Connections
at Annandale High School

Reviewed on December 5, 2020

Emilia Ermanoski
McLean High School
Submitted for publication to Cappies News

The only thing that should be spreading in times of COVID is news of Annandale High School's "Connections."

Written and performed by students Hunter Duggan, Kayla Osipchak, Clara Billows, Mariam Sesay, Isaac Nebyu, Haleluya Worku, Hang Minh Nguyen, Nhi Nguyen, and Sammar Saini, "Connections" depicted very real, individual decisions which had domino effects. Originally about the chronicles of a dollar bill, the students decided that raising awareness for wearing masks can share an important message that the world needs. The short film follows a sequence of maskless people and how their interactions with each other and their environment contributed to the spread of the virus.

These talented students took on both the roles of writers and actors, and assembled to create a compelling power-ensemble that radiated on-screen. Their ability to effortlessly present today's teens during the COVID-19 pandemic created yet another reminder that teenagers can be affected by the virus. Although the film portrays its actors without masks, they made sure to protect themselves off screen by taking many safety precautions while demonstrating on screen the dangers of not wearing one.

Despite COVID and the resulting filming constraints, the students explored more than one format to portray their film. In the instant each character became sick, they were all put on the same screen. This choice made the scene a memorable, powerful moment as each person's coughing became increasingly intense. Another impactful choice was putting government officials' and news anchors' voices over a reverse effect at the very end. This simultaneously reversed the decision of not wearing a mask and described the United States' and the world's status of the virus, an inventive idea thought up by Han Le. The many ways the students illustrated the spread of the virus was creative, yet subtle; from petting a dog to touching an apple, this form of showing, not telling, revealed the severity that was hidden within these subtleties.

"Connections" did not only appear in the title; the scriptwriting masterfully tied the characters together, highlighting each individual's relationships and interactions with minimized dialogue. This simple yet effective approach delivered an authentic feel as to what it's like in a teenager's everyday life. Along with the writing, the storyline was constructed seamlessly with stable camera shots and angles, an important contributor to continuity. Cuts and zooms were precise and specific, always adding to the story through subtle hints or passing of time. As the story moved along, it is worth mentioning that the camera's movement matched the pacing of the actors, giving the film a fascinating, documentary-style feel. Audio issues were not a concern in this film, despite its infamous presence in video communication platforms. Whether recording took place indoors or outdoors, the audio was notable in its clear and consistent execution.

In a year in which we have seen more people as pixels than in real life and a novel virus that's lurking in seemingly every corner of the world, Annandale High School's "Connections" has certainly lived up to its name. It has prompted us to remember to take care of ourselves and others around us as we persevere through a modern-day dystopia.

Skye Schofield-Saba
St. Stephen's & St. Agnes
Submitted for publication to Cappies News 2

Annandale High School's original production of Connections did a wonderful job of mirroring the current climate of today's world. With so much of our lives being taken over by COVID-19, the students of Annandale High School drew inspiration and decided to write and direct their own video production.

The video opens with Hunter Duggan scrolling through Tiktok, something that I am sure many teenagers can relate to. Audiences watch as they choose not to wear a mask and set off a chain of contact and exposure to many of the different characters portrayed by Kayla Osipchak, Clara Billows, Mariam Sesay, Isaac Nebyu, Haleluya Worku, Hang Minh Nguyen, Nhi Nguyen, and Sammar Saini. As the video starts to come to a close, the audience watches as the effects of all the poor decisions in the video culminate in a COVID outbreak. Through the form of a PSA, Annandale manages to show the effects of thoughtlessness on younger generations.

Throughout the video, the normalcy of routine made the actions of all the characters seem almost normal or harmless, like being transported back before COVID-19 in time. However, with the reality of today, the lack of masks and constant touching created a sort of subtle uneasiness. The choice to have minimal dialogue really allowed viewers to take in the actions of the characters. Whether it was Isaac Nebyu simply buying Starbucks or Haleluya Worku doing her part to be a good citizen as she picked up trash, the message was clear. COVID-19 has changed the way our world works and being mindful of that and doing the best to be conscious of our actions is important. As the chain ends, the screen goes black and one after the other, the characters pop up coughing. This is the moment everything clicks. The choice to use clips of news broadcasts, interviews, and even President Trump was altogether very powerful and compelling. The news brings us new information and opinions every day, and Connections really brought the feeling of being overwhelmed to the limelight. The sounds increase and overlap as the web of interactions is rewound. It takes audiences back to the initial moment where Duggan disregarded their mask. However, this time, they made the right choice. Their mask was a bright red color, which showed audiences that this one decision could keep countless other people healthy.

