Come Learn About the Unseen Effects of Excessive Phone Use on Youth!

Hello Everyone! 

Welcome back to my blog! I am now a Freshman student in my second semester at the University of Florida. This past semester, I conducted extensive research about the societal implications of technology for my ENC1102: Argumentation and Persuasion course. After researching scientific studies and academic journals, I found a huge amount of evidence linking excessive cell phone use to various physical and mental disorders. In my research, I focused solely on youth populations in order to find how this group is particularly affected as the first generation of "digital natives"- or people who were born into our society after the complete integration of technology. Take a look at what I found! You may be surprised at what harmful effects such a useful piece of technology could have!

The first digital natives were born around the year 1983. Photo Credit: Lukal Files 

Mental and Physical Disorders

Most studies I found have compelling evidence that excessive phone usage causes both physical and mental disorders in youth.

Radiation Induced Diseases

The excessive use of smartphones has been found to lead to an increase in radiation-induced diseases in youth tech users. In one Pakistani study, the researchers found that serious diseases are in fact induced by this cell phone radiation. In the study, the team found excessive phone usage could lead to a long list of physical health issues, including: brain tumors, male infertility, heart disease, hearing damage, Alzheimer's Disease, and Parkinson's Disease. Cell phones are constantly giving off radiation, even when they are not in use. This makes excessive cell phone users more susceptible to illness that is caused by radiation. 

Studies show that cellphones emit dangerous radiation. Photo Credit: Wave Safe

Cognitive Issues

The excessive use of smartphones has been found to impact cognitive functions. Excessive phone use has been linked to attention disorders, lower self-control, diminished working memory, and an altered sense of social cognition. It was further found that the loss of control associated with excessive phone usage negatively impacts human relationships and susceptibility to impulsive decisions because it changes your brain's priorities and instincts. An example of this change in social cognition would be that a teenage child who physically removes themselves from social interactions because they are more strongly satisfied by constant digital interaction. In this example, excessive cell phone usage rewired the teenagers' brain, making them process digital interaction as satisfactory when in reality their human desire for physical interaction is not being fulfilled. 

Addiction and Related Issues

The excessive use of smartphones has been found to be so severe in some cases that it can be considered an addiction. Researcher Sarah Domoff found that 47% of U.S. parents believe that their child is addicted to their mobile devices. Her study indicated that cell phone addiction is similar to other addictions because it leads to attention-deficit behaviors and emotion regulation issues. Because youth are so focused on using their phones, they pay less attention in school and therefore perform poorly on academics. In addition, their constant reliance on mobile phones takes a toll on their mood, similar to other addictions. It was found by other researchers that this addiction can thus lead to depression and insomnia.

Cell phone addiction can lead to endless scrolling, which can have effects that may not be too fun. Photo Credit: GoodReads

Neonatal Health

Other studies I have found investigate the effects of maternal excessive phone use on unborn fetuses. Mostly the literature points to excessive phone usage having a negative effect on the health of unborn youth. From the information presented in my research, it can be concluded that youth health is at risk due to excessive phone use even before children can hold phones themselves.

Lower Birth Weights

One Japanese study focused on mothers suffering from excessive phone usage during pregnancy. It found that mothers relying on phones to cure boredom actually experienced higher rates of depression and sleeplessness. These trends are consistent with that of youth, however, it has harsher implications for expectant mothers, as their infants experienced poorer health because of it. The study focused on a group of excessive and non-excessive pregnant phone users and reported that the average infant birth weight was lower in the excessive use group than in the ordinary use group. This could cause problems for the infant, as a low birth weight is closely associated with neonatal health problems that are as serious as death. Previous studies have supported the findings that lower birth rates predisposes individuals to chronic diseases, such as ischemic heart disease, diabetes, and hypertension during adult life.

Shorter Pregnancies and Preterm Birth

One study by Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health measured the effects of prenatal exposure to radio-frequencies from cell phones on birth outcomes. After collecting data from various countries around the globe, the study found that maternal cell-phone use during pregnancy can lead to shorter pregnancies and an increased likelihood of preterm birth. Stress was found as a variable contributing to these issues. Similar to the Japanese study presented above, the more stress the pregnant mother experiences, the more likely her infant is to have problems during birth and beyond. Cell phones are a clear contributing factor to the stress that leads to poor neonatal health. 

Stay Present, Stay Safe!

Through the numerous scientific studies I discovered during my research, I have found that the best way to avoid the detrimental effects of excessive phone use is to STAY PRESENT. One team of researchers recommended that appropriate usage of mobile phones should be considered in order to protect the condition of the physical and mental health of adolescents. By staying present and reducing ones’ mobile phone use, one can take steps to lead a healthier, happier life. It is true that more research is necessary in finding what lifestyle changes can be made in order to mitigate the effects of excessive cell phone usage. That is all for this time. Thank you for learning with me!

