While the Every 15 Minutes program raised awareness of the dangers of drinking and driving the presence of so much media at the event distracted from its impact.

The two-day event started with a mock car crash on the SJHHS campus involving a drunk driver, multiple deaths, and injuries. The crash was performed by the school’s drama department, junior and senior classmates, and with the assistance of the Highway Patrol, The Orange County Fire Department, State Farm, and Doctors ambulances. The program was sponsored by F.A.D.D. (Friends Against Drunk Driving).

The show affected people emotionally and probably influenced students opinions about drunk driving. The acting was incredibly realistic, making it seem like an authentic car accident.

However, it didn’t seem completely realistic because of the excessive presence of cameras. Camera operators from Video Production, Yearbook, ASB, The Express newspaper and even a TV news “abulance chaser” were all racing around to get the perfect shot or angle. This had the effect of taking away the intended realistic nature of the traumatic actors and scenery.

Although the students were simply doing their job and gaining valuable experience, the cameramen and photographers blocked the views of audience members and resulted in a loss of authenticity of the Every 15 Minutes program. For some, it became like watching a movie being made, not a crash simulation. We also heard constant commands issued to the  photographers through a walkie-talkie app by their handlers.

Every 15 Minutes demonstrates what it’s like to put yourself and others at risk while driving under the influence, but the impact is gone when a student with a huge camera steps in front of a girl screaming over the death of a friend.

I’m not saying cameras shouldn’t be involved at all, but the number of cameras could have been limited at the event so that all groups had a chance to document but not so many that it was a barrier. As it was there were more than enough cameras flocking the car crash and maybe more than the number of actual participants.

Although the cameras were a bit much, Video Production did create a beautiful Every 15 Minutes video for the assembly on the second day. Additionally, Yearbook and The Express captured amazing images of the accident. And ASB’s own video production wing will, no doubt, post its own video version of the event in the coming days.

Making a video for the Every 15 Minutes program is good idea, but couldn’t it be done with fewer distractions?