In the fall semester of 2024, I was enrolled in Multimedia Storytelling with Mark Taylor at the University of San Francisco. The original version of this short documentary began as an opinion piece submitted for our first assignment. This project was fueled by my deep interest in religion and how it has impacted me throughout my life, from a young age into young adulthood.

The piece explores my ongoing struggle with religion. It dives into my fears of being judged or misaligned in my beliefs, and how some of the negative experiences I had growing up led me to continue seeking what God meant to me. That search eventually led me to Jesuit Catholicism, a setting where, for the first time, I felt not just accepted, but loved by God. It gave me a whole new view of who God is and how he plays an active role in my life. I also found a community that didn’t pressure me to conform or believe something outside of my current understanding. Instead, they allowed me to question and explore my faith without being seen as someone who lacked it.

I started this project with a grand idea and a lot of passion but quickly learned how to shape my story and narrow my scope, thanks to the guidance and support of my professor. Interestingly, I conducted two self-interviews before ultimately working with a classmate to develop a script and take a new approach to the piece. Both my peers and professor noted how drastically different the final version was from the draft I initially submitted.

This was my first short documentary, and it took months to fully develop. I created it using Adobe Premiere Pro, and it required a lot of dedication, cutting, editing, and finding music that felt emotionally aligned with the piece. I also included personal audio recordings, which made the story feel even more authentic and vulnerable.

Through this process, I learned how important each part of production is, outlining, scripting, preparing a solid set of interview questions and focusing on information that is essential to the story rather than trying to include everything. Most importantly, I learned to pursue the work that matters most to me, even if it’s more personal, emotional, or different from what my peers are doing. In the end, that vulnerability is often what makes the story worth telling.