Only YOU can tame your desire to use excessively- Stay present so you can stay safe. Photo Credit: TED Ideas

Meet The Author

Mason Solomon is a Freshman student in his second semester at the University of Florida. Mason is an avid writer and runs a media sciences blog. In his blog, he covers various media topics such as the integration of tech into society and representation in modern media. He also documents his work on various personal projects. His page can be viewed here: https://masonmediastudies.blogspot.com/

     

Well... This is a conundrum...

Hello! This morning, I woke up to an email from Instagram saying that the phone number and email on my @AGNP_official account were changed. When I investigated further, I found that the profile picture, bio, and profile name were all changed, and all my previous posts were deleted. I was hacked overnight, and the account name was changed to @paun_14758. I have since gone in and disabled this account for my own protection.

If you look through my past blog posts, you can see some of the posts that I made on my Instagram before it was hacked. Attached below is a Google Drive folder containing all the posts that I had on my account before it was deleted. Take a look!

https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/12pf-dTfbN1Tn6OhqIudqaAR64JqMenK5?usp=sharing

Thank you for understanding! 

Creative Critical Reflection (A Level)

 Hello! As I complete my second portfolio project, I look back at all that I learned over the past two years studying media. Take a look at my CCR, which contains a detailed reflection of my portfolio project.

Creative Critical Reflection

https://drive.google.com/file/d/160IWsaFH0La9Ummx_KbKJvGEfW20zW53/view?usp=sharing

Thank you so much for following along on this journey with me! It was truly an eye-opening experience, as I proved to myself how much I have grown as a media studies student over the past two years!

I hope you enjoyed my portfolio project!

Sincerely, 

Mason's Media Studies

I present to you: America's Greatest National Parks

 Hello! After many weeks of hard work, I finally present to you, my final AICE Media Studies A Level portfolio project. Take a look at my 5-minute extract (major task), social media page (minor task), and magazine article (minor task) below!

5-minute Extract

America's Greatest National Parks: Season 1 Episode 1 (Final 5 minutes of episode)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-6M2HxHZjQTP4-xQ8eMHyXbaFJRltXfJ/view?usp=sharing

Social Media Page- Instagram

https://www.instagram.com/agnp_official/

Magazine Article

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1yh4iuNWhBSEN-1bqQ6jIOzWBEt-CPJ8z/view?usp=sharing

Thank you for coming along for the ride! I hope you enjoyed getting a behind-the-scenes look at my portfolio project! Stay tuned for more!

Looking back over the past few weeks...

 Hello! Wow, what an incredible past few weeks it has been. I got the opportunity to further expand my knowledge of media studies through yet another in-depth project. However, this project was different from the rest of the projects I worked on throughout my media career, as it was a culmination of every single topic I have studied while enrolled in AICE Media Studies AS and A. From distribution to brainstorming, to genre, to digital design, to storytelling, this portfolio project required me to use every topic I have learned about to develop my own production.

At the beginning...

 At the start of my project, I used my knowledge of the brainstorming process and storytelling, to decide on a topic for my docuseries. In order to choose the best topic for my docuseries, I utilized the help of my peers, who gave me feedback on my ideas and guided me in the right direction in selecting the best topic. When brainstorming topics for my extract, I knew that I wanted to choose the topic that will best achieve my purpose of inspiring viewers to preserve and protect the national parks. For this reason, I decided to create a 5-minute extract discussing the perils of the Florida Everglades in the modern-day. I was aware of the climate issues Florida has been facing recently and felt that, by sharing information about dangers the park faces in the modern-day, I would be able to tell a story that will inspire my viewers to enact change.

A minor setback

A challenge that I encountered when completing this project was finding a video-editing platform to edit my 5-minute extract on. For my previous projects, I used a service called WeVideo. This service was provided to me for free by Broward County Public Schools in past years, however, this year they ended my subscription and I was left without an editing platform. I searched the internet and asked my peers for suggestions for a new platform that was easy to use and worked on Windows. I was suggested services like Adobe Rush, Videoleap, and Davinci Resolve, all of which either required a subscription or did not have all the tools I needed to edit my extract. After one last Google search before settling for one of these services, I found a platform called Movavi. Movavi is a copycat of iMovie, a video editing service I used in the past when I owned an Apple computer. Movavi's user interface is much more simple than the other services I researched and it did not require a subscription to use. I used Movavi to edit the entirety of my 5-minute extract, and it turned out great.

All in all, this project has allowed me to combine knowledge from all the media topics that I have learned about over the past two years. By developing an in-depth production complete with a social media page, magazine article, and a 5-minute extract, I was able to use my skills to create an incredible project. Stay tuned to see the finished product!

Distribution for days

 Hello! Today, I wanted to take the opportunity to discuss my plan for one of the most important aspects of a production: Distribution! There are many different methods of distribution that work for different production types. For example, a new hit movie may be distributed via a wide release in movie theaters, while an independent short film may be distributed via semi-theatrical release or on social media such as Youtube. For my docuseries, I decided that it would be best for me to follow a video-on-demand digital distribution for my production. 

What is video-on-demand? 

