“Dad’s Day Fishing” is a short, documentary‑style piece that follows a simple but meaningful moment: a quiet fishing trip. The project focuses on capturing the atmosphere, rhythm, and small details of the experience using a variety of focal lengths and angles. The goal was to create a visually driven story that highlights the calm, reflective nature of the day while meeting the technical requirements of the Free Form assignment.
I handled all aspects of production, including planning the concept, shooting every clip, and editing the final piece. I used the VJ kit and kept the camera steady on a tripod for all shots, adjusting white balance, exposure, and focus throughout the shoot. In editing, I selected the strongest visuals, kept static shots under 5 seconds and action shots under 7 seconds, added clean sans‑serif titles, and incorporated audio elements to support the mood of the piece.
This project taught me how important it is to think visually when telling a simple story. Because the subject matter was calm and slow‑paced, I had to rely on composition, shot variety, and pacing to keep the piece engaging. One challenge was making sure the shots didn’t feel repetitive, which pushed me to experiment with angles and tighter focal lengths.
The strongest part of this project is the atmosphere. The combination of close‑ups, wide shots, and steady tripod framing captures the peaceful feeling of a day spent fishing. The visuals feel intentional and work together to create a calm, reflective tone.
If I could revise it, I would capture even more B‑roll — especially environmental details like water movement, hands working with the fishing line, or gear setup — to give myself more editing options. I’d also experiment with layering more natural sound to deepen the sense of place.
Norm Breakers Hub 