The Sunday Stories
Editorial Design and Videography
The Sunday Stories is a commemorative documentary project, consisting of an editorial production and a video series. The project was originally aimed to compile valuable advice and insight that I—and other people in my position—could use as I approached my final semester at Boston University. The fully-realized project serves to commemorate the advice-giving elders in my life, and those in each of our lives.
We all have one or more figures in our lives to which we look for advice. For me, it's my grandfather. From job searching to girl troubles and anything in between, my grandfather had a piece of wisdom to offer. Through my four years of undergrad, I always saved Sunday afternoons for a call with my grandfather. Over these calls, he always shared a new piece of wisdom, or a story I hadn't heard before. He even continues to share his wisdom with me to this day.
I cherished our weekly conversations, our Sunday stories, and the lessons that came with each one. I wanted to record all the notable lessons he had shared with me through my life, and so I created a booklet, titled The Sunday Stories, to catalogue my grandfather's quips.
But I didn't stop there. I started to consider what advice other people may have received from their respective source of wisdom in their life. I began interviewing fellow students from my graduating class, to better suit my catalogue of guidance. What unfolded, however, became more than a mere archive; the project bloomed into a collaborative effort to commemorate the figures in our lives that have passed their knowledge onto us over time. The final project celebrates the relationship between the advice-giver (the elder) and the advice-seeker (the youth). The editorial includes the original entries from the booklet prototype, and entries from interviews conducted with four fellow students from BU's class of 2019.
But I didn't stop there. What about the elders to which I had no relation to? What advice could a stranger offer? What stories would they have to share? I trekked through the Boston Commons (on Sundays, of course), seeking answers. I interviewed many strangers, and those that consented, were recorded and shared to YouTube. They offered an insight to their lives, and advice that they had gained over their respective lifetimes. Below are two of such recorded video interviews.
I am extremely grateful to the BU students, and strangers I met in the Boston Commons, for opening up, sharing their stories and memories, and just having a conversation. The Sunday Stories remains the most impactful and meaningful projects I've done. This project proved to be a beautiful experience, and I hope to return to this project soon.