jokepoindexter-blog

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https://www.geckoandfly.com/14374/25-inspirational-quotes-bruce-lees-martial-arts-movie/

Many times we set goals, attain it and still want more. It’s simply a guide to the future.

My childhood dream was to work in television where I would have access to all the cartoons and movies that ever existed. As a kid, I would ask my dad again and again how people who work in television make their money since we watch television for free then, and he would tell me it was through advertisement. At least I know people work and get paid and I wanted to make sure I was going to earn a living doing what I love. This dream shaped my goals and guided me to this wonderful journey in filmmaking/Television.

After working for 15 years in the Nigerian entertainment industry, I wanted to be part of a bigger story. I wanted to work in the biggest entertainment industry in the world so I decided to earn my MFA in Film Production. For twelve months, Full Sail has prepared me for the real world industry. Each month was a refreshment of something I knew and learning place for new knowledge.

Through the course Mastery, I learned how to be a professional in my career, stay motivated and strategize progress to personal fulfillment. After the class Filmmaking concepts and practices, I understood film aesthetics better and took part in a group assignment that improved my ability to understand and work with people. I now know more about roles and expectation in film production. Script production and analysis shaped me into a better storyteller. I have more confidence in my scriptwriting techniques and the narrative structures in filmmaking. Directing Talent class put me in the shoes of actors. I explored collaborating successfully with actors.

In other classes, I learned how to tell a story visually without the use of dialogue or text but by using visuals and sound to evoke emotions in an audience. I can now collaborate with a production team knowing what steps to take in discussion and signing agreements after exploring the entertainment and communication course. Film production thesis I, II, III, IV, all prepared me for the process of filmmaking from scribbling an idea to making it a reality through the process pre-production, production, and post-production.

In my final class, the business of film, I learned how to source and prepare the necessary tools needed to market a film and market myself professionally. In these past weeks, I have explored more film festivals that I usually would. I have created a better resume and portfolio preparing me for great job opportunities. Full Sail University has prepared me for the future and I look forward to it.

I am glad that this is not the end of my journey but just the beginning.

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Film Production thesis IV Mastery Assignment

My name is Joke Poindexter. I am a film production MFA student at Full Sail University. I will be sharing my reflective experience of my current class, Film Production thesis IV. I will discuss how this course met my original objective, what I learned from the course content, what I need to work on, and finally how I will apply it personally and professionally in my career.  

My objectives for this class were to explore the appropriate tools and technology available for sound-design in post-production. I planned to review my film thesis project with my team, in order to create and make an adjustment in the sound design. I also planned to explore online tutorials and explore the Avid pro tools software for the use of my thesis project.

The course met my objective as I expected. We focused on audio in post-production. We examined sound design, sound editing strategies integrating various audio post-production elements using Avid pro-tools sound editing software to create a final mixed soundtrack. This is a process I hope to use going forward in my career path.

After we concluded the picture lock from my last class Film Production Thesis III, we moved on to the sound design of the film going through professional industry steps. With my team, we were able to examine the short film, reviewing the sound effects, dialogue, music and create or replace missing sound elements like the ADR, Diegetic and non-diegetic sounds effects, Foley and finally the music score.

What I learned and will use personally and professionally in my career.

-      I learned more about the 2way, mono and stereo sound method of recording sound, and the 5 in 1 surround method and 7 in 1 surround method. This exposed me to different ways of distributing sound evenly to direct audience attention and evoke their emotions in a film

-      I learned how to communicate a sound post-production vision to my team

-      I learned the different aspects of sound design, what is needed for a scene and when it is needed and how to enhance these sounds to achieve the desired effect.

-      I also learned how to maneuver through Avid pro-tools sound software.

-      Creating Foley was exciting, and I learned that you have to be experimental in order to get the best foley sounds.

-      I also enjoyed the process of recording Automated Dialogue Replacement which I think is a kind of a voice over.

-      I experimented with sound vision presentation using a clip in 3 different scenarios and this made me see how films can be influenced with sound to create several meanings to a film.

In conclusion, I shared my reflective experience in the class, Film Production thesis IV. I discussed how this course met my original objective, I discussed what I learned from the course content, and finally how I will apply it personally and professionally in my career.  

