Semester 1 Reflection

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 As I reflect on my first semester in AICE Media Studies, what stands out to me the most is how different this course is from any other I have taken. The concepts we study in this class are very specific and specialized. The class is also centered around watching movie scenes and analyzing them, which offers a new format of assignments that I was not used to. However, I especially like how this class has given me the opportunity to collaborate with my friends on projects that did not feel like projects. It was so much fun to plan, record, and edit the various video projects we have done this semester. Here's a photo from our music video:

I actually can’t wait for the Final Project, which is an unusual feeling compared to the other classes I have taken.  

Because media is something that I consume daily, it was interesting to learn about concepts that I had experienced first-hand in the past but never had a name for. For example, certain shots or angles that we now represent with certain vocabulary terms, I had seen a plethora of times before and experienced their impact on the meaning of a film without really thinking about it. Now, I know that filmmakers manipulate these qualities within films to evoke feelings from viewers. Interestingly, it is now our job to analyze these qualities that are meant to be hidden and pick them apart in a way. This changes the way I look at films now. 

It is inevitable that my relationship with the media I consume will change as I take this course. In fact, it already has! Certain shots, editing techniques, or mise en scene elements that I would have looked past before, I now notice in films or TV shows. I am given a lot of insight into why filmmakers make certain decisions in this course, and whenever I see such things applied, I recognize them. However, this class has not completely ruined the illusion of films for me. I am still easily pulled into the world of a movie and am not fully immune to its fabrication.  

I am excited for the semester to come for many reasons. As it is my last semester of high school, it holds a lot of exciting milestones. However, in terms of this course, we have our final project in which we will make the opening scene of a film. I think my friends and I are going to have a lot of fun filming and editing this. We collaborate extremely well with each other, as we have been friends for many years. I think a big part of why I have enjoyed this course is because I have gotten to work with them on various projects. I am very lucky that we are all taking the class together!  

To conclude, I have really enjoyed the many unique opportunities that have been presented to me in this class. Though I do not think I want to have a career in the film industry, this class has shown me that I do have a strong interest in these concepts. I look forward to upcoming projects and coursework, as I’m sure they will be a lot of fun! 

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