research

 December 8, 2025

Researchhhhh! 

Hey guys, in class we watched a few documentaries and talked about how they were filmed and edited. We watched Abstract: The Art of Design and American Promise, which were very different from each other. We also watched one at home and analyzed it. It was interesting to see how documentaries can tell stories in different ways.

ABSTRACTTTT

the art of design

In class, we watched a few different documentaries, such as American Promise and Abstract: The Art of Design, both of which were completely different types of documentaries. I really liked it because of how creative and visually interesting it was, showing the design process behind things we see every day. We watched one episode in class and one of our choice at home. Abstract felt more artistic and creative than American Promise, which was more story-driven and emotional. That shows how the documentaries are made in very different ways (in a good way, of course).

AMERICAN PROMISE

American Promise is a documentary that follows two Black boys, Idris and Seun, as they grow up attending a mostly white, elite private school in New York City. The documentary follows them and their families over several years and shows how they deal with challenges with race, school pressure, and much more. 

These two documentaries helped us prepare for filming our own documentary. Since they had very different styles, they gave us ideas for how to position the camera, film interviews, and capture moments in a more raw and real way. Watching both showed us that there is no single right style and that documentaries can look different while still feeling meaningful and authentic.