As the end of degree draws near, I am excited about what I have learned or experimented with so far and I cannot wait to use this knowledge I gained personally and professional n my career.

Thank you.

[jokepoindexter-blog]

In this paper, I will discuss my reflection on the class Film Production Thesis III: Pre-production. I will discuss how this course met my objective, what I learned from the course content, and how I will apply it personally and professionally in my career.  

My objectives for this class were to explore the appropriate tools and technology available in post-production. I also planned to explore effective editing strategies and narrow down choices that will help to develop my thesis film project.

The course met my objective as I expected. I learned to use new editing software. I explored, and now understand the process of film assembly. I worked on my time management in editing, by putting together a commercial with simple instructions. Film production thesis III courses help me see the postproduction process of a film from the assembly through to picture lock of a film. This is a process I will apply in my future film projects.

I discovered more industry software’s available for editing and enhancing one’s production and how to use them for a project. I did learn the importance of proper planning for a film project from start to finish knowing the technicalities involved and needed for each project we work on. Knowing aspect ratio, format, and other technicalities is especially useful for indie filmmakers or content producers who look forward to working with companies like Netflix, Hulu and other content buyers in the industry. I am looking forward to putting together a personal editing suit that will help me get better at editing. I will like to explore film assembly further in order to utilize it in my career path.

In conclusion, I discussed my reflection on the class Film Production Thesis III: Pre-production. I discussed how the course met my objective, what I learned from the course content, and how I will apply it personally and professionally in my career.

[jokepoindexter-blog]

My Reflection of Film Production Thesis II: Production

          In this paper, I will be discussing my reflection on the class, and course, Film Production Thesis II: Production. I will discuss how this course met my original objective, what I learned from the course content, and how I will apply it personally and professionally in my career.  

My objectives for this class were to develop film project, review and work with my cohort to finalize all our pre-production plans, observe and adhere to set production rules and finally follow the production process to make a good thesis project.

I did carry out all my objectives and it was an exciting experience as I worked with my cohort on our thesis project. I did try out a new position, which I found very interesting.

-      I worked as the art director on the thesis project. This was a key position on the project so I learned how to manage my team to make sure we deliver the best effort to our project.

-      I learned how to manage my time better, and be on time to prepare for the production.

-      I also learned to think fast and make quick decisions on amendments made by the director and DP.

-      I observe the crew carry out their duties and learned how they tackle problems that came up during production.

- I learned to do a budget using the movie magic budgeting. I also defended the budget with the producer and managed what was finally approved for the project.

Production thesis II was the process of putting everything I had prepared during pre-production into practice and I am greatly looking forward to working on more projects in my remaining time in school and other professional projects. The discussions in class were insightful and I was able to learn something new about working on a film with little or no budget.

In conclusion, I discussed my reflection on the class, and course, Film Production Thesis II: Production. I also discussed how the course met my original objective, what I learned from the course content, and how I will apply it personally and professionally in my career.  

Thank you.

[jokepoindexter-blog]

https://youtu.be/Z4qc34kYHdM The Gunfighter - Directed by Eric Kissack, 2014.

In this post, I will be analyzing a short film, The Gunfighter (2014) directed by Eric Kissack.  I will address how the film utilizes cinematic elements to support its premise. I will discuss the premise of the film, basic dramatic structure, and production design. I will also explore the production style, which includes the cinematography, sound, and editing. Finally, I will discuss the production elements I will employ in my short film Inshallah, and it’s dramatic purpose.

After infidelity secrets of a small town were revealed by an unseen voice, a bloody gunfight ensued between a group of saloon goers and a strange gunfighter.

The basic dramatic structure though not unique, the director incorporated a voice with a decisive language mixing suspense and thriller with comedy. The setup - The Gunfighter (Kissack, 2014) is a narrative comedy western short about a gunfighter who enters a saloon to have a drink, and his actions are narrated by a voice. The unseen voice knows what all the characters are thinking, and begins to reveal their secrets. A gunfight eventually ensues as they all realized they have wronged each other and kill each other except one named Sally. The voice finally revealed that a rabid wolf would maul her the next day.