The world is a scary place right now, and teenagers are trying to navigate how to live a normal life while keeping their loved ones safe. Annandale High School's ability to write and film a well-thought-out PSA, as well as open up a meaningful conversation, was impressive. Even with safety risks being a huge concern, this cast and crew made sure to wear masks, sanitize, and social distance. We are all tired of this pandemic, and it has affected many people in different ways. What is important is one deals with one's own pain and frustration. This film by Annandale High School's cast and crew was commendable.

Makenna Buhler
Woodgrove High School
Submitted for publication to FCPS Community News

In this time of COVID nothing is more important than safety. Connections, a short film from Annandale High School, highlights everyone's fears in this unprecedented time, and how many people are all interlaced in one web of consequence. Not protecting oneself can lead to infecting innocents. Though Connections takes place in the COVID era it shows depth and enlightens the viewers to make a change in their behavior that can help them for good at any time; to be aware of oneself and one's environment. The story begins with a rebellious teenager who comes into contact with others through various objects. However, they do not follow CDC guidelines and consequently become sick.

This work, which was written, edited, and acted by the same people, has a tight and clear theme throughout -- dedication. The process for this production seemed to have been direct and efficient because the resulting video showed the theme and message very clearly throughout, in its use of video elements with acting, cinematography, and editing. It was easy to forget that this was filmed during COVID with the hugging scenes and physical contact between the actors, but the Playbill informed the audience that the choice to have physical contact came with a price- everyone had to wear a mask and consequently they could not have actors' faces in those shots or the theme of the film would be broken.

Production is one of the most affected aspects of a virtual show this season, but it can reveal the creativity of all participants and the limits and obstacles they had to overcome to create the piece. These limits and obstacles added rich depth to the show. Connections used a wide variety of locations including the school, grocery store, coffee shop and various places inside and outside. They used consistently similar areas to make the short film more believable.

Acting is difficult, acting without much dialogue can be harder. The actors in Connections pulled this feat off with stunning performances. Emotions were easier to see and feel by watching the short film versus a stage performance. Character arcs and their realizations that they were sick at the end were done with exactness. Hunter Duggan introduced us to the tone through their reaction to social media. Clara Billows's obliviousness to wide glances at her being maskless was perfect. Isaac Nebyu's excitement at seeing his friend was clearly seen and felt.

Technical elements abounded with precision and clear choices; the specific use of a bright mask at the end contrasted nicely and caught the viewers direct attention. The use of audio from different news broadcasts was powerful. Especially with the lack of other sound and dialogue, it made the viewers feel overwhelmed and put them into the chaos and different viewpoints on this issue with both visuals and audio. The Zoom call-like setup at the end, with everyone joining the screen was powerful because the actors' coughing kept coming and coming, demonstrating that their decisions had consequences.

Editing by Mariam Sesay and others was impactful in the use of hidden cuts and powerful and specific use of sound with voiceovers, plus the ability to hear dialogue and music. Cinematography done by various members still showed clear choices and excelled in not making the viewer feel that it was filmed by different people. The use of varied shots, camera angles and lighting conveyed planning.

Uncommon spreaders of COVID and a message of warning makes this short film an influential and introspective piece of student thought on the Coronavirus. Apples, masks and more combine, leaving all to question what they can do better to keep everyone safe.

Emma Carpenter
McLean High School
Submitted for publication to Patch (Fairfax/Alexandria)

In a newfound world of social distancing, sickness, and screens, Annandale High School's student-written short film, "Connections", provides a wake-up call to the devastating impact of the pandemic and of one's own actions.

Thrown into the necessity of digital theatre, the students of Annandale took their experiences of living through the pandemic and adapted it to the screen to create their short film "Connections". This film followed the journeys of one person to the next and their unnoticed association to one another that once helped, but now harms through the spread of COVID-19. Annandale High School provided insight into the devastating pandemic that affects each and every person, contributing a vitally important message that gives the honest truth about this pandemic.

Providing an active ensemble was no easy task, not to mention the added complication of being apart from one another, but each actor pulled it off admirably as the student-written script produced sincere and authentic interactions. This ensemble was most compelling during the notably powerful climax of the film, as each actor managed to proficiently portray the fear and sickness of COVID-19 through distressing varieties of coughing and heaving. They worked together despite their distance to create a growing uneasiness at the realization of a reality that many know all too well, cleverly portraying the very real consequences of the pandemic.

The reduction of dialogue precisely suited the need for this performance to focus on the touch and action of each person. The actors managed to write a piece with a natural and comprehensive story to properly portray their message. The creative use of reversing all previous movements near the end, credited to Han Le, properly explained the preventable actions and tragedy of not wearing a mask.

