By Victor Garcia, Salem State University

Before working on this project, I had little experience in the video-making process. I was always curious about it from a creative perspective but never actually made an effort to pursue it until I had a chance in Professor Tanya Roderigue’s class. I had the option of writing a paper, doing a video, and making a poster, and I also had the creative freedom to do whatever I wanted with the source. I took a chance when presented with the final assignment of remixing a video in the public domain to change its meaning. I leaped at the opportunity to make a video simply because I thought it would be fun.

The video I chose was Communism (1952) by Coronet Instructional Films, an anti-communist and anti-Soviet propaganda piece designed to incite fear in the American population. I was fascinated by the way that propaganda about global threats hasn’t changed over time. I sought a way to subvert the film and force the audience to think of the nature of propaganda and how we, as a population, react to it. Upon rewatching the movie, I chose to flip the script in the film, and rather than show black-and-white footage of Soviet-era Russia, I would replace as much as I could with modern American clips. I wanted to show how many of the acquisitions from the United States and its leaders to other countries can be seen as hypocritical and can easily be said for us. Once I landed on this central concept, the ideas poured in, and I invested heavily in the project.

I would rewatch the film repeatedly with a notepad and take notes on any criticisms directed towards Soviet Russia that can also be directed toward the United States. Once I had compiled a substantial list, I sought clips online that could best be used to illustrate my point effectively.

Before this project, I had little to no experience with video editing. My only prior experience was in my high school computer class, where we went over the basic functions of iMovie, but at the point of this project, that was years in the past. I had to relearn how to navigate iMovie and learn new skills to create my vision. Thanks to online resources, Professor Rodrigue’s help, and tips from my friends, I eventually felt adept enough with the program once I commenced editing. 

Due to deadlines and a busy schedule, I could only dedicate three full days of work to the project, which included finding resources online and editing the finished product to show in class. Despite this time restriction, I was able to work comfortably and deliver a finished project that I was satisfied with once I received feedback from friends and classmates.

I was surprised at the reception of everyone in class who saw my work. I was hesitant to present it at all for fear that my first attempt at editing would be seen as amateurish and embarrassing. However, I later realized I was just too critical of myself. I was happy at the good reception and felt good about the chance I took to venture into a creative field I had no experience with. It gave me more confidence to take risky chances in the future and try new things; for that, this project holds a special place in my heart.