   Production design in Gunfighter (2014) is a creative period western, set in a saloon as commonly used in westerns. The production utilized efficient camera composition and movements and sound to direct viewer attention, set decoration, wardrobe and props were used to enhance the plot of the film. The salon set features brown painted walls, bar set up with unlabeled and faded labeled bottles of alcohol, stairs that lead up to rented rooms, windows, batwing door, tables, and chairs. Complimentary set dressings like curtains, posters, pictures, whiskey bottles, old dirty lamps, towels, and napkins accessorized the set.

The casts were clad in a period western wardrobe that includes spurs cowboy boots, gun belt with holster, jacket, buckle-belt, scarves and cowboy hats. Props used were playing cards, shots of whiskey, handguns, and shotguns, napkins while the makeup made use of beauty makeup for the characters, the actors were made to look sweaty, dirty and greasy haired. Fake blood was also used.

   The director utilized artificial lighting to direct viewers to the protagonist by setting a spotlight above him, other lights used were represented with daylight as the sole source of light because the film was set at a time that there was no electricity. Camera movements and compositions included dolly tracks, pans and tilts on sticks, slow zoom and rack focus, wide shots and long shots, over the shoulder shots, medium, close and extreme close-ups were all used to initiate viewer attention to details.

Diegetic and non-diegetic sounds were used. Background sounds, footsteps, dialogues, and inaudible conversations in, and outside the set is used to complement the things the audience cannot see from their point of view. This includes the use of Foley sounds to represent footsteps, bar conversation noise. A narrative voice that breaks the fourth wall, talking to the characters and viewers of the film. The use of ominous sound shows that things are about to turn ugly in the film. The sound effect was minimal and it was used to complement a fast pan movement from one character to the other. The Editing is creative and simple. Focusing on cutting back and forth between characters and complimenting the shots so as not to distract the audience.

   The film is dialogue and narrative based. and the story is more visualized. In editing, the first scene was introduced with a fade in, and jump cuts were used in the rest of the movie to show the progression, and pace of the relationship between the two characters in a montage of events.

   I will be working on a short titled Inshallah, written by Elijah Edmunds. The film is about a young Muslim American who is absorbed into a group home after losing his parents to a road accident. The future is bleak for Syed as he faces discrimination He is bullied by roommates and was rescued by a housemate who had been through what he is going through. Learning from the cinematic storytelling of the Gunfighter (Kissack, 2014) with a $25000 budget, and comparing the production elements to that of my zero-low resource film requirement, I will utilize the use of a group-home location with all the set requirements in place. I do not have enough funds to build a spacious bedroom, mess hall set, as required for fluid cinematographic movements in my film.

   Cinematography style will consist of static slow zoom to emphasize the dialogue of some of the characters. Shaky hand-held camera close-ups will compliment the fight that took place in one of the bedrooms. I will use extreme close-ups to emphasize the unspoken emotions of the protagonist and also to highlight the physical appearance of his pain in the film. The tone of the film will be saturated and later warm, to show the growth of the protagonist towards the end because of its drama theme. It is a dialogue-based film, but music and sound effects will be used to complement the plot of the story.

   The are several props needed for this film which includes Syed’s Quran, prayer beads, praying mat, case files, pork chops, cups, and plates, but the most important prop needed is the praying mat and Quran as this helps portray Syed’s religion and he observes Salat in his dorm room. The challenges I face in working on this movie is how to choreograph the fight scene between the characters. With zero to low budget, it is hard to high a choreographer so I hope to have the cast rehearse this scene many times before the shoot. I will shoot a well-rehearsed fight scene with the use of sound effects to compliment it.

   Pre-Production has improved my knowledge a great deal about film production. And the preparation required towards it. Getting familiar with the scripts and working on a script breakdown exposes all hidden components of the film.

   In conclusion, I analyzed a short film, The Gunfighter (2014) directed by Eric Kissack.  I address the film cinematic elements and production style. I also discussed the production elements I will employ for the short Inshallah, which I will be working on next month, and it’s dramatic purpose. Finally, I had a self-reflection of the past month and my growth process in this class.

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My Reflective experience of Entertainment and Communication Law

          My name is Joke Poindexter. I am a film production MFA student at Full Sail University. I will be sharing my reflective experience of my current class, entertainment, and communication law. I will discuss how this course met my original objective, what I learned from the course content, what I need to work on, and finally how I will apply it personally and professionally in my career.  

