain, I'd have to find a good spot with a great view. If I don't know where I'm going, I'll have a hard time getting that great shot. Therefore, I'll have to do some location scouting or ask other people where a good places are. Though, Kokee has great views. I might go to the Kalalau lookout to shoot the Kalalau Valley. Although, that is a very common site. You can see the mountain with the Na Pali coast in the background. I'll have to think about that more. I'm about finished with my PSA, but I'm currently working on my Inside Scoops since we have radios over the trip. So I should have some time to take some photos before the 26th.
      Finally, the Olelo Youth XChange contest. As I just stated, I'm almost finished with my PSA, so I'll be submitting that into Olelo. For the news story category, Kirra and I have decided that we are going to submit our first quarter project. It is a feature story that follows Moses Hamilton, a successful mouth painter at Ching Young Village. In October 2002, Moses got into a car accident that left him as a quadriplegic. Ever since then, this creative outlet has become a passion of his, helping him be able to express his emotion freely on canvas. I want to enter it into Olelo because Moses is such an inspiring person with a great story. We had help from Hiki No, so we will have to enter it into the Jr. Experts category. We already started cutting the duration down, since the maximum time is 2 minutes. The final story that aired on Hiki No was 3 minutes 34 seconds. I think right now we have it at about 2 minutes and 7 seconds, but we still have a lot more to fix. We have to chop off that extra 7 seconds then fix the b-roll. Although it may be some extra work for Kirra and I, I think it's worth it to try to submit something, and it's great editing practice. 
     I'd like to take a photo of something that deals with nature for the Kaua'i Museum Art Contest, and I'll have to take it soon to make sure that I don't miss the deadline. Speaking of deadlines, we also have to finish up our MosesArt story for Olelo! We'll have to stay on top of our game to get everything submitted. Well, that has been it for this week's constructed response! Thanks for reading! Bye!