Stand By Me: Movie Review

In this unit we've been discussing Post-Production. What goes into Post-Production are editing, sound effects, CGI, and film score. We first watched the movie Star Wars and got to see how CGI worked in movies. A lot of the time people build small structures and space ships for the movie then add effects to make it look realistic. We also talked about whether or not the film score was effective. For a Field Experience we visited an investment business called Morning Star. We met the motion graphic designer and the video producer / editor. They told us about their business and then showed us some of their work. We also got to see their production studio which I found really fascinating because it reminded me of a News Casting set. We also made our own nano cinema which are 15-30 second films. Editing, film score, and sound effects had to be included. For this Action Project, we had to choose a movie and record a podcast / video review on the movie. We also had to talk about the different elements of Post-Production. We learned about 8 different approaches that are used for critiquing films. I chose the movie Stand By Me directed by Rob Reiner.

In conclusion, I enjoy Post-Production more than Pre-Production because I love talking about film score and editing and it's impact on the film. Not many people think about how Post-Production really pieces the film together. I think a movie with a great soundtrack makes it fun to watch, especially when you know each song and can sing along to it. Although this project was kind of challenging for me, I really enjoyed it. Editing the podcast was a lot of work but fun and I'm glad I chose one of my favorite movies. 

The Life Cycle of a Vinyl Record

Our last unit in Biomimicry focused on decomposition of different products and Linear/Closed Loop Systems. We started this unit off by doing an experiment with different food. As a class, we brought in different food products and placed it on a Ziploc bag. Over Winter break we left it at school in a plastic bin for 2 weeks. The experiment was supposed to show how each food product decomposed differently. We then did a Lab Report about which product decomposed the most. After that, we went to a Field Experience to The Plant in Chicago. The Plant was a building filled with several different businesses. A lot of the businesses made alcohol and they had a facility full of plants, fish, worms, and waste. We learned about Closed Loop Systems and biodegradable products. While we were there, we built our own system and got to a Shark Tank style pitch to try to sell our product. We also got to see worms and how they break down trash, which gives soil to plants and feeds animals and bugs. Everything then leads back to us. A guest also came into our school to teach us about the different ways worms can help the earth. In this unit, we learned about Fungi as well and how it can also save the world, especially mushrooms. Mushrooms can be used for things such as antibiotics. Like worms, they also give back to the soil, making our world a better place for all organisms. For this Action Project, we had to choose a product an explain its Linear and Closed Loop System. We also had to create a new model of that product that is more sustainable. I chose to remodel a Vinyl Record's sleeve because when sleeves are made, trees are cut down to pulp. Records are also not biodegradable so I talked about different ways that they can be reused. The new model is a sleeve made from recycled cardboard. The record itself is also made from useless and old records by being grounded up. I wanted to prove that there are so many sustainable ways to reuse and remake records rather than throwing them out because it's bad for the earth.

In conclusion, This was my favorite unit because I feel like I got more out of it. I thought it was really interesting that some products take over 1 million years to fully decompose. It made me think more about everything I saw everyday. Before this unit, I knew nothing about Closed Loop Systems. I also didn't even know that Mushrooms are fungi. I thought that it was cool that every product has a different Linear System and is manufactured differently. I learned more about vinyl records as well. I chose to speak about records because they've always been a big part of my life. I've always been fascinated by them and curious about how they actually play. I never knew that you couldn't just throw them out. I also didn't even acknowledge the fact that so many records are wasted on a day to day basis. Since they don't last forever, people usually keep them in storage or give them to record stores. Some records never get played again. I wasn't aware that they could be toxic to the earth too. Now, I want to start donating records I don't use to companies so they can make new and improved ones. I think that every product should give back to the earth in some way instead of being treated like waste. It would change the world and the human's relationship with nature.