My objectives for this class were to learn legal issues involved in film production, and distribution. To explore the different types entertainment industry unions, business models, and production services contracts currently used in the entertainment industry and tailor my career path accordingly.

In the past, I have tried working with people as partners running a production company, many times I have been burned and cheated out of my ideas and effort simply because I was clueless about the legal aspect of the business. Eventually, I gave up doing business partnerships with people. In this class, I have been educated about the necessary things needed to equip myself for another business adventure that I am ready to give it a go again. In this class, I have learned the importance of attorneys, and accountants in a business. I can now identify the different types of Intellectual property, and how to follow the law requirements and protect my art.

I took part in a mock appeal in class, and this was interesting. We were able to research, present, and defend our client as in a real world. My team and I won the case, so it was double fun as we realized how each of our suggestions came to play an important part in the case. We analyzed the different copyright infringement defenses, and I realized that each case is unique to its own. What may work for a plaintiff or a defendant in a case may work against another in a different case and time. I worked on a Thesis project where I assumed the position of a pretend producer and identified the different Intellectual property concerns on the project and worked on how to avoid the issues and still achieve a great project.

I have noticed my weak points and I intend to work on them. I am still confused by the dates and duration attached to licensing and renewal of copyrights. I hope to read more textbooks, research more I.P cases and familiarize myself with the details necessary for my growth in my career path. I have begun to explore more public domain contents available in my country, and I can’t wait to recreate great stories that my grandad used to share with me and my siblings growing up into great scrips for films. I will explore the different unions available out there in order to prepare me for my career path in the entertainment industry. I will also research further into business entities and the pros and cons so that I can apply that to my business set up.

In conclusion, I discussed my reflective experience of my current class, entertainment, and communication law. I discussed how the course met my original objectives, what I learned from the course content, what I need to work on, and how I will apply it personally, and professionally in my career.  Finally, I continue to learn how to work with my cohorts as this will prepare me for the media industry where we all may not get along but have to set aside our personal differences for the benefit of the ongoing and future projects.

Thank you.

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My Reflection of Visual Storytelling Techniques and Technology

           In this paper, I will be discussing my reflection of the class, and course, Visual Storytelling Techniques, and Technology. I will discuss how this course met my original objective, what I learned from the course content, and how I will apply it personally and professionally in my career.  

My objectives for this class were to learn to use storytelling techniques to evoke an emotional response in an audience, understand lighting techniques, and understand visual composition.

Every class I have taken so far has been unique in its own way, I walk away at the end of each course knowing and appreciating the career choice I have made. I enjoyed this class especially because I achieved all my objectives for the class and I have more confidence in experimenting more in the future.

I was able to create an emotional video using storytelling techniques to evoke an emotional response in an audience. With the parameters we were given on the assignment, I was happy to take on the challenge of a 60-90 minutes video with no dialogue, no graphics or text. After this assignment, I have decided to take on more, to explore more emotions and create concepts of 60 minutes videos of each one of them.

I will also explore more concepts in photo recreation simply because the exercise looks pretty easy until one start and experience the process of creating something identical to a choice project. I did improve my lighting skills because I had to come up with lighting plots for most of the assignments we had this month. I have noticed my weak points and I need to attend lighting labs in order to improve. I also hope to read more books, watch more tutorials and practice more in order to get better with lighting techniques. I want to be able to see a picture and be able to set up the lighting techniques in my head right away. This will help me personally and professionally. Other things I learned in this class is how to continuously work with my cohorts. Everything does not go smoothly at all times but this prepares me for the media industry where you may work with people with different backgrounds. You all do not have to get along but you have to set aside your differences for the benefit of your current work or project.

I worked on a Thesis project, and I learned a lot from the set experience. I was able to see working with people and planning. I noticed their problems and noticed that to get the best out of any production, the team has to plan, prepare and plan again until they get it right. You all have to respect each other, and everyone has to concentrate and contribute with their skills in order to get to one goal.

In conclusion, I discussed my reflection on the class and course Visual Storytelling Techniques and Technology. I discussed how this course met my original objective, what I learned from the course content, and how I will apply it personally and professionally.  

Thank you.

[jokepoindexter-blog]

I did achieve this goal and more

This is my reflection of the course Experimental Filmmaking.