Video-on-demand, or VOD, allows users to access a production with little constraints. With this distribution model, consumers can select and view productions whenever they choose. They view material on-demand through streaming sources or on-demand television. After the rise of personal computers and new digital consumption habits, video-on-demand became a powerful tool to distribute media, as it was able to get media in the hands of consumers at their convenience at no substantial effort/cost of the distribution company. Video-on-demand revolutionized how media companies decide to distribute their projects.

Fit for a Docuseries

Video-on-demand is the best choice for distributing my docuseries. Other methods of release, such as wide release in movie theaters, would not be practical for my project, as it is designed to be viewed over an extended period of time. Video-on-demand allows consumers to view media at their own pace, without the constraints of a movie theater schedule. In addition, video-on-demand distribution via streaming services allows consumers to watch my project in any order they want. Because there is no specific structure in the order of the episodes, consumers can watch the episodes that they are interested in and customize their viewing experience. This makes video-on-demand perfectly fit for my docuseries.

The big day: April 12th

On my social media, I shared multiple photos that advertised my production's release date and method of distribution. The big day of release is going to be April 12th, at that time, users will be able to view my docuseries on any on-demand platform, from AT&T U-Verse to Netflix. The multiple posts promoting my docuseries' distribution serve to generate excitement among my target audience, who are excitedly counting down and waiting for April 12th to come so they can come take in the view on season 1 of AGNP.

That's all for now. Stay tuned for more!

Getting started with the magazine article

 Hello! Today, I started putting together my magazine article minor task. This minor task is new to the project this year, according to my instructor, so there are not many guidelines as to how this magazine article should look. That was good news to me, as I was able to take this task in any direction I wanted! After brainstorming what platform would be best to write this article on, I have decided on...

Meet Canva. It is an online service that allows users to "design everything." I used Canva to develop the entirety of my social media page, as well as clips for my extract.

Drag and drop editing

Canva is a very effective editing tool because it is much easier to use than other tools on the market. Canva uses drag and drop controls to help users create with ease. All a user needs to do is click on an item and drag it wherever they desire. I used drag and drop editing to create all of my social media postings, it allowed me to set the spacing of the objects without having to deal with any numbers or measurements. In addition, a user can click through tabs that contain image effects, filters, animations, etc. Canva has many powerful editing tools that they make available to users in a simple fashion.

Elements, stock images, and more!

Canva is a very effective editing tool because they have a database of visual elements, stock images, and backgrounds that they make available to users. With the click of a button, Canva users have access to a wide range of visuals that can be used in their projects. Instead of having to scan a third-party source, like Google Images, Canva offers users the ability to search up images in their database and use them in their projects with one simple drag. In addition, users can access tabs with shapes, lines, and frames that can be used to develop designs.  Any portion of Canva's database can be customized in order to best fit a user's design, such as color or size. This gives users an infinite amount of visual stimuli to work with when editing.

This is what I have created with Canva thus far. I plan on writing this article and improving its design throughout the week. Stay tuned for more!

Instagram Page: Complete

Hello! This past week, I spent a lot of time working on my minor task of creating a social media page for my production. After developing my Instagram throughout the week, I am pleased to report that I am, for the most part, finished with my social media page. Take a look at what I created:

https://www.instagram.com/agnp_official/

Consistency is key

My social media page is very effective in developing my brand. Throughout the page, I used a consistent font as well as consistent visuals, posting styles, and even comments. This consistency allowed me to establish a cohesive brand. Take my photo comments as an example. On every photo, I added the hashtags #AGNP and #docuseries. I included these on every post because they are tools that help viewers find my postings, as they will my page if they view the feed for either hashtag. By including the two most important hashtags on every post, I am able to create links to my profile that can be viewed by people who share similar interests to my postings. This increases the likelihood that a member of my target audience will find my production. By using this tactic in addition to the rest, I was able to create a consistent product that my viewers can use to learn about my topic and production.

Increase viewership

In order to increase viewership, I was sure to include a balance of docuseries promotional posts and engaging visual posts. This combination of posting types allowed me to increase viewership on both my social media page and on my production. By including engaging visual posts on my Instagram, I am able to attract users that are not aware of my production. For example, these engaging visual posts, like the one shown below, would show up in user's explore or suggested pages. As users go through these pages, they are able to view these posts and make their way to my media page. Once a user is viewing my page, they will see the docuseries promotional posts containing important info about my docuseries, such as where to watch, the full title, and episode information. By including engaging visual posts on my page, I will increase viewership on my social media, which will allow promotional posts to further increase viewership on my production.

I am very proud of the work I did developing this social media page. It will serve as a powerful tool for connecting with my target audience and promoting my docuseries. Stay tuned for more!

Love, sorrow, and the emotions that power climate action video

 Hello! This morning, I woke up to a notification recommending that I watch a TED Talk on Youtube called "Love, sorrow, and the emotions that power climate action" by Knut Ivar Bjorlykhaug. I immediately gravitated to Youtube to watch this video, as it looked like it was about a topic that was very similar to the topic of my docuseries. Take a look at this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Pl44w0iYc4

After watching the video, I realized that the purpose of my docuseries is very similar to the purpose of Bjorlykhaug's speech. Therefore, I plan to use this video as a model for constructing my 5-minute extract, which will serve to inspire viewers to care for and protect America's National Parks. 

