“Bahman’s Journey” by Olivia Samimy is licensed under CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
This is the story of my dad’s immigration to the United States and what he accomplished once he arrived here. The photos are all from my dad’s collection. I recorded the narration myself and edited the video both using iMovie. I hope you enjoy!
I wrote and recorded the narration for “When They Say Happily Ever After.” In addition to creating the narration, I shot all of the video footage myself.
Software
Audio: I used QuickTime Player to record the audio of my husband playing the part of The Lion’s Paw and of me saying my lines. I also used an AI tool called Descript to records the lines for the two additional speakers in the digital story. I edited all of my audio using Audacity.
Video: I edited my movie using iMovie. I used Canva to add text to several of my video clips.
Video Footage: I shot my video footage using my DSLR camera a Sony a6000.
Credits
Video and Image Credits:
“Opening of When They Say Happily Ever After” by Caitlin Woodington (Licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
“Child Takes The Lion’s Paw Off the Shelf” by Caitlin Woodington (Licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
“Child Looking at The Lion’s Paw” by Caitlin Woodington (Licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
“Child Reading The Lion’s Paw” by Caitlin Woodington (Licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
“Reading The Lion’s Paw Under the Covers” by Caitlin Woodington (Licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
“Hugging The Lion’s Paw” by Caitlin Woodington (Licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
“Back to the Library” by Caitlin Woodington (Licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
“The Lion’s Paw Put Back on Shelf” by Caitlin Woodington (Licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
“Passed Over” by Caitlin Woodington (Licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
“Ignored” by Caitlin Woodington (Licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
“Broken” by Caitlin Woodington (Licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
“Forgotten” by Caitlin Woodington (Licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
“Packed Away” by Caitlin Woodington (Licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
“Box Opened and Found” by Caitlin Woodington (Licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
“Packaged” by Caitlin Woodington (Licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
“Unboxing” by Caitlin Woodington (Licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
“Taping The Lion’s Paw” by Caitlin Woodington(Licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
“Wrapping up The Lion’s Paw” by Caitlin Woodington (Licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
“Another One” by Caitlin Woodington (Licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
“Is This What they Mean When They Say Happily Ever After” by Caitlin Woodington (Licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
“Passing on The Lion’s Paw” by Caitlin Woodington (Licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
Audio Credits:
“Recording of When They Say Happily Ever After” by Caitlin Woodington (Licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0)
I filmed all the videos myself on my iPhone 13. I used OpenShot as my video editor, Audacity as my audio editor, Canva for my credits and creating the social media app called “Looksmaxxing.” My audio was sourced from ccMixter and my images are from Pexels.
“The Forgotten Melody” by Jaleen Bedminster licensed under CC-NC-ND 4.0.
Synopsis: The Forgotten Melody is a story of a retired pianist, Iris, who recently lost her husband due to natural causes. Iris finds herself quietly sifting through old belongings, reflecting on love, loss, and the memories attached to music. As she rediscovers fragments of her past, the piano keys no longer carry the same sound, they seem to echo with the ghost of melodies shared with her late husband. Through a series of emotional visuals and subtle voiceovers, we see her journey of remembrance, nostalgia, and the quiet ache of moving on.
Project Edit/Software Used: I created my digital story using Canva Pro, where I put together the visual sequence, title card, and closing credits. The audio was edited and leveled in Adobe Audition, where I combined my voiceover clips into a single cohesive track. The voiceovers were recorded using my personal iPhone and brought an intimate, emotional tone to the narrative.
Citations: My images and videos in this project were sourced from Pexels, allowing me to visually tell the story with cinematic stills and subtle moment. The background music was pulled from Freesound to add more weight and ambiance to the scenes.
“This feels very familiar” by Jaleen Bedminster licensed under CC BY-NC-SA
“We used to dance to tunes just like this” By Jaleen Bedminster licensed under CC BY-NC-SA
“It feels like when we first met. It was when I was so lost in the music, the keys under my fingers like a language only we could understand” By Jaleen Bedminster licensed under CC BY-NC-SA
Giggles by Jaleen Bedminster licensed under CC BY-NC-SA
“You’re not really gone, are you? You’re in every melody and every memory, thank you” – Jaleen Bedminster licensed under CC BY-NC-SA
“The Family Choose” is created by Michelle Taylor and is licensed by CC-NC-ND 4.0.
Synopsis: “The Family We Choose” is a story about a young woman who finds herself pregnant and alone with no family to rely on. Having lost her beloved grandparents as a child and having a strained relationship with her mother, she faces the challenges of single motherhood without a support system. When she begins dating a young man, his parents step in to fill the void, becoming loving grandparents to her daughter despite not being biologically related.
Project Edits& Software Used: I created my video in iMovie using personal family photos and stock photo and video from Pexels. I used Adobe Photoshop Express to edit all of the photos from my personal colIection. I used Canva to create the title slide, and the end slide with a quote in addition to the credits slide. I narrated the audio for the video using a voice memo from my iPhone and uploaded it into iMovie. The audio music I used was from Freesound.
Citations Photos: Stock photos downloaded from Pexels and edited in Canva. Personal photos uploaded and edited in Adobe Photoshop Express. Pexels photos are licensed under Creative Commons 0. Title, quote, and credit slides were created in Canva and licensed under Canva’s free content license.
March is Women’s History Month, a time to honor the contributions of women throughout history. I chose to focus specifically on Black women because they have continuously broken barriers despite facing systemic challenges designed to suppress their greatness. From civil rights activists to scientists, artists, and athletes, Black women have shaped history and continue to inspire generations.
Why I Chose the Song “Freedom” by Beyoncé & Kendrick Lamar
I selected this powerful cover of “Freedom” by Church by the Glades because it captures the raw emotion of struggle, resilience, and victory. The song itself, originally performed by Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar, is an anthem of resistance and perseverance, making it a perfect fit for this project.
The beginning of the song features a speech by Martin Luther King Jr., immediately setting a tone of historical significance and activism. His voice reminds us of the long fight for civil rights and how Black women played an essential role in that movement.
Editing & Effects
To enhance the impact of my video, I added effects that emphasize movement and emotion. I also used strategic pacing to ensure that the images aligned with the beat and intensity of the song. This helps create a strong visual and emotional connection between the viewer and the stories of these remarkable women.
Software Used
For this project, I used Canva to design and edit my video. Canva allowed me to create a clean, visually striking presentation while maintaining a smooth flow between images and text.
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