A few months ago, my idea of experimental filmmaking was working with mobile phones and other simple and cheap cameras to experiment with filmmaking. My expectations were to use my mobile phone, and still camera to practice experimental methods of filmmaking. I was prepared to explore emerging technology available for experimental storytelling. After the first day of class, my expectations changed. The instructor explained the concept of experimental filmmaking further and encouraged us to work on any individual projects we want to work on. I was still hesitant until he said we could work on any project we want. I played with the idea of working on a music video and voiced my thoughts. I got a green light.

A few weeks later, I experimented with a mobile phone and go pro camera to shoot a project with my cohorts, I enjoyed the process of working with these tools and the results were encouraging. I learned more about executing a project from start to finish. I put to practice directing an actor in manner, language, signs and so on. I experienced working with a production crew and how to manage them. I learned how to direct a music video from creating a concept, analyzing and making adjustments to concepts as circumstances dictated and also executed art direction for the project. I also learned a few other things in this class that will help me personally and professionally.

I have picked up a few tips here and there from the instructor and classmates. I will continue to work on my ideas so I can put in for competitions and film festivals. I have learned to trust my instincts in projects more and more. Working on thesis pitch for this month, have helped in overcoming my nervousness towards project presentation and this will surely help with future presentations of projects & Ideas.

I have enjoyed myself in this class and really looking forward to the next class. I really cannot wait to use my knowledge gained here personally, and professionally. Thank you, JP. I really do appreciate your effort with us.

Thank you.

[jokepoindexter-blog]

This is my reflection of the class Directing Talent.

Going back to my listed objectives in my Mastery PDL timeline goal, I am happy that I did carry out all my objectives and more. Directing Talent did help in achieving my goal for the month, and I here to share a few things that I learned with you.

-      I learned how casting is organized, and the requirements needed physically and mentally for the process.

-      I experienced directing an actor in manner, language, signs and so on.

-      I also learned how actors feel in front of the camera when casting or playing a role by doing this myself.

-      I learned how to direct a story with all the necessary requirements like the story arc, the goals, inciting incident, characters, protagonist, and antagonists, and communicating my vision to the actors.

-      I unconsciously pay attention to films and try to break down a scene or two. I create as if scenarios or other methods of direction that I could use if I was the director of the film.

-      I have learned to figure out a conversation between two actors by just listening to their dialogue and try to predict the conclusion of the dialogue.

All these I have learned and more. I hope to use what I have learned in my career path as I have picked up a few tips here, and there from my Directing Talent Instructor, Allen Gorney, and my classmates that will help me professionally.

With the weekly assignments in Directing a scene, I have been able to resurrect my editing skills, and with more practice, I will improve and be more creative.

I have enjoyed myself in this class and really looking forward to the next class. I really cannot wait to use my knowledge gained here personally, and professionally.

Thank you.

[jokepoindexter-blog]

Here is the Youtube link to the video for my Reflection assignment.

https://youtu.be/BUDmxxpH6QA

[jokepoindexter-blog]

      In this post, I will be analyzing a short film, Me & You (2015) directed by Jack Tew.  I will address how the film utilizes cinematic elements to support its premise. I will discuss the premise of the film, basic dramatic structure, and production design. I will also explore the production style, which includes the cinematography, sound, and editing. Finally, I will discuss the production elements I will employ in my short film Bad Dream, and it’s dramatic purpose.

        The shorts, Me & You (Tew, 2015) is about a young couple, who just started a love relationship, and the audience is presented with the bittersweet journey of the couple’s relationship from an overhead view of the guy's bedroom. The genre is a romantic drama, the tone of the film is warm as we watch the couple awkwardly get together, and get comfortable with each other. They grow fond of each other and become inseparable, and finally, it fizzles out, and all comes to an end. The logline would be - A couple falls in love, and it was the most beautiful feeling until things start to go wrong.

     The basic dramatic structure is not unique, but the director was able to tell a very interesting story with the plot. The Setup – The protagonist gets into a new love relationship, it all starts in his bedroom. He falls in love with the girl, and they become fond of each other. Confrontation –The antagonist force in this film is the protagonist’s inner conflict with the relationship. Crisis and falling action - They break up, and she moves out. He misses her and keeps thinking about her. Resolution - He decides to move on with his life. He cleans up his room, which shows he’s trying to put his life back in order, at the end, we see the protagonist try contemplating what to do.

