Having Fun with the Future - Student

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Free dialogue talk discussion illustration

What You’ll Learn In this lesson, you will create a short film focused on dialogue, using all the storytelling and technical skills you’ve developed so far. Working in pairs, you will write, storyboard, and film a project centered on your life goals, with an emphasis on creating meaningful, engaging conversation.

What to Expect

  • Duration: 1 to 1.5 days
  • Activities: Reflective journaling, reviewing example videos, scriptwriting, filming, editing, and archiving

Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Start with Reflection

    • Begin by watching and providing feedback on your class’s recent color and sound emotion film projects. Write one piece of positive and one piece of constructive feedback for each project. These reflections will be saved in your journal.

  2. Watch and Learn

    • View two example videos where students film messages to their future selves.

    • Take notes on what stands out:

      • The setting and atmosphere
      • How humor or nostalgia is used
      • The types of questions and reflections
      • The way past and future moments are connected

  3. Plan Your Own Story

    • With a partner, discuss and brainstorm your short-term and long-term goals:

      • Personal and academic challenges
      • GPA goals, college plans, or career dreams
      • Personal struggles or aspirations in 9th grade

    • From these, develop a clear and honest dialogue-driven script about who you are and where you want to go.

    • Use a storyboard to organize your film’s shots and plan the visual elements.

  4. Film with Intention

    • Keep in mind:

      • The video should be sincere, honest, and conversational
      • Focus on high-quality dialogue over visuals
      • Only a small number of people will see this video until your senior year

    • Shoot your video in a quiet space with a natural setting.

  5. Edit and Archive

    • Use your preferred editing software to compile your final piece.
    • Export your finished film and upload it to your class’s digital archive.

Why This Matters By creating a personal film that will be revisited in the future, you learn the value of documenting your journey. This project challenges you to use dialogue, voice, and planning to tell your story in a way that matters both now and later.

Outcome: What You Will Create

  • A filmed dialogue with your partner about life goals and challenges
  • A well-organized script and storyboard focused on authentic conversation
  • A video that will be saved as a digital time capsule

Bonus Exploration

  • Think about how you might update or respond to this video in four years. What new questions would you ask your future self?