Blog 10

Our film explores identity and belief because while our subject was deaf, we did not just focus on her and that aspect of her life. We strove to figure out who she really was, what she aspires to be and how her beliefs influence that. Her beliefs are closely tied with the church and so we asked her questions about how her mission helped change the way she thinks. We actually organized the clips and stories she talked about into a chiasmus. The topics are as follows: Freedom she gets from rock climbing, why she decided to go on her mission, her beliefs on Christ, what she wants to do with her life now and how the freedom she feels from rock climbing is the like the feeling she gets at the temple. First the two were separate, the rock climbing and the beliefs, and then she tells us how they are related in the end.

One of the huge strengths of the film is the subject matter. Shantel was a very inspiring person. She’s accomplished so much in her life already and works really hard at becoming the best person she can be. Everything she does in her life is to help her achieve and accomplish. We just had a lot of great stuff to work with. What an interesting and unique experience!

The main thing I learned about identity and belief was how much her beliefs were infused into everything she did in her life. You can’t do something without believing in it. Everything you do is inspired by what you believe! Shantel rock climbing was an extension of the values that she held close to her heart. Her ideas about happiness and how she wants everyone to be able to have that are evident as she plays with her little sister, experiencing the true happiness that only the gospel can bring. We are what we believe.

I didn’t maybe so much learn this, as I did wonder. I wondered how my beliefs influenced my actions. How was I outwardly showing what I believed, and what did the things I do influence the way I act? I think I just made the goal to really figure out what a documentary on me would have looked like.