Essay: Reasoning and plan for a documentary – ‘importance of the environment’

My intention is to create a documentary that focuses on and explores the importance of the environment. In recent times, there has been many debates over the environment, especially in relation to climate change, pollution, and even plant-based diets, and its great impacts.
The environment is in danger. Climate change could be irreversible by 2030. More than 1 million species and rising face extinction. Our oceans are dying. And people still continue to put everything over their care for the environment. Let’s face it – it isn’t a priority. These reasons are exactly why I believe more documentaries need to be made focusing on this topic, and more importantly, ones that appeal to all ages, not just adults who won’t actually be here to experience the world when it crashes.
The main purpose of my piece is to raise awareness and encourage all those from primary school to high school, to take part in the protection and conservation of the environment. Therefore, developing an understanding of their impact on the world, and what they can do as a result.I want my audience to see the final product and walk away questioning the way society treats the environment, and therefore inspire them to stand up against the inactions in conservation, and participate in activities such as clean up days, planting, protests, or simply reducing both the amount of plastic they use in their everyday lives and meat/dairy intake. As a result, instigating a change in the behaviour of society and the way they see the world, changing perceptions from that of a resource to one we should love and live with harmoniously. Not only do I want my project to have an impact on my targeted audiences, but also the wider community, including the audiences friends, families and peers. Like a majority of young people, I want to make a difference in the world – even if it is only small. I want my film to just be the beginning of my journey, engaging, inspiring others to create simple actions, which one day, lead to large, important and critical actions.
I am making this film because I want to express my frustrations with society and their lack of care for the environment. This has been especially important in recent times due to the climate protest marches all over the world. In my younger years, especially from primary school to Year 10, I had little understanding over the importance of the environment, nor the big issues that were facing it. After I was lucky enough to take Outdoor Education last year, I have learnt so much, and have changed many things in my life as a result. This has included becoming a vegetarian, decreasing my plastic use dramatically and influencing my community to also make changes in their lives. If I had not of taken Outdoor Education as a subject, I don’t know if I would’ve cared for the environment as much as I do now. As this subject is only available to a select few students over Victoria in Year 10, 11 and 12 – I think it is imperative that we begin teaching this stuff from a young age, increasing their compassion to the same extent as mine, and thus, inspire them to want to be apart of it. This topic is something that I have grown to care about so much, and that is why I intend to make a film that illustrates my feelings towards it perfectly. Everyone must unite – it can’t just take one person, but a majority of the world.
There is minimal inspiration and films that are actually directed at my specific targeted audience, and therefore, the same intention. However, I definitely have found the recent documentary netflix original series, ‘Our Planet’, narrated by David Attenborough, has expressed similiar themes and ideals that I would love to showcase in my own. ‘Our Planet’ has been called ‘a vital, living reminder of the extraordinary beauty of our world as well as a desperate call to action’. Where it differs from usual nature type shows is that it is in no longer ignoring or minimising the threats facing all the environments and animals on display. It uses beautiful shots of the natural world, whilst also telling the outright truth, leaving the audience with traumatic lessons. This 8-hour in total series is so engaging, and a great representation of the world right now. After completing it, I felt so enticed by the beauty in its cinematography, whilst also further inspired to call on for for human action against climate change.
2019-4-27-1556324187