Jordan Heath Capstone

I decided to write, direct, and act in a short film for my senior capstone. In the film, titled Lost, I talk about my journey of attending Science Leadership Academy at Beeber for the first and last time, as it was my senior year. I felt overwhelmed by the new schoolwork, the unfamiliar environment, my job outside of school, and the pressure of preparing for life after high school. As I discovered a new passion for film through the friends I made, I felt this project wouldn’t only give me experience but also allow me to express my feelings of frustration and anxiety this year. It was quite the experience. Being a leader taught me how to bring together people who share the same passion, how quickly things can go wrong without proper preparation, and how important self-belief and confidence are. I had to start filming over three times due to unexpected challenges: actors being unavailable, not having the script on hand, or having to improvise. I relied on the help of many people from my new community at Beeber, people like Taylor, Mr. Joseph, Principal Johnson, Savannah, Tsega, Mariama, Vernon, and Rasheed. Although the final product didn’t turn out exactly as I imagined, I’m proud of what I created. It was a valuable learning experience that showed me what I’ll face in the film industry, what I’m getting myself into, and what I still need to learn to become the film director I want to be.