As a first-time broadcast technology II student, we are required to make a PSA for our show. When I heard the news, I was ecstatic. I love testing my creativity and pushing my limits when it comes to commercials, short films, etc. And because cancer was one of the choices for the PSA, it was my immediate first choice. Because of people I knew who had cancer, like fellow students, family, and randoms in the community, I knew I wanted something powerful. I discussed ideas with my partner, Lilly, and we worked well together on the project. All together, it took two days of filming - no longer than three or so hours total. Editing it was easy, too, all because I was gracious enough to have a compatible partner.
Our idea was a girl who had cancer and was having flashbacks about her cancerous days. We first wanted it to be quick flashes, no longer than a second or two, so we had dismissed the idea of sequences. Looking at the final outcome, the recollections were drastically longer than we expected, but it still had a powerful effect. Continuing with the powerful effect, we desaturated the video, making it black and white. One thing I wish is that the video was more contrasted - I feel like instead of being distinct shades of contrasting colors, they were grays that were reasonably close to each other on the black and white spectrum.
Also, we lacked to put what the video was and made for - I suspected people understood that a girl tying a wrap around her head and walking into a cancer center was explanatory, but at the end, we didn’t say what we were advertising. We put “lls.org” and a “donate today,” but nothing about cancer. It was a mistake that even I pointed out when finding mistakes. Some of the shots were also very jumpy, like one in the very beginning - the cancer center shot, establishing a location. It needed to be in there somewhere, and it fit to the music, so we kept it, despite looking jumpy.
Overall, I was pleased with the final outcome. It’s motivating, powerful, and touching. Well, to me it is. Anything with cancer has the ability to bring tears to my eyes.
Watch here: Leukemia and Lymphoma PSA
Our idea was a girl who had cancer and was having flashbacks about her cancerous days. We first wanted it to be quick flashes, no longer than a second or two, so we had dismissed the idea of sequences. Looking at the final outcome, the recollections were drastically longer than we expected, but it still had a powerful effect. Continuing with the powerful effect, we desaturated the video, making it black and white. One thing I wish is that the video was more contrasted - I feel like instead of being distinct shades of contrasting colors, they were grays that were reasonably close to each other on the black and white spectrum.
Also, we lacked to put what the video was and made for - I suspected people understood that a girl tying a wrap around her head and walking into a cancer center was explanatory, but at the end, we didn’t say what we were advertising. We put “lls.org” and a “donate today,” but nothing about cancer. It was a mistake that even I pointed out when finding mistakes. Some of the shots were also very jumpy, like one in the very beginning - the cancer center shot, establishing a location. It needed to be in there somewhere, and it fit to the music, so we kept it, despite looking jumpy.
Overall, I was pleased with the final outcome. It’s motivating, powerful, and touching. Well, to me it is. Anything with cancer has the ability to bring tears to my eyes.
Watch here: Leukemia and Lymphoma PSA