It's hard to believe, because 2021 is coming closer to an end. We are getting closer to 2022 and that means we can look back at this year. My 2021 was more challenging and I've learnt multiple lessons. I stepped out of my comfort zone and took new opportunities. I may have set the bar too high in certain situations, but I can learn a lot from that too. I've made a lot of short documentaries this year. It ranged from a story about a new photographer to a short video about a Bollywood dance school. I have heard many stories and that makes me feel good about 2021.
In this short video I put together several shots. My SD card is full of shots and some of them are bloopers. I've picked out some of my favourites and here I've put them together in this video.
At the beginning of this year I started filming other people's passions. I've heard stories from several people who had a story to tell. For my internship in March 2021, I've made a series with videos where refugees are telling their stories. For example, I've heard how they came to the Netherlands from Iran and Afghanistan and how their lives changed when they went to school here.
In June 2021 I started my own project: Business Is The New Future. The spotlight is on those who own a small business. Why did they set up a small business and how do they want to market their product? I got to know a DJ, a student who makes candles and many others who do this.
In August 2021 I started to focus more on my roots. I attended to the protest for Afghanistan on Dam Square in Amsterdam. Then I interviewed veteran Niels Roelen about his time in Uruzgan. In September I was allowed to film the handover of the petition. This petition was to declare Afghanistan unsafe, because in 2015 Afghanistan was declared safe. As a result, many asylum seekers had to return to Afghanistan, but it was not completely safe there.
In October 2021, I thought about bringing diversity into my work. I stopped focusing on specific themes and started filming everything. My motto is: I believe that everything and everyone has a story that can be told. I will come up with projects, but not every time. My goal is to collect the perspectives and stories of everyone and everything.
For example, I created a birthday video for my nine-year-old sister. Following that, I taped a lesson at a Bollywood Dance School in Rijswijk. I've made the video for Diwali.
For me, 2021 was a year of increased challenge. I've accomplished things I never thought possible. I've met new people and broadened my social circle. I have more experience in the field of audiovisual design, I have connections here and there, and I know a lot of stories. All because of my courage. I can't wait until 2022 because better things are on the way.
