CCR Critical Reflection

The documentary "A Sigma's Slang", developed by Alec Labossiere and Romina Olvera, is a documentary that explores the connection people can make through the shared use and understanding of slang, specifically from Gen Z. The documentary informs and portrays the many uses of Gen Z slang in a school setting while also showing how it impacts the people in it including students and teachers.

The documentary effectively engages its audience by exploring a relatable and accessible topic for high school students: the slang commonly used in their daily lives. It highlights how this shared language fosters connections among students and reflects the unique dynamics of their social circles and environments. Universally popular words create a sense of unity within the school, bridging different grades and groups, while other slang terms remain more niche, emerging from specific friend groups, hobbies, or cultural influences. This distinction became clear during interviews, as younger students demonstrated greater fluency with trendy, rapidly evolving slang, while older students continued to use it but gravitated toward more familiar or established terms. This shift not only demonstrates how language evolves within the school community but also emphasizes how different age groups engage with slang in ways that reflect their experiences, maturity, and connection to broader cultural trends.

The project’s estimated audience age ranged from 13-21, as it was specifically designed to engage high school students or those who had recently experienced high school life. It did not target a specific gender but instead focused on individuals living in suburban areas. This choice was intentional, as it mirrors the environment of the school, making the content more relatable and appealing to those from similar backgrounds. To strengthen this connection, the project incorporated elements that would resonate with the audience, such as carefully selected music and visuals aligned with the tastes and experiences of teenagers today.

The B-roll footage played a crucial role in engaging the audience by capturing key aspects of high school life that many students encounter daily. It showcased moments such as walking through hallways, casual conversations among friends, waiting for class to begin, and leaving school while discussing plans for the evening or weekend. These small yet meaningful interactions highlight the social bonds that define the high school experience, making the project feel authentic and grounded.

The documentary also aimed to capture the language and slang commonly used by high school students, adding an extra layer of relatability. By featuring familiar phrases and expressions, it created a sense of belonging for viewers, enabling them to see their own lives reflected in the project. The visuals, combined with a soundtrack aligned with current music trends, further reinforced this connection by evoking the emotions and energy of teenage life. These elements collectively worked to engage the audience, not only through relatable content but also by offering a nostalgic and authentic portrayal of the high school experience.

Research that went into the documentary as well was conducted by the several documentaries that were previously seen as well the infortmation and many discussions over the internet about our evolving slang and the many new terms that get brought up every so often. A huge factor when researching was talking amongst the students of their opinions. Because it was a very open topic, the opinions that we got were quite varied and the groups and types of language each person used was as well. An example of this was through the interviews. Most people had a general similarity in phrases that they knew off the top of their head but when talking with friends, there were always different answers, some people even trying not to speak in the slang. There was also the many filmaking skills that had been demonstrated through viewing the documentaries such as where a person's face should be in the thirds as well as blocking out background noise in the editing. However, since the documentary went for of an amateurish approach, the background volume played to it's benefit.

Research for the documentary drew inspiration from previously viewed documentaries, online discussions and student input regarding the evolution of slang. Online conversations highlighted how slang rapidly changes with new terms emerging constantly. A major part of the research process involved talking directly to students to gather their perspectives on the topic. Given the open ended nature of slang, the responses varied significantly within the school. For example, during interviews many students shared commonly known phrases while others provided more niche terms influenced by their specific friend groups or social environments. A few students intentionally avoided using slang which demonstrated the different levels of comfort and preference for using this type of language.

The documentary used filmmaking techniques learned through viewing the previous documentaries such as framing subjects in the rule of thirds and minimizing background noise during editing. However, since the project embraced a more amateurish approach, the inclusion of natural ambient sounds worked to its benefit, enhancing the documentary’s relatability.

Ultimately, the documentary was a culmination of all the research and planning that both Romina and my efforts in portraying the impact of Gen Z slang. While not all parts of it were purposely executed, it was a a big way to learn about documentary's themselves and how much effort goes into making them. This experience makes me determined for the next big project and more to come.

Day 4: ✨Editing✨

The most challenging part of the project was the editing—this is where everything seemed to go wrong.

To start, the software I typically use for editing, Adobe Premiere, had an expired subscription, and I couldn’t renew it at the time. This immediately set me back, especially with the time constraints we were under. Although I knew the editing wouldn’t be as polished as it could be, we still had to get it done and submitted. I decided to use CapCut instead, as it’s a solid substitute for Premiere. To efficiently bring both of our visions to life, Romina and I worked over a call to finish the project. While I compiled everything, Romina gave suggestions and provided additional music and videos to enhance the project.

Adjusting to CapCut was tricky at first since I had to rediscover all the small details of the software, but I adapted quickly. However, an unexpected issue arose—files kept getting deleted randomly, making it much harder to finish the edit. After a long night, we finally completed the project and were both really happy with the result.

