What was the inspiration behind your project?

Growing up, I used to turn the sound off when watching popular movies and create my own scores for them. I enjoyed doing it and I knew it was something I’d want to really try one day. I was also very inspired musically by John Carpenter and Tangerine Dream, the latter of which was an instrumental band in the 1970s. I learned very young that music drives the emotions and characteristics of a film, so it is very important and has to be very intentional. I wanted to create the same feeling in my own film, and see how music can drive the creation of the story. 

Could you tell me more about the process of creating your project? How did you bring your idea to life?

My project started with music. I started writing songs before I filmed anything. I’m primarily a pianist, but for my score, I used a keyboard, drums and bass guitar–all synthesized through an electric keyboard. When I started shooting, I decided to film everything on my iPhone 10. A lot of my shots were of NYC’s landscape—the buildings, the water, the ambiance. I filmed content to match the mood and cadence of my songs, and edited my clips together so they matched the tempo and switching of songs. At the end, I had Broken Lines, Lost Memories in front of me. 

What did you learn from Junior Workshop? What was valuable about the experience?

I felt creating my own film was a great experience for me to have. I think it’s great that Calhoun lets us embark on our own project, because it allows us to explore our passions while teaching us invaluable skills like researching and time management. It was difficult for me at first to conceptualize my ideas and thoughts, but in doing so, I learned valuable organizational skills, and how to tackle a big task in small steps. 

I learned a lot about myself as an artist as well. I became very familiar with my creative process, and found the way I enjoy making music the most. Truthfully, I had never sat down at a piano and tried to write a song from scratch before; this project awarded me that opportunity. Recording every instrument taught me patience and gave me a deeper respect for artistry but also for music itself. I also learned how to use new applications during this project, such as GarageBand, Keynote and iMovie for writing and recording music and editing my film. 

What's next? Do you plan on continuing to pursue this idea/interest further?

I plan to attend a liberal arts college, where I can pursue music as an academic interest. I want to continue to write, but also to keep playing as well. I’ve also started to write my own album; I’m working on theme, style, message and format currently. I am also deciding whether there will be lyrics or if it will be just instrumental. I know I want music to be in my future, no matter what.