My Project  

For my big project for my multimedia practicum class, I plan on making a short 5 minute documentary about a local shelter called Justin Barlette Animal Rescue. The documentary will discuss how this specific shelter is different from others in the state, as well as its effects on the local south Florida community. We will be interviewing the shelter owner Peter, as well as a few volunteers that help within the shelter. B-roll of animals as well as the shelter's main color scheme will be included in the graphics of the video, including lower third names etc. My main goal with this documentary is to have it posted on their youtube channel as well as social media and their website for south florida locals to be informed about ethical adoption and potentially donating to the shelter!

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To begin, this shelter is one my family and I have supported for many years as my sister and I had spent a lot of time volunteering for them. This included tasks such as caring for animals, fostering them, and attending adoption events. This cause is so important to me because it taught me the importance of volunteering for non profit organizations that don't receive any government funding. Another reason why I support this shelter and want to shed a spotlight on them is the fact that they are a no kill shelter, which means that if they exceed the capacity of animals in a location they don't resort to euthanization to make more space for other animals. Many popular shelters in my area unfortunately resort to euthanization of older animals or those who have overstayed their welcome. It's very sad. Another reason why this shelter is my main choice is that they preach the phrase “adopt don't shop” which encourages those looking to adopt to go to a shelter and rescue a dog or cat instead of “buying” a donut for a hundred if not thousands of dollars from a breeder. These breeders can sometimes resort to inhumane treatment of the animals in order to profit. Also the idea that there are thousands of animals in shelters that are looking for a home and proceeding to ignore them just to purchase a pure bred dog is ridiculous to me.

Secondly, the formatting of the documentary will consist of a balance between broll, staff interviews and possibly some voiceover or images placed as needed. To keep my audience engaged I aim to make the documentary somewhat quickly paced, as well as using aesthetic graphics that match the shelter's color scheme, which are green white and black. Graphics include names, professions, and titles, as well as possible questions that we ask the staff.

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Lastly, my goal with this documentary is to spread awareness of the shelter and the importance of volunteering for non profit organizations. This as well as possibly receiving donations to the shelter would be amazing. Ill make sure to include in the interview questions from their perspective that go over these key takeaways, and hopefully viewers can find a way to help!

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In conclusion, my documentary (pending title) will spotlight a local south florida pet shelter “Justin Barlette Animal Rescue”. The CEO and volunteer team will be interviewed and asked questions that go over the importance of volunteering, their favorite animals at the shelter, why they enjoy what they do, and why it's important to support and donate! With engaging and aesthetic visuals I plan to keep the local south florida audience engaged in this 5 minute documentary. My goal is to spread awareness about supporting non profit organizations with a good cause, and hopefully the shelter can receive some outreach and donations from my video!