Unfortunately, a submission problem surfaced. Each of us assumed the other had submitted the project, but neither of us had. When we returned from the break, Mrs. Stoklosa informed us about the issue, so I quickly sent it. However, my computer acted up, and the file didn’t send correctly, forcing me to resend it. The whole process was incredibly stressful, but eventually, we managed to submit the project properly.

Despite the challenges, the project was really fun, though the time constraints added a lot of pressure. Thinking ahead, I’d love to create another documentary for my final project. I’ll start brainstorming ideas in the background until further notice!

Day 3: Capturing the Footage

We started filming on a day when Mrs. Stoklosa wasn’t in class, which was honestly a bit of a setback. I had a list of questions for her that could’ve really helped guide our process, and it was frustrating knowing those questions would remain unanswered. But the clock was ticking, and we didn’t have the luxury of waiting around. The deadline was looming, so we had no choice but to move forward.

On our filming agenda were three major tasks:

The student interviews

The teacher interviews

The B-roll

These three elements were the backbone of our documentary, and we needed all of them to create something cohesive and compelling. For the interviews, I decided to head to one of my favorite classrooms: Mr. Erdmen’s. He’s one of those teachers who’s super laid back and gets along well with students. Plus, he’s pretty familiar with the slang kids use these days, so I figured he’d be a great candidate for both the teacher interview and helping us coordinate student interviews.

When we arrived at his classroom, we quickly realized it wasn’t the ideal time. The students were in the middle of taking a test, so filming wasn’t an option. At first, this felt like yet another setback, but instead of wasting time, we decided to pivot and work on filming some B-roll footage. We started right there in the 900s building, capturing shots of its architecture and surroundings. We tried to make the shots as dynamic as possible, experimenting with different angles and movements.

For our establishing shots of the school, we needed to film outside. Luckily, the security guards were super kind and allowed us to leave the building for a bit to get the footage we needed. That turned out to be a huge win because we captured some really crisp, atmospheric shots that helped set the scene for our documentary. The natural light outside also gave the footage a clean and polished look, something we didn’t expect but were thrilled about.

Once the test was over, we returned to Mr. Erdmen’s classroom. I asked him if he’d be open to being interviewed, but he politely declined. He crossed his arms in an “X” and explained that he wasn’t comfortable being on camera. I totally understood—being filmed isn’t for everyone, and I appreciated that he was upfront about it. The silver lining was that he still allowed us to interview his students, which was a relief.

We made the most of the opportunity, setting up our shots with care. While we were aiming for a slightly amateurish vibe to keep things lighthearted, we also wanted the footage to look intentional. We used techniques like the rule of thirds to frame the students and kept the classroom background visible to give the shots an authentic, everyday feel. The students’ responses were fun and full of personality, which added a lot of energy to the project. Just as we wrapped up, the bell rang, signaling the end of the period.

Before heading to our next location, we took the chance to grab some more B-roll. We filmed ourselves walking through the hallways, capturing the buzz of students transitioning between classes. The footage felt spontaneous and natural, which fit perfectly with the tone we were going for.

By the end of the day, though, it was clear we still had more work to do. We were short on interviews and still needed additional B-roll to tie everything together. Romina took on the task of filming some extra footage on her own and interviewed one of our mutual friends, Thomas, who was happy to participate. Meanwhile, I decided to track down another teacher who might be willing to help.

I chose my language arts teacher, Mr. Calderon. He was an ideal pick for a few reasons. First, his expertise in language and how it evolves made him uniquely qualified to give thoughtful and insightful answers about the topic. Second, he’s one of those teachers who loves incorporating trendy phrases into his lessons, which made him not only relatable but also genuinely funny. His playful attempts at using Gen Z slang added a lot of charm to his interview, and his answers gave our documentary a layer of depth we hadn’t anticipated.

With all our footage finally gathered, we entered the final and arguably most exciting stage of the project: editing. This was when everything started to come together, and we could finally see our vision taking shape. Each shot, each interview, and each piece of B-roll felt like a puzzle piece falling into place. It was satisfying to watch the narrative we’d worked so hard to craft come alive on screen, and we couldn’t wait to share the finished product.

Day 2 : Planning the docuementary

After watching all the blogs and op docs on our own time it was finally time to start our own documentary. Romina (my partner for this project) and I were given a paper that helped organize our thoughts on exactly what we wanted to do.  At first, we wanted to have a documentary about the Broward Sheriffs Office and how the students who attended them felt about it and their future. Then one of our classmates, Nathaniel, brought a funny idea to us. What if we did an documentary about brainrot, otherwise known as Gen Z slang. I thought it'd be a funny idea, especially because how trendy and how relevant it was to common conversation at out school. It was a great idea and we put it on as a side thing for us to maybe do.