Pulling at heartstrings

One tactic that I plan to take from this TED Talk is the exploitation of emotion through jarring visuals and alarming facts. For example, from 1:44 to 2:32, Bjorlykhaug uses a "what-if" scenario to tap into the emotions of his viewers. He asks, "Picture that place you love... is in some way broken, or even worse, gone...Well, it's not about imagination anymore. The destruction of nature and wildlife is real." By including this line in his speech, Bjorlykhaug is able to tap into the emotions of the viewers and use an alarming realization to show them the truth about climate change. With the inclusion of this line, Bjorlykhaug is able to strike fear into the hearts of his viewers, which will in turn empower them to take action on climate change.

Ecological Sorrow

Ecological sorrow is the feelings associated with loss and morning of nature. According to Bjorlykhaug, "many people in various cultural contexts feel a complicated form of loss and morning regarding nature." Ecological sorrow is just one of the feelings that empower people to take action on climate change. Bjorlykhaug argues that this is because love and sorrow are connected and that because people share a love for nature, they will also share an emotional pain for it if it is ever lost. From 7:05 to 7:21, Bjorlykhaug includes jarring visuals of pollution and ecological disaster in order to evoke these feelings of ecological sorrow in his viewers.

After watching this TED Talk, I found feelings of ecological love and sorrow are the emotions that empower viewers to take action on climate change. If a person makes room for these feelings, they will be more inclined to act, as they cannot ignore the overbearing feelings of nature's impending doom. In my extract, I plan to evoke these same feelings of ecological love and sorrow in my viewers through the use of jarring visuals and alarming facts. By doing so, I will be better equipped to achieve my purpose of inspiring viewers to care for and protect America's National Parks.

My Brand Identity Prism

Hello! I wanted to take this opportunity to share my brand identity prism. A brand identity prism is a diagram that describes a brand's identity through its characteristics. The brand identity prism diagram is a useful visualization for identifying a brand's core characteristics and how they relate to one another. Take a look at the diagram below:

Physique

Physique refers to the physical characteristics of a brand, including visual cues that help consumers identify the brand. My brand's physique will include:

• Natural hues- greens, blues, greys, oranges.
• Nature visuals- mountains, rivers, canyons, flora, and fauna

Personality

Personality refers to the brand's character or "feel." It represents the traits of the brand in the eyes of the consumer. My brand's personality will include:

• Friendly
• Adventurous- Each episode will feel like an "adventure" through a national park. This will be established through voiceovers that reinforce the idea that the episode is an "adventure.
• Whimsical tone- In order to best convey the magic of nature, the tone of the brand will be whimsical. This will further reinforce nature as a beautiful, magical, breathtaking place. 
• Bright colors; colorful

Relationship

Relationship refers to the nature of the relationship between the brand and its consumers, including both abstract and tangible aspects. My brand's relationship with consumers will be...

• Playful yet serious- When discussing the national park, the docuseries will maintain a playful, educational demeanor. However, when it gets to the end of the episode, the call to action would be more serious, as it will have to evoke emotion in the viewer that will inspire them to care for the national parks.
• Intimate- My brand will talk directly to consumers. Viewers will feel that each episode was made specifically for them, like the narrator and they are in a one-on-one conversation.

Culture

Culture is the set of values that set a foundation for the brand. My brand's culture will be:

• Forward-thinking- My brand will be more concerned about the future than the past. It will work to build a brighter future for the natural world by inspiring people to love nature. 
• Collaborative- My brand will be concerned with connecting like-minded people with each other in order for them to achieve a common goal. My brand will emphasize that protecting the natural world will not be possible without the collaboration and working together as a global community.

Self-image

Self-image relates to the way in which customers see themselves in a particular brand. By associating themselves with certain brands, customers view themselves differently.

• Savy- Customers of my brand view themselves as "nature-savy." They understand the realities of nature and are realized of the problems it faces.  
• Apart from the norm- While the general population overlooks these climate issues, my audience strays from the norm and establishes an interest in protecting nature. They have fully realized the issues nature faces and consciously work to solve them because others won't.

That's all for now. Stay tuned for more!

Getting ready for editing

 Hello! After completing research about video editing software, I have finally decided on a service that I will use to edit my docuseries. The video editing software I decided to use is... 

Adobe Spark

Take a look at the user interface:

Simple to use

This video editing software is very easy to use. The entirety of the workspace can be accessed through just four tabs! When adding footage to the video, Adobe Spark automatically sets the size of the video in order to best fit the style of the screen you are using for the shot. This makes it easy to use images and clips of different sizes all in one video. In addition, adding audio is a breeze. By pressing the red button, a user can input voice-over into the clip and all music can be controlled under just one tab. With a simple user interface, Adobe Spark was the best choice for editing software.

