getting taken away by Child Protective Services, the high-angle shot used can show the vulnerability of the poor little girl suffering as she looks small in this way, crying for her mother. A unique cinematic approach this film used to add realism was the switch between a 35mm camera and the use of the iPhone 6s Plus. The switch to filming on an iPhone really leaves one feeling more immersed in the scene, as it feels more like a home video that was filmed. “The editing is acceler - ated - 17 shots over an 80-second sequence…” (Thompson 1). Unique from other films, there is no music used until the last ending scene when Monee grabs her friend’s hand to go to Disney. This is an upbeat type of song, maybe insinuating a sense of happiness Monee felt. The setting is by far the most realistic element used in Baker’s film. The name of the purple motel was “The Magic Castle Motel.” Only a couple miles away was the famous Cinderella castle located in Disney World. Baker’s screenwriter actually sparked the idea of the movie when he was visiting his mother nearby and saw the state of real families living in the motels. If it could not get any more realistic, the motel they filmed at was actually occupied by real residents at the time (Lee). Tourist locations, such as the Wizard Gift Shop, are real businesses, with some still standing today to visit. As Baker even wanted the accents to be accurate, he scout- ed the Orlando area, finding a child actor named Christopher Rivera who played Scooty in the film. It later turned out that Rivera himself was living in a hotel nearby ( Tampa Bay Times ). This approach Baker took to introduce realism into the film was successful, in my opinion, and what really made his mission in awareness on homelessness come to light. Just like the famously known show Shameless , the film The Florida Project has a similar effect on authentically portraying real life situations those in poverty face in the plot. “Poverty is associated with substandard housing, hunger, homelessness, inadequate childcare, unsafe neighborhoods, and under-resourced schools” (American Psychological Association). Monee can be frequently seen going to the mother’s friend’s job to receive food in re- turn for her mother babysitting. A trip to the community food bank is por-
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