We accidentally confused Mrs.Stoklosa on what exactly our main plan for this project was so we had to redo the sheet twice. Once was because of our ideas being jumbled up and the other time because our lack of definitive shots. You could say we were off to a pleasant start. After realizing that the project was due the week after this one, I started to panic a little but our plan was quite solid. We took inspiration from the "American Promise" documentary we saw as it had a lot of just open speaking and decided to make the documentary in a more amateurish style. Something akin to a school newspaper while still having some explanation on topics. Romina and I began to plan what necessary components we needed for the project. What we came down to was three things:

The B roll
People to interview
And interview questions.

These three factors would be the biggest problems to get over. Romina and I would spend the first night of the project discussing online and searching on things to ask about and also to narrow down what exactly about Gen Z slang we wanted to ask about. We eventually came to the conclusion that it would be relating to how Gen Z slang impacts the conversations we have with our peers. This seemed vague enough to get a lot of good answers but also closed enough where we could elicit specific answers for our topic. The questions we came up were different. Romina took more of a general questions while I choose more focused questions. The questions are as follows:

Romina's Questions
How do you feel towards gen z slang?
How would you define gen z slang?
What are some of your favorite slang words to use and why?
How often do you use them and in what context?
How does gen z slang allow for you to bond with others?

Mine
How has communication been easier or harder because of the slang?
Do you use these words over social media, and if so how?
Do you feel that gen z slang has become over saturated within school?
How does gen z slang allow for you to bond with your friends and classmates at school?
How often do you use them at school compared to out of school use?

This Gave us a good range of answers we could elicit from the interviewees. We understood that it was important to pick people that would make for good responses when being interviewed so we picked a bunch of students and a teacher. I had a few teachers I could ask but nothing really came to me at the moment so I would decide later. We would then start to film.

Day 1: Introduction to documentaries

Documentaries was the main focus of this new quarter of our class. We were first introduced to the concept of them as Mrs.Stoklosa talked about them. Previously, I had never really paid attention to documentaries much. I may have had a faint memory of watching an animal one but I couldn't remember much of it. She went over about all the different types of genres within documentaries like mockumentaries and historical documentaries. Things like whether they were participation or observational were also included. The point of documentaries are films that capture the realities of things and display them with a certain intent. Historical documentaries are made in order to give summaries and retellings of past events in order to be digestible for audiences while things like mockumentaries will depict fictional events, but presented as a documentary. These nuances make it so every documentary is special in their own way. 

As a way of introducing us to them we were first made to watch a documentary called "American Promise" that was the story of two boys who grew up attending Dalton High School in new york. We get to see their struggles, their everyday activities and get to really know these people by the end of it. The story was extremely captivating as I found it very relatable to myself and to the family around me. My cousin attended a school much like Dalton. Seeing my cousin in the boys I was really able to take in everything and sympathize heavily. It was by far one of the best introductions to a documentary I could have asked for. When Mrs. Stoklosa asked us whether the next year should watch it because it seemed largely outdated, I was happy when the class roared for her to have them watch it. Especially the discussion afterword's on whether we really got to see their real face through the documentary. It helped me understand the idea of documentaries much better.  

Next we watched a film called "Exit Through The Gift Shop". This film I liked significantly less not only because it wasn't my style but I didn't particularly like the "main character of it. However, the technical aspects of the documentary were extremely well done, especially the editing. I found it extremely interesting how the person who was telling the story, Banksy, a well known street artist is the one who tells the story. It portrays Thierry in a very negative light which would be odd for someone who is supposed to be the main focus. It was like he didn't like how Thierry claimed his fame so he portrayed how he thought he should be viewed. Like he was telling the audience "this guy isn't as cool as he is cracked up to be". This helped me understand that every person has a specific intent with what they want to portray in their documentary and it is up to the viewers to interpret it their own way. 

We watched a few more op documentaries that were cute and like one about a farm where people helped disabled animals called "Pickles" or a lawyer speaking up about war crimes in "The Case Against Torture". With that, our time of learning had been up and it was basically time to start our very own documentary project. I was certainly looking forward to it!

The Great Transition

It seemed like yesterday I was working with my partner in  order to get the film to be finished and nice looking. After a whole year of working on different works such as finishing up my previous projects of a presentation on self and the media and a documentary, I feel like it's about time I came back stronger for A level in order to be the best I can be. However, I know it's not going to be easy. If it was, it wouldn't help any of us and we would be stuck perpetually. Instead, we are constantly growing in our abilities to articulate and convey our experiences through this very blog. I look forward to the trials and tribulations that come from the blog and strive to do better than even last year (With it's not so enjoyable end)

Film Opening

 This is the official film opening! It's finally done after all that work! Hope you like it!

Monarch Film