Music is a crucial aspect of my life. I’m constantly listening to and making, so naturally, it is a ginormous inspiration to me. The Velvet Underground is one of my favorite groups of all time. One song called “I’ll Be Your Mirror” came to me at a time when I was working on my final project. It took grip of me and still has not let go. It is a beautiful yet haunting tune, an element that I thought fit perfectly within the confines of the topic I was documenting.

Secondly, one of my greatest interests and inspirations is the late, great writer, Truman Capote. I had recently been reading his collection of essays and anecdotes “Music For Chameleons”. It is this style of writing I find suits me best. The biggest aspect of my final project, “mother”, is the written piece that fills the second act. It was deeply personal, I had to fight back tears when presenting.

Third, the cinematic aspect of my project was inspired by Jordan Peele’s most recent, “Us”. I would say that movies are as big in my life as music. So in the back of my mind I’m always thinking cinematically. Direct inspiration from this film can be seen in the opening act. It’s long, drawn out to the extent that some may find it slow. This is intentional. When title appears as music changes or is on beat, it does something to an audience. The pullback shot of the dress in the beginning of my project would have not come about if it weren’t for “Us”. In the beginning of this film, there is a long pullback shot of bunnies in, what at the time was, an unknown and mysterious location. Truly mystifying.