Work from anywhere

Adobe Spark allows you to work from home or on the go, wherever you need. On the Apple App Store, iPhone users can download the Adobe Spark app, where they can access and edit their projects on their mobile devices. Adobe Spark can also be easily accessed via the internet. By searching for the app, a user can log in to their adobe account and access Adobe Spark through their browser. This reduces the number of apps a user would need to have open at one time and makes editing a breeze. The adaptability of this video editing software made it a perfect choice for my project.

Now I have to begin developing the bulk of my extract. Stay tuned for more!

Check out my Instagram!

 Hello! Last week, I decided that I will create a social media page for my docuseries on Instagram. I decided to use Instagram because it is the best service for reaching my target audience and because it primarily uses images as a way of sharing information. Take a look at my page here:

https://www.instagram.com/agnp_official/

Informational Posts

One element that I decided to include on my social media page is informational posts. These postings contain general information about nature, the environment, and the National Parks. Take this post as an example:

This post contains an alarming statistic about global warming. When potential viewers are viewing this page, the informational posts will serve to educate them. From animal species to global warming, informational posts serve to evoke a psychological reaction from the viewer. For example, in the post above, the statistic serves to scare/"wake up" the viewer. After reading this post, the viewer will be more cognisant about the environment, which will make them more likely to watch the docuseries. These informational posts do a great job of getting potential viewers interested in the topic so they will be more willing to watch the production.

Engaging Visuals

Another element that I made sure to include on my social media page is engaging visuals. From vibrant colors to breathtaking images of nature, the visuals that are on my media page were handpicked in order to best grab the attention of my target audience. 

The beautiful pictures of nature, like the one shown above, serves to attract people to the social media page. When a potential viewer sees an engaging image like this one, they will be more likely to click on the post and browse the rest of the page. With that, it will be more likely that the user ends up watching the docuseries, as they ended up seeing the rest of the content on the page, including flyers and advertisements that work to encourage users to watch.

Docuseries Promotional Posts

Another element I made sure to add to my social media page is promotional posts about America's Greatest National Parks. Although these posts are not as eye-catching as the others, they serve a very important purpose of giving users the information they need to actually watch the production. This includes the full name, the date of release, and where to watch. As users begin to browse the page after clicking on a more engaging image, they will see these promotional posts which would give them the tools to go through with viewing the piece. These postings are some of the most important ones on the whole social media page, as they directly serve to market/promote my docuseries to my target audience.

That's all for now. Stay tuned for more!

Getting Started with the Socials

Hello! As I get deeper and deeper into this project, I am beginning to work on the minor tasks that I was assigned. One of the minor tasks for this project is to develop a social media page for an original docuseries. I have been brainstorming platforms to create this social media page on, but after some research, I have decided on a platform to use. The social media platform I will use for my docuseries' social media page is…

INSTAGRAM

Target Audience

One reason I decided to use Instagram for my docuseries’ social media page is that it is the platform that will best help me reach my target audience. As stated in my previous postings, the target audience for my docuseries is men and women ages 13 to 30. According to Statista, more than half of global Instagram population worldwide is aged 34 years or younger. This characteristic of Instagram makes it the perfect tool to reach my target audience with. In addition, I will ensure that my social media page is filled with colorful images and engaging information in order to keep the attention of my younger target audience.

Engaging visuals X Important information

Another reason I decided to use Instagram for my docuseries’ social media page is that it is the platform that is best for sharing visual content, specifically images. Instagram uses an interface where users can scroll through an endless stream of content from profiles that they have followed or that are suggested to them. By creating an Instagram profile for my docuseries, I will be able to bring my brand to the hands of viewers, as information about my docuseries will show up in viewer’s feeds and encourage them to watch my product.

Now it’s time to start building my social media page and continuing with the production of my extract. Stay tuned for more!

Brainstorming Interviewees

Hello! Last week, I learned during my group meeting that it would be best to switch up my idea for the interviewees for my 5-minute extract. At first, I wanted to interview an employee at the airboat tour operator company and one of my peers who live in Weston. However, after the group meeting last week, my classmates suggested that I should choose older people to interview instead of younger people. They said that because Weston was founded in 1996, older interviewees who have lived in Weston since they would be able to give a much more in-depth account of environmental changes in the Everglades than younger interviewees. I started brainstorming new interviewees and have come up with a few ideas. Take a look:

Ira and Lori Solomon

Ira and Lori Solomon are 18-year homeowners from Weston, Florida. Over the course of living in Weston over the past two decades, they have seen firsthand the beauty of the local flora and fauna as well as the environmental issues they face. From their backyard, Lori and Ira get a glimpse of the Everglades ecosystem, as their house was built on land that was formerly part of the Florida Everglades. Ira and Lori Solomon are equipped to discuss local environmental issues and urban development, making them great candidates for interviewees for my docuseries.

Laura Ashley

Laura Ashley is a seasoned science teacher from Cypress Bay High School. At CBHS, she leads the AP Environmental Science course. In this course, she discusses a wide range of environmental topics, many of which apply to the environment right near her school, the Florida Everglades. Laura Ashley would be well equipped to discuss environmental issues from a more large-scale perspective, as well as giving her personal experiences living in South Florida.

Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz

Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz is a United States congresswoman who represents Florida’s 23rd district. She is a seasoned politician who has much experience dealing with environmental policy, as she represents the district where the Florida Everglades lies. I know Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz personally, as I served as a congressional intern for her during the Summer of 2020. For this reason, I will have an easier time reaching out to her for an interview. Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz is well equipped with knowledge of environmental policy, specifically regarding the Everglades. For this reason, she would be an incredible candidate for an interviewee of my docuseries.

I will have to reach out to these people and see if they would be open to being interviewed for my docuseries. In the meantime, stay tuned for more!

Spontaneous Filming Day

Hello! Over the weekend, I got a large portion of my filming completed. I needed to find a scene that would exemplify the beauty, liveliness, and magic of the Florida Everglades. So, I brainstormed with my girlfriend she suggested a place that I didn’t even think of: Flamingo Gardens! Flamingo Gardens is an Everglades wildlife sanctuary, complete with a variety of local plants and animals that could be found just nearby in the Everglades. The facility finds permanently injured, non-releasable animals in order to provide safe refuge to them. Their goal is to remind visitors that they are destroying wild habitats and that they must act now or the Everglades may lose its rich wildlife heritage. Take a look at some of the shots I got while visiting Flamingo Gardens:

Aviary

At Flamingo Gardens, there is a walk-through enclosure called “The Aviary.” Here, beautiful Everglades birds roam the pathways, swim in the cool water, and fly around from tree to tree. This encounter was the perfect place to get stunning, vivid, and close-up shots of birds. With the help of some bird food provided by the facility, I was able to take some incredible shots of the local birds in this encounter. It looks so real, almost like I’m in the wild!

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JFiUkbIOyxuVTCGxWAv5oO_EHXDRn3Tm/view?usp=sharing

Flora

Flamingo Gardens is scattered with gardens and natural areas that are filled with beautiful Everglades Flora. From massive trees to leafy plants, to colorful, blooming bushes, Flamingo Gardens has any plant you can think of! In the reflection garden, there is a forest of plants to see. In addition, eye-popping peacocks roam around these areas, making the encounter that much more filled with subjects for my filming.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/15I7Q-KpxXip2FzJOeMbvuIsn25lkZ-ah/view?usp=sharing

Fauna

There is no shortage of fauna at this facility! Flamingo Gardens has a huge load of fauna, from bears to otters, to alligators, to flamingos! All the species that they have at the park are rehabilitated animals that can be found Everglades. This allowed me to get clear, close-up footage of these animals without me having to deal with the unpredictability of the wild. With this footage of Everglades fauna, I will be able to engage the audience in my 5-minute extract.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HKypbvVm00NgP6WJQdpwDDrC7TPe7D4S/view?usp=sharing

That’s all for now. Stay tuned for more!

Filming Locations

 Hello! As I begin the production portion of this project, I now have to start deciding where I want to film this project. Within a 6 mile radius of my house, there are countless beautiful Everglades locations that would be great to obtain documentary footage at. Take a look at some places below:

I-75 Overpass

The area circled in red on the map above is a long, dirt stretch of land that runs parallel to I-75. It is nestled between a man-made canal and the vast, open Florida Everglades. This elevated stretch of land is perfect for getting effective, beautiful shots of the Everglades landscape, as there are no man-made objects that can be seen from this vantage point. This location would be awesome for footage of the flat, open Everglades landscape.

Neighborhood Backyards

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1L_CH8Y52mrXp8j-khkCIE5Skt1HtrJ4R/view?usp=sharing

This clip is just one of the many locations around Weston that exemplifies the suburban development that occurred in the Everglades. As seen in the clip above, development in Weston was made right on top of what used to be the flat plains of the outskirts of the Florida Everglades. Today, you can still see the remnants of what used to be right from your backyard. Backyards in Weston, such as the one shown in the clip above, look just like the Everglades and even contains some local wildlife, like alligators and the American White Ibis. These locations are the perfect way to depict the relationship between the Everglades and suburban development.

Airboat Tour Operators

The three points of interest shown on the map are the airboat tour operators near me. The vast green area surrounding the City of Weston represents the Florida Everglades. Not only does this screenshot exemplify how close I live to the Florida Everglades, but it shows how the City of Weston was a cookie cutter city that was built in the middle of the Everglades. West of the city is a whole new world; by driving 15 minutes, you are transported to an enviornment that is like no other. The two tour operators that do private airboat tours are Everglades Holiday Park and Sawgrass Recreation Park. On their website, Sawgrass Recreation Park priced a private airboat tour at $165 for 30-minutes while Everglades Holiday Park priced a private airboat tour at $35 for one hour. After researching pricing, I have decided to call Everglades Holiday Park and see if they have any employees that would like to be interviewed while on an Airboat tour. 

That's all for now. Stay tuned for more!

