Doubts + First Steps

It's the second official day of the Senior Project period and it's already different from what I expected it to be like. When I initially came up with the idea for Flyover Girls, I wanted the project to take place abroad. Looking back on it, I think I was subconsciously trying to get as far away from Idaho as possible, which just seems ironic now. I won't lie though: I kind of wish I had taken the SP route of working a fun internship in Los Angeles or traveling to Europe instead of choosing to stay home and make a film by myself. I know this project will be fulfilling in the end, but right now it's less than glamorous. Filming equipment is expensive (which has also got me thinking about the class divide when it comes to equity in filmmaking...) and I'm bad at operating a camera to an almost tragic point. (Side note: thank god for Levi Woods, who is acting as my camera operator/assistant in his spare time and is saving my life by doing so). Coordinating schedules with all of the girls I'm filming is tough. Idaho weather has been bringing me down. The hardest part of it all is keeping myself on track – when you're doing your project in your hometown with no one to report to but yourself, it can be pretty easy to lose sight of the bigger picture. It's also tough to see my friends going to fun places like Paris or Dubai and to feel a sense of being stuck here. I'm faced with a strange feeling of simultaneously feeling like I'm doing too much and not enough all at once.

At the very least, I got some work done today. I met with Robin Englhardt this morning, who looked over my equipment, helped me set up my audio system, and generously lent me his tripod for my shooting period. I also filmed a sit-down interview with my first subject (this sounds so medical but I really don't know what else to call them? Participant? Filming friend?), Cailin, which went really well. Tomorrow, I'm meeting with Naia for her sit-down interview, then hoping to get some footage of her and Cailin hanging out and talking. I should probably be editing today's footage right now, but I'm aiming for getting a rare good night of sleep instead. Hopefully my Europe-envy will be gone soon!