    Production design in Me & You (2015) is creative. In order to have a controlled production, the production designer creates a set in a studio, instead of using a regular bedroom in a home. The set features white painted walls, two windows, and a door. The decision for this is to have the freedom to shoot and light the set from a single vantage point, which is overhead. The set dressing consists of basic student essentials like the bed, duvet, reading desk, table lamp, bookcase with books, laundry basket, bedside table with lamps, posters, curtains, and so on. Props used in this movie are a computer, throw pillows, magazines, handset, hair drier, stuffed toy, camera, and backpacks.

    The director utilized the use of costumes to narrate the growth in the relationship of the characters, for example, the female character wore her boyfriend’s shirt, while they play a game, and they both wore Super Mario costumes for Halloween. The cinematography style in this short is static throughout the seven-minute runtime with no camera movement. The cinematographer made use of a high-angle shot with a wide-angle lens to capture all within the set. The lighting is set overhead, and outside the door and windows to control the mood, and create expressions in the progression of the film.

    A Oner is used at the beginning to introduce the main character to the audience, the camera position is overhead, giving the audience a point of view of the whole set. The director made use of diegetic and non-diegetic sounds in this film, throughout the movie. Background sounds, traffic sounds, footsteps, game sound, news dialogue, stuffed toy, and inaudible conversations in, and outside the set is used to complement the things the audience cannot see from their point of view as the days go by.

    The dialogue is minimal, and the story is more visualized. In editing, the first scene was introduced with a fade in, and jump cuts were used in the rest of the movie to show the progression, and pace of the relationship between the two characters in a montage of events.

    I will be working on a short titled Bad Dream, written by Jason Durham. The film is about a young man, Deandre, who wakes up from a nightmare to conquer his fears with a comical outcome. Learning from the cinematic storytelling of Me & You (2015), and comparing the production elements to that of my zero-low resource film requirement, I will utilize the use of a home location bedroom instead of a set. I do not have enough time or budget to build a spacious bedroom set, as required for fluid cinematographic movements in my film.

    Cinematography style will consist of static, fluid and shaky close-ups, and extreme close-ups to emphasize the emotions of the character in the film, the tone of the film will be dark, because of its nightmare theme. The dialogue will be minimal, and music and sound effects will be used to complement the plot of the story. Minimal lighting will be focused partly on the character to illuminate a part of the character’s face. Transitions and jump cuts will be used in editing to show the action sequence in the dream.

    The most important prop needed for this film is the weapon that will be used by the character at the end of the movie. The challenges I face in working on this movie is how to achieve a tense moment in a scene, working with minimal makeup or props where the monster tears up the character. I hope to achieve this scene with the use of shadow hand figures, sound and lighting. The other challenge in this short is how to manipulate the use of a weapon. I hope to make use of a prop gun and plan to get all licenses approved on time for the production of the film.

    Filmmaking concepts and practices have improved my knowledge a great deal about film production. I have a different perception of what I do not, and do see, and hear in films, I find myself formulating a screenplay in my head when I watch a film, I look out for the production style, and other elements and try to decode what each means to the characters or the story. As I look forward to working on a short film, I cannot wait to implement what I have learned so far into this idea and create a work of art.

    In conclusion, I analyzed a short film, Me & You (2015) directed by Jack Tew.  I address the film cinematic elements and production style. I also discussed the production elements I will employ for the short film Bad Dream, that I will be directing this month, and it’s dramatic purpose. Finally, I had a self-reflection of the past few weeks of my growth process, and development in this class.

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Tew, J. (Director). (2015). Short love story Me & You [Online video]. Retrieved from https://youtu.be/aN1R6fvTEJo

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My mastery journal timeline.

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My mastery journey timeline cont...

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My mastery journey timeline

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Mastery Journey Timeline

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Quotes from Walt Disney Wallpaper (2017). In Fandom. Retrieved November 19, 2017, from http://austinally.wikia.com/wiki/File:Quotes-From-Walt-Disney-Wallpaper.jpg

Words of wisdom from a Man who failed many times, but never stopped trying. I am inspired by these words because it’s not just about dreaming, but how determined we are, to make the dream come true.