The Courage to be Kind

The film "The Courage to be Kind" shows how reaching out and acting with kindness towards all people can change a person's life, illustrating the idea of using compassion to help others even if you are strangers. The film consists of two interviews and abstract footage to help tell the stories of the interviews.

The film engages the issue of discrimination against those with disabilities or those who are "different". It addresses the need for upstanding in the community by helping others, even if you are strangers to each other. The film's purpose is to help people realize the importance of compassion in our world, and the need for assisting people who may struggle on their own. It helps those who rely on others by illustrating the impact that support can have on a person's life. It also offers the perspective of someone who lives with a disability and relies on the help and kindness of others, while also offering the perspective of a family member who truly cares about that person. It asks the questions: Why is our society so afraid to help strangers? Why are we so quick to look away?

After conducting both interviews, the shots were taken by deciding what would help to illustrate the stories told from the perspective of a person with a disability who struggled independently. The technology used behind the film to edit is Premier Pro. For the majority of the first interview, it is a close up shot of the interviewee because they are giving first person accounts and telling stories of what happened to them. The second interview is a shot of the interviewer and the interviewee due to the fact that the subject is both of their family members and the topic is how it has impacted the person and their family. The abstract shots that illustrate the first interview were taken to show the visuals of the stories being told. The abstract shots are meaningful to the film as they are taken in first person in order to cause the audience to feel as if they are reliving the stories that the interviewee is telling. The flow of the film, which was chosen during the editing process, was decided based on the idea that the goal was to have two stories illustrate the contrast between two different experiences that someone with epilepsy had, and then describe the impact that these had on both the person and their family.The message behind this film is simple; have the courage to act with kindness.