Reaching of My American Dream

Reaching of My American Dream. The 30 minutes story of Muslim in the US for the final project of video documentary. This documentary is about the importance of education in our life. It will reveal the struggle for Muslim students to pursue their dream by studying in the U.S. Framing by the American Dream, this will conclude the thesis that, the Muslim value has strong relation with the values of American Dream.

Detail Project 
I had already thought about this topic. Initially, I thought I would made a documentary about Muslim students in US. I consulted this topic to my colleague. Then, he advised me that the topic was too shallow. I realized that I need a framing for this story. Therefore, I thought American Dream could be a nice and hittable framing. To combine American Dream by freedom of expression with the values in Islamic as religion.

Why I chose Islam?, Because right now, Islam become a religion that widely hold by a half of total population in the world. In the other side, It was labelled by stigma which sometime become a big issues especially in west culture. For example, education for women. Here, I want to describe the other fact that showed, Muslim woman can be whatever she wanted to be. Terrorism and violence also become major labelled for this religion. Shortly, this is not a publication video, this was purely documentary video for describing the fact. This documentary was not also about a person with greatest achievement, it was about thesis that proposed, a Muslim can be beneficial to everyone, same as another religion.

To make this video, I need around two month pre-production. I realized that there were need many pictures, graphic, research, interview, and footages to make a good documentary. Started it by making script. First, I thought it was annoying since I have to make something new and totally different with the video that I made. However, my colleagues really helped me that for long story, a script can help to describe the story itself. Then, I realized it really worked.

I also started to make some appointments with some sources. Here I found that we actually need back up sources because it might be possible when the main source rejected suddenly for interviewing. Making this documentary, I interviewed one Muslim female from Indonesia, as the main character, one male from Saudi Arabia and one from Afghanistan as supporting, and last from interfaith community as a supporting for outer perspective of the story.

I realized that I needed more research, therefore, I browed the source form online website about American Dream, Statistic of Immigrants, the fact that really comes from the source. I also downloaded from Youtube, some footages especially for intro scene and illustrations footages. I realized that I had taken less B-roll for this video. Thus, I emphasized it by using some pictures, infographics and footages.

For a month before production, I took the shoots of the source from different locations. Some of the scenes I took it in Washington DC, Russellville, Eureka Spring, and also some other cities. Making appointments and directing a good interview were quite challenging.
For production, the biggest challenge is how to cut and edit the content of the interview. Although, I have made some interview guidelines, but due to limitation of time, I have to select what content can tell most relevant with the storylines. Besides that, number of free clips and pictures also becomes big issues. However, a script that I had already made really helped finishing the video on Adobe Premier.

I used Adobe Premier to organize and to process the scenes. I added back sound at the intro and the closing scene. I used some footages for Youtube.com to add the drama and supporting the depth of the story. For finishing, I uploaded the video on Youtube.com and WordPress.com.

Experience in Behind the Scene
That’s is the short experience of making long documentary. I got some values here, first, making script is very important as the initial step. Second, doing a research is suggestable. It’s kind of getting the fact about the story. Third, use the footages from Youtube.com with Fair Use principles. I used a lot of footages from Youtube.com and cut and inserted to my project only few seconds only not in full lengths. I do also need to tell the copyright of the video same as with the music for the background. Fourth, long documentary need a lot of works. Therefore, planning is needed with time table. Fifth, preparing the other sources as backup if the main source suddenly incapable. Sixth, it needs a lot of time and energy, so prepare yourself. Last, use good equipment for better video and audio.

Credit title
Reaching of My American Dream
Special Thanks to:
Befrika Murdianti
Georganne Rollans
Abdullah
Zara Ism
Jeevaneswaran R
Islamic Center Russellville
Interfaith Community of Russellville
Multimedia Journalism Major
Arkansas Tech University

Footages Youtube:
Obama on the American dream
American Dream Going Down the Tubes ‘Adorably American’ Cartoon with Abraham Lincoln
A Brief History of the USA – Bowling for Columbine – Michael Moore
Video- Massive explosion as ISIS destroys Jonah’s Tomb in Mosul
Iraq War 2015 – Heavy Fighting Between Iraqi Army And IS In Baiji
_September 11, 2001_ attack – the towers fall. Twin Towers drop.
US doctors shot dead by security guard in Kabul hospital
Three Americans shot and killed in Afghan hospital
Air – People in the city
Discover Tech- Leaders
Indian Muslims falling behind in Literacy and Education
Mindrelic – Manhattan in motion
NEW YORK Metropolitan Chillout Luxury Lounge

Picture
Google.com
Icrarkansas.org
And more pictures from many the sources
Back sound
RAUL_GRILLO_-_infancia_de_lluvia
Tryad_-_this
Alexander_Franke_-_rainy_day

Story and Directed
Iksander
Video Production for New Media
Final Video Documentary/ April 28, 2015
Iksander @ Production 2015
NB. I also attached the video script
Documentary Video Script- American Dream