Course Reflection: Storytelling at the Edge of Technology – A Filmmaker’s Perspective.
As a filmmaker and storyteller, this course has been a compelling intersection between my creative journey and the ethical, cultural, and technological frameworks shaping today’s digital landscape. It expanded my narrative vocabulary and sharpened my understanding of how digital tools and environments not only support but also challenge the act of storytelling itself.
The exploration of technobiophilia sparked deep reflection on how nature-inspired digital aesthetics can evoke a sense of grounding in an increasingly virtual world. As someone who crafts stories with emotional and visual intention, I began to consider how digital environments that simulate organic forms and rhythms could impact mood, pacing, and viewer immersion in film. This module affirmed the importance of designing spaces both physical and virtual that connect the human psyche to nature, even in speculative or futuristic narratives.
In the misinformation and disinformation module, I was confronted with the darker side of media. As a filmmaker passionate about truth-telling, especially in dramatized forms rooted in social commentary, this module reinforced my responsibility to interrogate bias, sources, and narrative framing. In a time when audiences are increasingly skeptical or misled, my role as a creator demands clarity, accountability, and a refusal to sensationalize trauma for entertainment. These insights will remain central as I move forward with my personal projects like 9mm of Privilege, which explores themes of media manipulation and moral ambiguity.
The AI and VR module opened my mind to the ways immersive technology is transforming not just how stories are told, but how they’re experienced. The potential for empathy-building through VR, or for accelerating post-production processes with AI, is undeniable. But as I engage with these tools, I do so with awareness of their ethical implications. This course challenged me to view AI not just as a shortcut, but as a creative partner, one whose power must be wielded thoughtfully and with cultural sensitivity.
The module on Indigenous digital storytelling was especially grounding for me as a diasporic filmmaker navigating identity, migration, and memory. Learning how Indigenous communities preserve stories digitally while honoring oral traditions challenged my Western-influenced sense of narrative structure. It reminded me that digital tools can be used to decolonize storytelling, offering space for non-linear time, collective voice, and restorative justice. This has inspired me to approach my future projects with more humility, cultural awareness, and openness to alternative narrative structures.
Lastly, my personal growth in AI usage has been one of the most tangible takeaways. Initially, I approached AI with hesitation, uncertain of its role in a creative field so rooted in emotion, nuance, and human intuition. Before this class, I felt like exploring AI was exposing my thoughts and vulnerability as a creative. I was made to understand that AI improves only on the information it is fed. So, I was very vague in my usage and would rather not engage with it, for the most part. I worried that it will pick my brain and then replace me in the real world. Over the course, I’ve learned to integrate AI into my writing, ideation, and research processes. Not to replace my voice, but to refine and support it. From script analysis to pre-visualization, AI is becoming an extension of my creative toolkit. Thank you, Jessica!
In sum, this course has been a pivotal moment in my evolution as a filmmaker and researcher. It has reinforced that digital literacy today isn’t just about technical proficiency, it’s about cultural, ethical, and emotional intelligence. As I move forward in both my MFA and PhD aspirations, I do so with a richer understanding of what it means to tell stories in, about, and with technology.
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