Group Meetings #2

 Hello! Today, during class, my peers and I participated in our second group meetings. At this meeting, we were given the chance to bounce ideas off of each other and improve our projects with the suggestions of our other peers. Today, I learned a lot during the group meeting. Take a look:

Interviewee Changes

At the group meeting, my classmates recommended that I choose to interview older people over younger people. Because Weston, Florida was founded in 1996, younger interviewees would not be able to give as in-depth of an account of environmental changes in the Everglades as older interviewees. Older interviewees who were in Weston since it was founded would be much better equipped to discuss this topic because they were actually here since the beginning and have seen the changes occurring over the years. For this reason, I will start brainstorming older people that I can interview for my production.

Editing Software

At the group meeting, I shared with my classmates that I was having trouble finding a program to edit my 5-minute extract on. Last school year, my school organized a free student subscription to WeVideo, a video editing software platform that is easy to use and effective for any video project. This year, however, the discontinued our subscriptions, so now I am left with no editing software for my A level portfolio project. My classmates suggested that I research Premiere Rush and Videoleap editing software. My classmate, Sil, said that Premiere Rush is "the iMovie of the Adobe Suite." This is important for me because I am not the most skilled editor, and I need a program that will accommodate my editing skill level. My other classmate, Trinity, said that she uses Videoleap editing for her projects and shared that she has not had any problems with it and enjoys using the service. I will need to research these services and see which would be best for me to use for this project.

During the group meeting, I got a TON of helpful feedback from my peers. They gave me many important suggestions that I will use to diversify my ideas and improve my project. Here are some things I found I need to get done after talking to my peers:

To-do List:

• Research Premier Rush and Videoleap editing software
• Gather local's footage of recent flooding incidences
• Must credit in blog and in extract
• Brainstorm filming locations
• Brainstorm older interviewees
• Call airboat tour operators
• Find best time to come to interview an employee
• Reserve private airboat tour

Today's meeting was a huge success! Stay tuned to see me dive into the production portion of my project!

Production Preparation

Hello! As I begin to transition into the production process, I have started to plan out how I will complete my filming for this production. I now plan on focusing on the more intricate details of my filming, including interviews and specific shots that I need to obtain.

Equipment Test

I have reached out to my friend, Josh, who has started to gather his drone equipment and test it before we begin filming. This week, he went to a field to test his equipment and it was a success. He said that his drone was working properly and the batteries are charged up and functioning. He practiced some camera maneuvering techniques, including following a moving object, pans, and tilts. He reported to me that his equipment is ready for filming and that he has learned new maneuvers for his drone. I am excited to see what kind of footage we are able to obtain with this tool! Check out this clip that he took during his practice flight!

Airboat Research

The second filming tool I planned on using for my documentary extract is an airboat. Because I don't own an airboat and (sadly) don't have any airboat owner friends, I will have to get a seat on an Everglades airboat tour if I want to obtain footage via boat. I live in the city closest to the heart of the Everglades, so airboat tours are not too far away from me. In fact, Sawgrass Recreation Park (found here: https://www.evergladestours.com/) offers airboat tours that are only 15 minutes from my house! Other airboat tours in my area include Loxahatchee Everglades Airboat Tours and Rides (https://www.evergladesairboattours.com/) and Everglades Holiday Park Airboat Tours and Rides (https://www.evergladesholidaypark.com/?utm_source=GMBlisting&utm_medium=organic). I will have to book a tour and prepare for filming within the next few days.

Interviews

Throughout my research, I found that most documentaries utilize interviews in order to move the piece forward and integrate information within it. For this reason, I have decided to facilitate interviews of South Florida locals for my production. Featuring their perspective of the Florida Everglades in the modern day will allow me to integrate information in my documentary that will help inspire viewers to care for America's national parks. The interviewees will provide a first-hand perspective of the current climate changes that are occurring in Florida's ecosystem. Here is a list of people that I am considering for interviewing:

• Marley Solomon- lifetime Weston resident, high school student
• Shelby Schultz- lifetime Weston resident, high school student
• Airboat driver/operator

Now, its time to begin turning these ideas into reality! Stay tuned for more! 

Progress Update

 Hello! I am now 5 weeks into my A-level portfolio project. I am transitioning out of the pre-production/research phase and into the production phase. I wanted to take this moment to document the progress I have made thus far. Take a look below and see what I have put together already.

Taking my idea and running with it

As of March 10th, I have finalized my idea for my docuseries, including my plan for my 5-minute extract. I decided to create a docuseries titled "America's Greatest National Parks" and create a 5-minute extract from its pilot, titled "The Florida Everglades." During my extract, I plan to talk about the Florida Everglades in the modern-day. After brainstorming and getting advice from my peers, I decided on this subtopic for my extract because I thought that it was most exemplary of my subgenre, observational/sociological explanation, and will best help me achieve my purpose of inspiring viewers to care for the national parks. Right when I finalized this idea, I got right into research and developed all the information I need to create an effective extract. The brainstorming process was made much more smooth due to the help of my classmates, who helped me diversify my ideas and choose the topic that was best for my project.

