Visions of Home 

The Japanese people have major respect for the environment, and this caring for nature features prominently in Studio Ghibli films. I chose eight of their movies that were released between 1984 and 2011 and include a lot of anti-war and pro-nature sentiment. I find that these themes, especially the environmental focus, are highly relevant now that we have a president who is very anti-environment. The music, “One Summer’s Day” from Spirited Away, reflects the sounds of the wind, water, and forest. For the visuals, I selected scenes from the films that feature scenery similar to Earth’s because the Earth is our home, and we should treat it with love and respect.

Before working on this project, I had never used Adobe Premiere Pro or any video editing software more complex than an ancient version of iMovie. After completing my video, I now have more confidence when using the program and understand the basics of video editing. I especially had to fiddle with the transition effects, so the clips would blend smoothly without any unwanted extra scenes popping up.

Related project: The World of Studio Ghibli