Film Festival

During the Film Festival at our school I learned a lot about how to help the environment, and what the companies do to get you to buy. Not only did I learn all that, but I also learned some very shocking facts.

The first film in the Film Festival was called “The Story of Stuff”. This video spoke a lot about how we take too many of our natural resources and use. I learned that some of the real costs involved with the distributions of products, it that the companies are constantly creating new products for people to buy. Then they over advertise it, and the people who maybe just bought a computer last year, want a newer, better one.

The second film my class and I saw was called “Consuming Kids/The Commercialization of Childhood”. This film taught me about product placement. Product placement to when companies influence people to buy their products by putting them in movies, or television shows. Kids want to buy the product because they see their favorite stars or role models using it, and automatically think its cool. Companies also use the method of symbolic advertising. This is when the product is not advertised in the commercial, but other things to make it look cooler and more fun are show. Then, at the end of the commercial, they show the logo of the product they were supposed to be advertising. The main focus of most companies, is the “tween” generation. Tween is simply a meaning for the time when you are no longer a child, but not yet a teenager. Over the years, tweens have went from about 10 to 12, to 6 to 12, to where we are now; from 4 to 12 years old. Some people would like to say that companies have increased this change by releasing adult or teenager dolls, making the kids want to grow up even faster. Markets also tend to use gender stereo types often. Like they use pretty and fashionable girls so that you will envy that girl, and think if you use that product that yo u will be more like her. Then for boys they use strong, tough, and violent boys to let them think if they use that product they will be strong and cool. Companies have even started to target babies, and their mothers. These products are rarely tested for educational purposes, and only teach new babies two things; how to sit in front of a screen and play video games. Some people will complain that food companies have increased the levels of obesity in America by advertising excessive junk food, while they are already slumped down on the couch watching television.

In the thirds film that we watched was called “Trashed – this is the story of garbage...American Style” We learned a lot about how much trash Americans throw our everyday, and how much waste we produce. I was surprised when I learned that New Yorkers throw out about 50,000 tons of trash every day. There are people called freegans. They don't believe in their fellow New Yorkers wasteful ways. Every night, instead of making dinner bough from the store, they go out on the streets of New York and eat from the trash bags. I was surprised by how much healthy, and fresh foods were thrown out by restaurants, grocery stores, and just regular people. I also was realized that while I was watching the video, that we consider throwing stuff away a luxury. Its a major benefit in our culture, but is it slowly becoming a problem? I think that companies are most aware of the trash problem because it will effect their businesses if people are unhappy with their attempt to help the environment. Another major trash problem here in America, is the North Pacific Gyre. This Gyre has 6 times more trash than wild life living in it. It is known as the “plastic plague”.

“Laws change, Men die, The land remains” - Abraham Lincoln. I think what Lincoln was trying to say, is that our laws will change in the future, and people will die someday, but the land will always be here, so we have to take care of it now. I really took in a lot from this festival of films, and I hope to help the earth in this life time.