Every day, I guarantee you watch at least one video. Facebook, Vine, Instagram, Twitter, you name it, has become overrun with videos. And have you ever binge-watched YouTube videos and wonder why you don't make videos yourself? Videos have become such a cultural staple this day in age that it's a wonder that more people are not creating. It has become a way of learning and educating one another. Whether it's living vicariously through a vlogger, like myself, or watching a short 30 second BuzzFeed video on how to make a diet-busting s'more cookie pie, we take away something from these quality videos. If you've ever had a passion for something, there has never been a better time for anyone to spread the message. Videos are the perfect vehicle for delivering a message to our generation.
The summer of 2016 I decided to buy my Canon G7x Mark II and document my daily life. As an artist, I wanted the creative challenge. I wanted to document worthwhile moments and preserve my high school self before I left for college because shit was about to change. Now, I am not saying go do what I did and vlog every day because it got tough and at times I could not stick with my schedule due to technical difficulties but try something similar. Sometimes I'll watch my videos back and while I cringe at my earliest vlogs because of my awkwardness and novice narrative, at least I have those moments preserved.
I'll always encourage vlogging, but you can preserve your current self through any other type of video. The beginning of this year I wrote and directed a short film. That film is now on YouTube and I can watch it and remember what I was thinking and what I believed in back then. And in contrast to now, I can definitely say that my mind is in a completely different space. Filmmaking is a way to learn about yourself. One day, I'll need to get in touch with the mindset of my seventeen-year-old self and all I'll need to do is press a play button to get back to that place.
Our generation has an average attention span of seven seconds. Admittedly, we can blame movies and technology for this so you probably think I'm crazy for preaching that we need more of it but stick with me.
Since driving our minds to such measures, it has created the perfect consumer pool for making videos. What is even better is that these videos do not take a huge amount of time commitment. If you can make a succinct and effective video, like BuzzFeed or Insider, then you're all set. People have difficulty sticking around for an eight-minute long video however, they'll gladly watch something that takes only thirty seconds of their time. If you are interested in making how-to's or hilarious viral videos, now is the time and you can do it in seven seconds! How simple is that? Of course, you'll have to make it entertaining but if you have the drive to pick up your camera, you have all that is needed to make something worth watching. You have the passion.
Today, especially after current political events and the diverse population that makes up America, there are a lot of opinions out there. Now, it is important that before you go out preaching your opinion, EDUCATE yourself on opposing opinions. Really investigate them with an open mind, not a critical one. And once you do so, then you can look back and think "Okay, here's what needs to change." That is when you should pick up your camera and try to get other people on board with your beliefs or at least educate them. Media is the #1 influencer when it comes to anything cultural or political. Even if you're trying to convince people why veganism is the best lifestyle or preach why (enter random politician's name) should never be President, pick up the camera and get talking. Throw in some rhetoric and you'll have a convincing or at least a damn good argument on your hands. You have passion so spread it. Vocalize your opinions and let them be known! Their yours, they're valid, and they deserve to be heard. I want you, I urge you to voice them because someone out there probably needs to hear it.
Film is probably the most widely understood art form and for that reason alone, is plenty a reason you should use it for your own beliefs. I dabble in most of the other arts but by far I prefer film. Value its influence. Articles can sometimes take too long to read (yes, I know, I'm aware that this is an essay) and any visual art takes a lot contemplation to fully understand it. But film is engaging. It is the only art form that utilizes and acknowledges the dynamics of the mind and how it needs to constantly be distracted. And like writing, it uses rhetoric which is crucial to delivering any type of message.
To the artists reading this, we all know that there needs to be some type of craft to our products but to the average person, don't worry about being creative. If you can make a visually appealing video with valid reasoning, you can bet that I'll be invested. Save the creativity for your fifth or sixth video. Half the time, the creativity that we put into our work is (unfortunately) overlooked. So even if you're a numbers person, filmmaking could be your thing.
I began my work because I had a message and a mission. Mine may differ from yours, but the main difference is that mine is out there for people to utilize however they wish. If you've ever been part of a classroom, you've probably been encouraged by a teacher to ask questions because as luck may have it, someone is probably wondering the same thing. Perhaps you can vocalize an idea better than someone else can. You could be the voice of a million people who don't know their identity. Someone out there yearns to find out that they aren't alone and you would be their saving grace. That's the start of a revolution. A video could be the change you want to see in the world and all you have to do is pick up a camera. Did you know that?
