Spoorthi NHS Global Warming Documentary

Global Warming: Cold Facts for a Hot Issue

            Global Warming is a very controversial topic.  In our documentary, many people had different views and opinions about the topic allowing us to explore the different points of view for the documentary.  Although this was very useful information to our documentary, there were also many things that could have worked better and better impacted our message to the media.

            The documentary put of a lot of different thoughts into many people’s mind.  I believe that this documentary persuaded many people to think differently about global warming.  For me, I think that it made me see that global warming is not just caused by the environmental changes but as well as the different actions people take in their lifestyles.  The documentary can definitely inform people about the different changes caused by global warming as well as the reasons that global warming is increasing in the world we live in.  I don’t know if the documentary will have an effect on how people will now look at the topic because it depends on how the person views the topic as well as their own point of view.

            In the documentary, many different critiques could have been made to make the documentary work a little better.  Many things also did work for the documentary.  Some things that did work were things such as camera shots with the perfect zoom, visual metaphors, and footage edited just right so that enough information is used so that it portrays the message trying to be given. The introduction and conclusion had enough edge to catch the audience’s eye to get them interested in the documentary.

Some things could have also worked better in the documentary so that the effect on the audience would have been stronger.  In the introduction, even though it was quite strong, I believe there could have been some narrations leading to a certain focusing idea for the documentary.  Along with the introduction, each of the segments could have had something done to it to give a better experience to the audience.  In segment one, what global warming is, a lot of the interviews were faded out due to the over empowerment of the background music.  The music worked for the type of message they were trying to get across, but if the volume for the music was set a little lower, then the message along with the music would have been equal and would have worked perfectly. In the second segment, the causes of global warming, a lot of interviews were cut off causing me to think “was the idea of the interviewee complete?”  The editing should have been a little more precise so that the idea is complete.  In segment three, the effects of global warming, the segment focused mostly on the research learned from the experience.  Not a whole lot of footage was used from the interviews and the part with the carbon emissions was randomly put into the documentary disrupting the flow of the segment.  In segment four, the effects of global warming on our generation, the narration was a too soft letting the message not be clear and strong to the audience.  Lastly, in segment five, prevention of global warming, a little more narration could have been used providing some more inside on what can be done to help against global warming.  As for the conclusion, the final message trying to be sent to the audience took away from the empowerment of the images and clips being shown.  It had also rolled across the credits taking away from the creditability to the student makers.

From this experience a lot can be learned.  For starters, making a film is a lot of work and a lot of time needs to be put into it or it will not turn out the best it can be.  You need to be able to organize your thoughts and be focused on the film 100% to make it be its best. Even though we are just sophomores making a film, it can work only if everyone is on board with the idea.  Lots of research needs to be done so that you have a focusing thought and are very informed about everything.  Film making is a hard thing, but with a little help and a lot of effort so much could be accomplished.

As an introduction to our segment, we are using the visual metaphor.  The visual metaphor consists of a person walking across an Abercrombie and Fitch bag with muddy shoes showing how people are effecting the Earth by helping promote global warming.

 As for our conclusion, we are still working on it, cause we don’t know if it has to wrap up the documentary, the segment, or if we are concluding our segment and moving into the next segment.

The segments to our documentary our:

• What is global warming?
• What causes global warming?
• What type of effects does global warming have on our generation?
• What affects does global warming have?
• How can we prevent the effects of global warming?

As our documentary comes to an end, so much editing has been going on. We took footage from our on street interviews and our interview with Kelley Green and took it from 17 minutes to about 14 minutes. We were getting closer to were we want to be and then we remembered, we still had to add the footage from Kent’s interivew. So as we added Kent’s footage, the length then jumped from 14 minutes to 29 minutes! Yikes! So as we continued editing, we decided as a group to focus on the main points created for the documentary. So we took 5 essential questions and narrowed it down to 3. That then took our time from 17 minutes to 6 minutes! We were really excited. As we got closer we took out more awkward pauses and then narrowed it by a few seconds. For your knowledge, the segment has to be 5 minutes and at most 5 and a half minutes. We then decided one complete segment goes better with another groups segments, so we eliminated that segment as well. At last we had had enough footage with plenty of time for a introduction, narration in between segments, and conclusion to wrap up our segment.

Thesis Statement: Due to the many changes in the environment and society caused global warming as well as the characteristics leading to global warming, people should be educated on what global warming is, how it is caused, how it effects us a society on Earth, and what we can do as human beings to help us in the future if global warming continues.

I believe this is a strong thesis because it addresses the audience on the topic as well as the different segments and topics covered in the documentary. I do believe this statement can be stronger because it is very repetitive in using the same words and the segments are straight out listed causing the thesis to seem weak. This is a good start though to what may become a stronger thesis if used.

So Last Thursday, May 1st, our classs got the oppurtunity to film more footage for the documentary where we got to interview and film random people on the streets. We asked them questions pertaining to our segment and got great footage that would be useful to our documentary.

We interviewed 4 people out of dozens that afternoon. It was really getting a person that would take some time to answer a few questions. It was also a small area to share with 4 other groups so other people were also interviewed by the others.

A lot of the interviews had variety with answer, but many people also talked about how the weather was mostly affected by global warming. One person even denied that global warming was occuring because it was all due to our history of are planet and how we as people were changing the environment.

1. It would show smashing and tearing of items that represent our environment. The smashing and tearing would come from what is causing global warming.
2. It would show a butterfly flying freely representing “today’s environment” and then a slide saying “this is our due to global warming” and a slowly dying butterfly.
3. Hairspray released in the environment, smoking, car emishions for air polluction.
4. Land development, land fills, destroying natural resources and wasting land space.
5. A plastic cup representing the ozone layer and a person smahing it to represent how were affecting it.

I think #1 is the most effective because it shows how even the smallest things can cause a change in our life.

Mark Geldmeir: FOX 2 News Meteorologist

Hi. My name is Spoorthi ______ from Parkway North High School in Creve Coeur, MO wondering if you could help us with a school project in English.  For this project, we are making a documentary on global warming.

In this documentary we will be talking about what kind of effect global warming is having on the environment as well as on people.  As a meteorologist, I feel that you can be helpful with showing us how global warming is having an effect on the climate and weather change.

We will be making this document in the next few weeks and I hope you can help with it. Please reply to this email. I hope you can help.

Spoorthi _____

Parkway North High School Student

1. What are the short and long term effects of global warming? 

2. What kind of effects does global warming having on our generation?

3. How do we effect global warming?

4. How has global warming had an influence on our daily lives? Our planet?

5. How do you think global warming will affect our children and our future generations

6. How has global warming had an effect on your life?

7. How often do you think about climate change? Have you changed any of your behavior due to climate change?

1. How would you describe global warming?

2. Do you believe its occurring right now? Why or why not?

3. How has global warming had an effect on your life? If not, why do you think that?

4. Is there a way that we can slow down the effects of global warming or even prevent it all together?

5. How bad of an influence does global warming have on our daily lives? Our planet?

6. Are there any specific actions that the government should take to help the environment?

7. What dangers do you think global warming will bring us in the future if it continues?