An aspiring filmmaker studying at NUIG has produced a fantastic feel-good video after asking random people: ‘What makes you happy?’
When Alex McNeill went out to interview strangers in Salthill on one sunny day in November, she had no idea what answers she would get.
She set out with a open and curious mind, interested to know what genuinely makes people happy, and then put together people’s responses to create a fantastic feel-good video.
“As you know, times have been increasingly tough for everybody over the past few months and I felt that now more than ever was a great time to to ask people to reflect on the happiness in their lives,” said Alex.
“What I found was that the respondents did not discuss anything of material value, rather only things of emotional and spiritual value.”
Many people said nature and sunshine made them happy, and people talked about the importance of family and friends in their lives.
“It was one of the most wholesome and honest experiences for me because I felt that I was allowing these strangers a safe space to reflect on what is really important in life.
“I noticed that many people were taken back by the question because it seemed like they hadn’t thought about what makes them happy in a long time.”
Alex plans to continue to produce more feel-good content over the coming months, and might change the questions as she goes along.
And if she were to answer her own question?
“If I were to answer my own question and reflect on what makes me happy, I’d say: ‘It makes me happy when I wake up in the morning and grab myself a cup of coffee and some dark chocolate digestives and chatting away to my housemates’.
“I also love spending time with my family and friends, and I really love food!'”