Production Preparation

As I begin to transition into the production process, I have started to plan out how I will complete my filming for this production. I have already developed outlines and breakdowns for my extract, but now I will have to focus on the more intricate details of my filming, including shot types and interviews. In addition, I have reached out to my friend, Josh, who has started to gather his drone equipment and test it before we begin filming. He plans on completing a test run this week to ensure that his drone will run efficiently during filming.

Getting started with the socials

Even though the 5-minute extract is the main component of this project, I still can't forget about the side tasks! Recently, I have started to look into the social media component for this project. My task is to create a social media page for my Docuseries. I know what I want the page to look like, with lots of colors, shots of national parks, fun facts, promotional posts. I have to decide between which social media platform I want to utilize for this component. I want to choose a platform that will best cater to my target audience, in order to encourage them to watch this documentary. I will have to brainstorm and facilitate more research before making a decision and beginning development.

Upcoming group meetings!

On March 17th, my classmates and I will be holding our second group meetings. These meetings allow us to bounce ideas off of each other and diversify our projects. I plan on sharing my blog platform with them and asking them for feedback about any part of my project. There is nothing specific I want to ask them this time, I just want to know if they have any suggestions for new ideas or reservations about my old ideas. In addition, I plan on helping my other classmates by giving them suggestions for their projects and walking them through the stages of planning and development.

That's all for now. Stay tuned for more! 

Extract Topic Research

Hello! Over the past few days, I have conducted research for the topic of my 5-minute extract: "The Florida Everglades in the modern-day." Take a look at what information I found!

Climate Change

• The terrain is flat and surrounded on three sides by rising seas.
• Effects include:
• Sea Level Rise
• South Florida sea-level measurements are consistent throughout the region and some measurements date back to the 1840s, making it one of the most complete records in the United States. The monitoring station in Key West measured the average rate of sea-level rise to be 13 cm per century. This finding is consistent with the global estimate as well.
•  This human-caused accelerated warming threatens to outpace the ability of flora, fauna, and processes of the Everglade to adapt.
• Seawater leaks into freshwater ecosystems and salinates equifers. 
• The Everglades are already feeling these effects.
• Change in weather patterns:
• Storms and hurricanes
• During the past 20 years, tropical storms and hurricanes have become more intense.
• Hurricane wind speeds and rainfall rates are likely to increase as the climate continues to warm.
• Flooding
• Since 1958, the amount of precipitation during heavy rainstorms has increased by 27 percent in the Southeastern U.S., leading to a larger flooding problem.
• More intense rainstorms can increase flooding because rivers overflow their banks more frequently, and more water accumulates in low-lying areas that drain slowly. Sometimes, the water remains in these areas for days.
• Warming waters
•  Coral bleaching, or the whitening of coral due to loss of algae, occurs because of rising water temperatures. Rising temperatures harm the algae that live inside corals and provide them food. Coral bleaching weakens corals and can eventually kill them. 
• Coral reefs provide critical habitat for a a range of species and small shell-producing animals are important parts of the food chain, as they are the prey of larger animals. 
• Warming waters could harm Florida’s marine ecosystems, fisheries, and tourism.

Urban Development

• Change in species behavior
• Flora
• Northwest of Everglades National Park in the Ten Thousand Islands National Wildlife Refuge, mangroves have expanded and grown inland into what were previously freshwater environments. 
• In the Florida Keys, freshwater pine forests are shrinking and are being replaced by plants that live in saltwater
• Fauna:
• Out of 1,200 species tracked by the Florida Natural Areas Inventory, 25% are likely to lose at least half of their current habitat due to sea-level rise alone. 
•  Florida’s species ability to migrate and adapt to climate change is severely compromised now due largely to human modification of the terrain. Up to 76% of 236 surveyed species were deemed unlikely to be able to relocate inland in response to rising sea level due to urban development.
• Sea-level rise+urban development=recipie for disaster for native species.
• Pollution
• Pollution levels have exploded due to urban development.
• There was a vast increase in farms that use chemicals. Run-off brings these chemicals into the Everglades' rivers and streams. High levels of phosphorous and other chemicals poison the waterways, such as the Kaloosahactee river and other estuaries, and wreak havoc on Atlantic and Gulf Coast marine species.

How to Help

• Reduce carbon footprint
• Recycle- lower amount of trash that goes into a landfill.
• Carpool- Reduce the number of cars that are driving on the road and polluting the environment.
• Don't waste energy- Turn off appliances and unplug them when not in use
• Put a weatherstrip on windows and doors- Keep the heat or cooling from escaping your residence, reduce the runtime of your air conditioning is running. 
• Replace vehicles with electric cars- Transform from fossil fuels to renewable energy

All of this information is really important for developing this extract. Stay tuned for more!

Sources:

https://www.nps.gov/ever/learn/nature/climatechange.htm

https://floridaclimateinstitute.org/docs/climatebook/Ch12-Stys.pdf

https://www.epa.gov/sites/production/files/2016-08/documents/climate-change-fl.pdf