Community Conservation
Saving the Wild
I Created a Marketing Video for the Houston Zoo
Hello! My name is Olivia Grace Barnes and for a month I explored how to help improve the marketing of the Houston Zoo.
I have been a fan of the Houston Zoo since I was a child.
But even still, it was almost by accident that one day I learned that the zoo was not just a place to watch animals from around the world but also a hub for environmental conservation.
I have finally begun to realize just how much of a positive impact the zoo has on the preservation and restoration of the wild.
And it was from this realization that my project was born.
Through my project, I aim to enhance the marketing of the Houston Zoo's impact and mission through an engaging and informative video.
Follow my progress from start to finish
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What I have learned
Check out these blog posts and Loom videos to see what I was able to learn from this project!!
Blogs
Ready, Aim, Fire: The Necessity of a Plan — This blog explores the importance of the planning part of project journeys. (Part 1 of the 5 Parts to Success Series)
How Miro is Helping Me Organize My Project — Miro is an excellent project management system. Here is where I explain why.
What the Wild Can Teach Us About Change — While my project kept the same direction throughout the whole month, specific actions that I took to get me to the end result often strayed from my original plan throughout the process. I had to learn how to adapt. (Part 2 of the 5 Parts to Success Series)
Because They Know More: Why You Should Talk To Experts — One of the most important things I have learned from this project is the importance of getting feedback, wisdom, and input from experts in fields related to my project topic. (Part 3 of the 5 Parts to Success Series)
7,000 Hours of Discomfort — If you don’t step outside of your comfort zone, you will never grow. And if you never grow, success in any area of your life is unattainable. (Part 4 of the 5 Parts to Success Series)
Why I Believe in the Houston Zoo — Want to know why I chose to do my project on the Houston Zoo? This post has the answers.
The Power of Visual Storytelling — Storytelling is usually seen as a written process. But visual storytelling can sometimes be even more powerful than words. Because, remember, a picture is worth a thousand words.
Learning By Doing - Learning in a classroom is not the only way to learn or even the best way. Check out
this blog to see why learning by doing has changed my life for the best.
(Part 5 of the 5 Parts to Success Series)
Videos
How Miro is Helping Me Organize My Project
How You Can Use Canva for Video Editing
Using iMovie Video Cuts to Create Seemless Videos
How I Used Photoshop to Create My Video Thumbnail
Hard Skills Gained
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Copywriting
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Video editing
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Adobe
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Canva Pro
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iMovie
Soft Skills Gained
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Storytelling
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Communication
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Design
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Hard-working
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Self-directed
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Project management
What i would have done differently
If I could do this month over, I would start the planning phase of this project much earlier.
One mistake that I made on the project was assuming I would have more than enough time in 30 days to complete my project. And unfortunately, even though I had my project idea well before the project start date, I waited until midweek of the first week to really dig deep into planning.
This led to several problems down the road including having to change my plan/direction twice within two weeks and having to request an extension for my project so that I could complete it in a quality manner.
Not only would the month have gone smoother if I had started planning earlier, but I would have also had 3-4 weeks of time to spend on videography and video editing instead of only 2 weeks.
My biggest struggle throughout this month was time management.
Because of this, another thing that I would have done differently was really leaned into the learning side of managing my time.
For example, I was able to make substantial progress whenever I would do work alongside peers or other members of Praxis, whenever I would set aside clear daily tasks, or whenever I would use the Pomelo effect while working. Unfortunately, I only implemented study halls, constantly updated to-do lists, and breaks within my work schedule occasionally throughout the month.
And while for the most part, I was able to stay productive week-by-week, I think I missed a great opportunity this month to learn a lot about time management and which techniques work best for me.
Final thoughts
Overall I am very satisfied with the results of my work this month (+ 1 week). It showcases my abilities to provide value to organizations through educational and inspirational marketing videos and also demonstrates my ability to learn quickly and adapt to change.
But the fun won’t stop here! This project has already taught me a ton about myself, my interests, and my skills, but it’s also shown me new things to explore. If you want to see where this takes me or have any questions,
follow me here or connect on LinkedIn. Thanks for reading!
Have a blessed day!
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