ReAction! Movie
Introduction
How can we use our knowledge of chemical reactions to create special effects for a movie? Movies have used special effects to enhance the plot of the film and create a mystery or sense of magic among the audience. However, these reactions are not magic at all, but a chemical reaction. Our task was to direct a movie that combined our creativity and knowledge of chemical reactions to produce a blockbuster film with shocking special effects. We were responsible for all aspects of the movie making process, from writing a script, filming, editing and finally presenting to a distinguished panel of judges at a film festival.
Frank On House Arrest:
The plot of our movie is Mafia member Frank is ratted out by his nemesis Tony. As a result, Frank is placed on house arrest. Frank starts getting stir crazy as he's stuck at home, away from his mob friends. Frank vows to get his revenge on Tony, by creating a deadly poison. Unfortunately, things don't go as planed and Frank finds himself in a dire situation.
Types of Reactions
Synthesis Reactions: Two or more elements or compounds combine to form one product.
Decomposition: One compound breaks into elements or smaller compounds.
Single Replacement: Part of an ionic compound is removed and replaced by a new element.
Double Displacement: Ionic compounds dissolved in water switch partners.
Our Original Script:
This is the script that we wrote at the beginning of the project. We drafted this VERY rough version of the basic ideas we had regarding the movie. As you can see, there is no title and half of the plot is undecided. We did a a great job with collaboration (see reflection) and listening to each other's ideas regarding the plot. We tried our best to lean into the fact that we were separate and we couldn't work together when coming up with the idea. We wanted to create a plot that only required one actor who was by themselves, and the idea of Frank on House Arrest was born.
Reflection
Despite the unprecedented times we are faced with this year, we must attempt to make the best out of our unconventional Junior year. The first project we did this year (Cosmic Chemistry) was somewhat difficult to figure out how to maneuver the world of remote learning and group projects. I am happy to say that I found this project much easier to accomplish remotely. We were able to divide the work more effectively during this project. Jack was in charge of the acting portion, Ashley was in charge of editing the movie, and I was in charge of filming and researching the chemical reactions. During the presentation, we all took turns answering the judges questions and sharing our experiences.
I am very proud of how we worked as a group during this project. I am also proud of how I worked during this project. I am satisfied with my with my collaboration and communication skills during the ReAction Movie. All three of us were invested into the assignment and producing something that we are proud of. As mentioned above, our collaboration skills were best represented during the scripting and brainstorming portion of the assignment. I would consider this a "peak" of the project process because we all listened to each other and tried our best to make sure everyone's ideas were heard and incorporated into the final product. Additionally, our communication skills excelled during this project. We set up a group chat to communicate with each other and share footage progress. We made sure to ask each other or let each other know when we had an update or new idea. We were so confident in our group's abilities, that us two who didn't edit, hadn't even seen the final movie until the presentation day.
Personally, I don't think that there is much that I would have changed or improved in terms of how I was during this project. The only small improvements I would make are in the areas of critical think and conscientious learning. This one "pit" involves both of these aspects of the graduate profile. During the filming final reaction, we almost had to scrap the idea and come up with something new because we came across a bit of a hiccup. The acetone and styrofoam reaction was not working! I tried several trials with different materials and the styrofoam still wouldn't dissolve. I let Vogl know during our feedback time and she said that she would do some more research into the reaction. It turns out that our research was misleading and the acetone in nail polish remover is not concentrated enough to eat away the styrofoam. Once I acquired some pure acetone, the reaction worked and we were able to execute the movie as planned. This experience lacked critical thinking because we almost gave up instead of trying to figure how to fix the issue. I was conscientious of the issue and advocated for myself by asking for help and showed initiative by getting assistance from the teacher. Overall, I am very proud of the final result and how our group mates came together to successfully complete the ReAction Movie Project.