While there were limitations to being on a virtual platform, the editors, Hunter Duggan, Clara Billows, and Mariam Sesay took the opportunity to use technical aspects that would otherwise be impossible onstage. The zoomed-in cuts emphasized the subject of spread and touch that in-person theatre could not, while still being a natural and effortless way to create a cohesive story. They also inventively focused on their props, to show the power that is held in everyday items and the importance of being aware of that. Not to mention, during the climax of the film, the overlapping sounds of coughing and sickness created a sense of dread and fear of the consequences of the spread of COVID-19.

With simplistic movements and chilling visuals, Annandale High School's short film "Connections" provided a daunting realization of the dangers of COVID-19 and is an important reminder to be a hero and wear a mask!

Lena Weiman
St. Stephen's & St. Agnes
Submitted for publication to Connection

How many people does one teenager's negligence affect in the time of COVID? Annandale High School's short film, "Connections," explored the chain of events that could lead to a massive spread of the Coronavirus, just because of a single individual. This piece is extremely relevant and informative for the modern teenager.

"Connections" was a student written and directed short film. The story followed a series of teenagers interacting with each other without masks and depicted how their health is threatened by their careless actions. It focused on small human connections, like petting a dog or picking up a piece of litter, and how those interactions could be dangerous without proper caution and safety measures.

The writers of this film, Hunter Duggan, Kayla Osipchak, Clara Billows, Mariam Sesay, Isaac Nebyu, Haleluya Worku, Hang Minh Nguyen, Nhi Nguyen, Sammar Saini, did a phenomenal job. While there was not much dialogue, the narrative focused on physical interactions and movement in order to tell the story and convey their message.

The film featured an ensemble cast who each contracted COVID from another character and passed it on to someone else. The continuity between these scenes was impeccable. There was no noticeable lighting shift or continuity errors even though the film was not all recorded at the same time or at the same location.

Another notable filming technique was the use of zooms and the composition of the shots. The scenes were filmed in multiple angles, which gave the viewer multiple perspectives. When the characters had an interaction that spread the virus, the camera zoomed in to emphasize that interaction and the spread of COVID.

Hunter Duggan stood out as an actor in the film. They were the person who initiated the chain reaction at the beginning of the film, and ultimately infected eight other teenagers. Hunter stood out most during the video collage in which all of the characters get sick. Their emotion and gut-wrenching coughs were both believable and horrifying in a time when getting sick is a large fear for most people.

The editing of the film was well thought out, and the editors, Hunter Duggan, Clara Billows, Mariam Sesay, used cuts as another medium to convey the message of the film. The most successful editing was the video collage in which all of the characters became sick. It started with the original character coughing, and they slowly added more characters showing symptoms until the screen was completely full. Showing the full impact of these small connections in the montage was a really smart way of conveying the importance of wearing masks.

Overall, the film was a fast and thoughtful warning to wear masks and stay safe. Although it was only nine minutes long, the message was very important, as it called attention to the fact that even a small interaction could put ourselves or others in danger.

Liam Bates
Justice High School
Submitted for publication to Fairfax County Times

Perhaps the best thing to come out of these perilous times is the creativity that has been showcased from people of all ages from all around the world. Even though we cannot get together and share our love of the arts, the students at Annandale High School have created an incredibly powerful and rich short film showcasing the value of safety, and the importance of human connections. "Connections" follows a group of teens as they go about their lives during the COVID-19 pandemic with an unsettling twist: none of them are wearing masks. The concepts introduced by the student-written script are deeply disturbing and the execution makes the film that much more poignant. Shots of students entering buildings or speaking with each other without wearing any form of face covering creates a terrible sense of dread that only the creativity of a contemporary film can bring out.

Every actor in "Connections" played a pivotal role in the story and each character received their moment to shine. One very notable performance was given by Hunter Duggan. They were easily able to grab the audience's attention and create a compelling narrative without much dialogue, which is incredibly impressive. Isaac Nebyu and Mariam Sesay also performed a convincing scene that was able to deliver an uncanny sense of realism. The editing of the film, done by Duggan, Sesay, and Clara Billows, was also superb. Even though each scene was shot separately by each student to ensure safety, the flow of the narrative was never disjointed or interrupted. In addition, some shots are downright beautiful with an excellent use of natural lighting and subtle camerawork that highlights the ways COVID-19 can spread.

The ending of the film was perhaps the most defining moment of "Connections," with each student contracting and suffering from symptoms of COVID-19 in an overwhelming and chaotic montage that made the audience's skin crawl. All the while, the audience heard audio from various politicians and public health experts from around the world speaking about the dangers of the virus and how the public all needed to work together to get through the pandemic. Han Le is credited with this unique idea and deserves an incredible amount of praise for it. The expert execution of this concept and the way it delivers the message of the film creates an experience that gives the film as a whole a poignant and inspiring ending. We can, and will, get through this.