Abby Bustin

If you've never heard of op docs they are opinion based editorials. They can be lengthy or short videos that tell a story through words or just through video clips. There are so many different topics, anyone can find one they're interested in. In my class, I've had the opportunity to watch two op docs that I thought were interesting. You can click the titles of the op docs to watch them.   The Gorillas In The Crossfire The Gorillas In The Crossfire op doc made by Orlando Von Einsiedel, a British film director, seems to be about a national park ranger protecting gorillas from a brutal civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo, but it is also about how Virunga National Park gives back to their country and the relationships the gorillas have with the people. This op doc is a very visual one. It shows pretty in depth how the gorillas and the people of Congo care for each other as well as the environment around them. I found it really interesting how the op doc showed the tr...

Evolving Masculinity or Not?? In the starting of Unit 2, we are in the works of analyzing toxic masculinity. We are studying the articles “The Boys Are Not All Right.” by Michael Ian Black, “Not Your Father’s Masculinity.” by Matt Labash, and the documentary Tough Guise 2 by Jackson Katz.  Jackson Katz, an American educator, film maker, and creator of a gender violence prevention and education program, brought up many important and urgent topics regarding toxic masculinity. Through years of observing and analyzing mass shootings, bullying, homophobia, and gun violence, Katz has been able to gather data and deeply analyze the reasoning for all this.  One of the things Katz said in Tough Guise 2 is that should have a lasting effect on people is that there is a difference between being a man and using violence to prove you’re a man. A big part of toxic masculinity is believing that using violence is what a real man does. Take a fight for example. If two boys are fighting and on...