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1). What inspired you to turn your collection of poems into a video? Why did you choose this particular medium?
My creative background is in filmmaking, so naturally, I felt that visual poetry was the best medium to express my art through. It wasn’t until I came across this platform, I wanted to distribute the poetry print version of this piece. I felt that I really wanted to make the best out of this, it’s deeply personal (I’m sure for the contributors as well) and I’m very thankful for that.
2). What was the symbolism behind the use of glitter and the sheer red scarf in the video?
They were mainly for aesthetic purposes, however, over time I’m starting to see the symbolic representation with the visual choices made. The glitter now represents the state of euphoria you feel when you think of home and when you are placed somewhere familiar. It’s often an exhilarating feeling to feel a sense of belonging when you go back to a place that you call home. I also wanted to depict that feeling next to a body of water, which symbolizes the vastness of home and how you often find yourself across oceans. The sheer red fabric represents the ongoing internal conflict and how it can be a wedge between communities. Although tragic, we’ve found ways to bond - and in that there’s a sense of hope and understanding for our community.
3). What do you hope to achieve with this video? What message do you want people to take away after viewing it?
With this video, I simply hope it resonates with people on any level. I hope that people feel heard and understood in the way I did. I hope this can bring out a sense of belonging to anyone watching. For me, it’s helped me gain a broader perspective on what home can represent. It has helped me become more transparent, and let my guard down. I hope people can explore the different ways of defining their home; be more reflective of their current state. I hope it reflects on how time is fleeting, and in that cherishable and vulnerable moment, we can ground ourselves.
Blane’s inspiration: Beginning in a time of innocence and slowly morphing to more of a disorienting nature, I’ve reflected within myself and how I’ve led life as an adult and put that into the heart of my poem. My poem explores the small joys of ignorance, what we choose to see as children, what we choose to focus on before our adult sirens begin to blare, and the abrupt transition into adulthood where the loss of spontaneity and thrill takes harbor.
Rosina’s inspiration: To me, the meaning of home is something I always think about. The opportunity to express it in a poem and this short film makes my heart so happy. I've never put my jumbled thoughts together in a cohesive form until this. But, I’m glad it will exist in time for me and others to come back to because it’s really the way I feel.
