Everyday Threats |

"Everyday Threats" is a PSA created from a teen's perspective on nuclear weapons. It explores the drills implemented in classrooms across America, highlighting how they reflect governmental responses to crises. This PSA defines nuclear weapons' significance and impact on historical events and national policy.

Learning about the "Duck and Cover" drills from the 1950s reminded me of the lockdown drills I experience in school today. Just like back then, these drills offer very little protection—-but sometimes, that’s all we have. What struck me most was how the 1951 "Duck and Cover" film was presented in such a childish, almost playful way, as if students couldn’t be trusted with the full truth. In many ways, it reminded me of how lockdowns are handled now.
This realization, that the government has limited control over who launches a nuclear weapon or who starts a school shooting, inspired my film. I wanted to capture the unsettling feeling of a school shooting drill while drawing parallels to the past.
To create this movie, I directed my U.S. history class through a school shooting drill. I combined that footage with clips and the original "Duck and Cover" song from 1951. I then layered in a historical context, discussing the legacy and ongoing threat of nuclear weapons. I edited the film using Adobe Premiere and Canva for visuals and graphics.
I hope that this film resonates with anyone who feels confused or afraid of the threat of nuclear war, and that it encourages us all to reflect on the violence we've inherited and, hopefully, begin to move away from it. I wanted to create something that brings generations together through a shared sense of vulnerability, and a hope for something better.

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