Hello again, to whomever is reading today, I’m back. In this post, I am introducing our class “Great Big Story” projects (that later transitioned into “Little Big Stories”), and what I could’ve done differently in my project to make it a whole lot better.

Before heading down to the southern states of America for 10 days with my classmates, we were introduced to a chain of short and snappy videos about pretty much anything in the world, called a “Great Big Story”. (You can click on the name to check out the website.) Branching off of CNN’s idea, we were told we would be creating our own short, snappy, and interesting movies, given the name “Little Big Stories”.

So when we went down south, I knew my plan for my “Little Big Story” to do with the Civil Rights Movement was more or less settled. I wanted to focus on the Selma to Montgomery Marches in 1965, as we would be visiting Selma, Montgomery, and some amazing history makers of the civil rights movement, who took part in the marches. But, already, I had made the mistake of not having my script written, or even a storyboard completed, so I didn’t have any questions prepared to ask when I met these influential people.

When we returned home, that’s when I started my script and planning of how I wanted my movie to look… veeery, veeery sloooowly. I based my story on one person’s experience in the marches, including Bloody Sunday and Turnaround Tuesday, and how they went on to continue with Civil Rights work. I focussed on a woman who was just a child during the movement, Lynda Lowery. Her story was fascinating and terrifying all at once, and when I listened to her talk first-hand I was captivated and reduced to tears.

Anyways, It took me quite a while to finally begin recording my movie and gather clips and footage. I was relieved when I could say that I was happy with my Little Big Story, and when I handed it in, I was glad I had finished. But, of course, that wasn’t the end of our friend the not-so-little Little Big Story, because I had received feedback!

I was told that I had tried too hard to fit 60 years of Civil Rights into my Little Big Story, and I had opposed the point of the project, as it wasn’t so little. No… It was about 4 minutes and 50 seconds! Usually the “Great Big Stories” are about 1-2 minutes… YIKES! I think that if I could have handed it in sooner rather than later, I would’ve gotten feedback earlier, and could have fixed it. I know that I procrastinated on this project, and this slowed down the whole process.  Despite this flaw, I was ultimately proud of my final Little Big Story, and I know that I worked hard to get it done.

Here it is: