As a break from more academic-based classes, the Amador Valley Video Production class tries to give engaging projects that push students to create different types of media. Their latest assignment is creating action films from scratch.
“We’re supposed to make a 7-12 minute action film. So, we kind of decided to go with a Jumanji style action adventure where four friends are sucked into a video game and they have to find their way out,” said Jason Grell (‘25).
Developing video editing skills
Students had to make the most of their resources to try to create the best possible product. From experimenting with diverse settings and backgrounds on campus to practicing video editing at home, students learned a variety of useful, technical skills.
“We’ve filmed a lot of our scenes here at Amador. We just find new footage to use and green screens to use to find ways to make our footage stand out and show strong video production skills,” said Ashwin Vijayvikram (‘25).
Simple tutorials on Youtube answered many editing and filming related questions that students shared.
“With this project, it was pretty ambitious with some of the scenes that we wanted to film. However, the more I got into it, the more I was able to understand how easy it actually was and reach out for help,” said Vijayvikram.
The life of a director
They also got a glimpse of the roles and responsibilities of a movie director and camera person. Some tasks included planning the shots, filming the scenes, and staging.
“I’ve for sure gained a deeper understanding of the directorial perspective, because I kind of took a more hands-on approach to filming and directing,” said Grell.
This project, for many students, was also a breath of creativity and excitement as they filmed and edited with their friends
“It’s fun to work with your teammates, especially your friends, to make a funny movie and just enjoy and laugh about. It’s something that’s not too stressful, something that will take you away from your work,” said Vijayvikram.
