Documentary: It’s My Process

As I sat in class, during the second week of January, I heard the words, “16 weeks from now, you will have created your own 3–5 minute long documentary.” I thought, what have I gotten myself into? In the early stages, we were challenged to think about the subjects of our documentaries. We were told to choose something we were passionate about, something we felt deserved recognition. My choice: Marquise Lane.

Marquise and I met over two years ago. I saw that he had a physical disability, so I offered to help him with anything he needed. It wasn’t long before we were hanging out, going to the barbershop, and grocery shopping together. I was helping Marquise with physical tasks, but Marquise was helping me see the world with new eyes. Marquise has shown me just how beautiful life is. He has taught me persistence, faith, and friendship.

Not long after selecting Marquise as my documentary subject, I realized I was doing this documentary not for me, not for a grade, but for him. I wanted this documentary to make him proud; I wanted to show him just how big of a deal graduating from UGA is. Most importantly, I wanted to provide him with a platform to speak to other people battling fears, struggles, doubts, or limitations.

This documentary is meant to inspire everyone. Marquise’s words are powerfully heartfelt. Allow his words to motivate you.

Now as the semester is drawing to a close, I’ve learned more in this one-hour course, than I have in most all of my other classes combined. I learned the art of storytelling, an art crucial to the field of marketing (my undergraduate major).

I also learned that a documentary to be proud of takes countless hours, so I am thankful that this one has come to a close.