In the delicate balance of a Jenga tower, each block that contributes to the stability of the tower holds its own story, just like how each of us holds onto the memories that shape who we are. This project began as a game between my friends and I, but as the camera filmed and we placed each wooden piece intentionally to construct a stable tower, it evolved into an exploration of memory and community—two impactful aspects of our lives. Jenga became a metaphor for the moments we spend laughing, studying, and growing up together over the last four years. As the tower grew taller and more unstable, it reflected the strong yet fragile bonds that connect us to each other, our past, and the communities we are part of.
Through creating this short film, I aimed to delve into the importance of community and explore how our past experiences build the foundation of who we are today. Jenga allowed me to visualize this foundation as each piece of the tower represents a memory or experience that contributes to a community or individual’s stability and identity. The act of building the tower, block by block, reflects how our memories stack upon one another and construct our identity. Playing the game by pulling out a block and moving it to the top of the tower mirrors the relationship between our past experiences and present reality. We rely on our experiences to make decisions. The film is meant to emphasize the importance of memories as they go beyond a recollection of past events and actively influence our identities.
Another goal I had when directing and editing my short film was to represent both individual and collective identity. The film starts off with flashbacks to my friends and I’s childhood and progresses to memories of us spending time together. I intended for this to portray how individual lived experiences contribute to building collective memories. Additionally, this project was meant to highlight the power of community. Community is crucial for mental health as it provides emotional support through a sense of belonging (Park et al.). In my film, I wanted to capture the essence of this support. My community embraces me for everything I am and everything I am not as my unique qualities are appreciated and my flaws are accepted. The Jenga blocks were also meant to represent this relationship as each block supports the wooden blocks on top of it. The connections we make within our communities serve as our pillars of support. People who are socially connected to family, friends, or their community are also thought to be happier and physically healthier (Relationships and community: statistics). So, the purpose of asking people to say one thing that makes them happy at the end of my film was to show the impact of collective memory and community. Everyone I asked had their happiness influenced in some way by their relationships and community, proving that shared experiences provide a sense of belonging and fulfillment and reinforcing the idea that we are products of our environments and histories. What if happiness is not really an individual experience at all, but entirely based on the world around us? Perhaps happiness is not an internal experience. It is something deeply connected to the communities we belong to and the culture we live in. In this way, our joy might not necessarily come from individual accomplishments, but from our ability to fit in. Our world is like a mirror that reflects values and expectations onto each and every one of us. When we are in sync with those around us, when we are a part of something bigger, we feel whole. Even the mere idea of helping someone like myself in a video made people smile. By reflecting on these themes, the overall goal of my film was to inspire people to think about how communities and memories are woven into our mental and emotional health as well as encourage viewers to appreciate the people that shape their lives.
This film was partially inspired by United States Vice President Kamala Harris saying, “You exist in the context of all in which you live and what came before you.” Our lives are interconnected with each other, our environments, and histories. The quote suggests that our identities are formed as a result of our interactions with the people, places, and experiences that surround us. Additionally, our existence is rooted in a web of historical events, cultural backgrounds, family traditions, and personal experiences. This historical context lays a foundational narrative for each of our lives while our immediate environment—the community, culture, and the physical settings we exist in—simultaneously shape our perception of the world. Jenga acts as the central motif of my film as each piece symbolizes a characteristic each person in a community brings with them to the whole. The film is also meant to capture the essence of community as in the game of Jenga, each individual’s actions affect the result of the game. This shared responsibility highlights the communal aspect of memory and identity as personal experiences are often tied to shared experiences.
In my film, I used Jenga as a symbol to make the abstract concepts of memory and community tangible. I believe this was an effective way to show the strong and fragile nature of my personal identity. The tower wobbling also adds visual tension and reflects the emotional vulnerability being part of a community requires. I believe the flashbacks were also an effective storytelling technique as they provided concrete examples of memories that have shaped my identity. My film adheres to certain conventions of documentary and narrative filmmaking as it has a clear central symbol and incorporates personal interviews. I used music by Mac Miller to build presence relating to the central question and filmed at different angles to capture the impact placing each Jenga block had on the structure of the tower. At the end, I also gave the quote that inspired this time to speak for itself with the goal of connecting to a broader audience. I broke out of traditional short film expectations by using a non-linear storytelling technique as each Jenga block triggers a memory. Furthermore, by ending with filmed responses from people, I shifted from a directed film to an authentic experience to further inspire a feeling of community that (hopefully) extends beyond the screen.
The universal theme of community and memory is an aspect of the human experience I hope everyone can relate to. My goal when asking the question “what makes you happy?” was to prompt people to reflect on their own experiences, and connect with my audience beyond the story I am trying to tell about my life. Creating this film became a vulnerable experience for me as including my chosen family shows how deeply my own life has been significantly shaped by the people in it. There is nothing I cherish more than going to watch the sunset with my childhood friends, running Turkey Trots with a girl that has become like a sister to me, and gaining new perspectives through conversations with everyone I meet. Through this short film, I unintentionally memorialized everyone I have ever talked to, been influenced by, and loved. Even the act of editing this film with my brother’s help contributed to its meaning. It is a testament to how I value every interaction and person that has been a part of my life as I give them all credit for contributing to my happiness and identity.
If I had more time to complete this project, the most significant thing I would do differently is branch outside of my own school community and interview people (with their consent) at grocery stores, community centers, parks, playgrounds, etc. I want to know if the positive impact of community on mental health is present beyond our high school. How does it manifest in adult life and simple day-to-day interactions? I would also like to film it more professionally and experiment with the lighting and editing on the interview clips.
“Memory Tower” is a work of creative nonfiction as it intertwines real-life experiences and footage with storytelling techniques. The film is grounded in reality through my memories. The artistic choices of using Jenga, flashbacks, and interviews to show how our lives are influenced by our memories adds a storytelling style usually present in fiction. The film also strives to connect with its audience and prompt them to think about their own lived experience, which is an important characteristic of creative nonfiction.
Just as each block placed on the tower plays a role in its stability, every person plays a role in the happiness a community feels. It is not just one piece that holds the tower together, but all of them. Therefore, the joy we feel is not something we seek out, but something we create together. The Jenga tower stands because every block is where it needs to be, just as happiness thrives when we realize that our connections are what make us stronger as a whole. But then, if happiness is truly something we build together, what happens when one person stops adding their piece? What happens when a block is removed, even unintentionally? Can the tower stand, or does it begin to topple, piece by piece? And if it does, can we rebuild it, or do we risk losing the very foundation that holds us all?
Works Cited
Park, Eunice Y et al. “Sense of community and mental health: a cross-sectional analysis from a household survey in Wisconsin.” Family medicine and community health vol. 11,2 (2023): e001971. doi:10.1136/fmch-2022-001971
“Relationships and Community: Statistics.” Mental Health Foundation, http://www.mentalhealth.org.uk/explore-mental-health/statistics/relationships-community-statis tics.
Born to be a LeadHER 