In the movie, Art School Confidential an art major goes through the typical post-secondary creative experience as he tries to find himself . . . yadda, yadda . . . the movie was ok. The few things that actually made the film memorable (in my opinion) were the spot-on critique scenes. This round table or review process can also sum up every film production class I took in film school, which should come as no surprise as to why I'm sharing it.
The mix of perspectives and lifestyles really brings out an array of comments in any creative forum, but ultimately it comes down to the fact that no one wants to seem ordinary. We all model ourselves after our idols and talk about our work like we already have all the answers - thus is the ego trip and bubble that surrounds most art classrooms I imagine.
These two scenes from Art School Confidential are easy to appreciate if you've ever been in this situation yourself, but essentially all of us can attest to being confused by various displays that are presented as 'high art'. What starts out as post-secondary banter only becomes increasingly perplexing as money and actual status come into play. The point of the matter is that the process is usually quite eye-opening and funny.
I feel like I've ranted, raved, trashed, and glamorized my own film school experience over the last several years, but that's not to say that I don't still have questions regarding the field. Now working two media jobs (largely as an editor) I feel very grateful for the experiences I've had and remember exactly what it was like trying to figure out how I was going to turn a passion into a paycheck. Personal drive seems fundamental to making it in any competitive field, but self-assuredness is something that you best find quickly if you expect to weather the rejection from pursuing a job in creativity. Looking up information I stumbled onto studentfilms.com Film School Advice forum and had fun just exploring all of the discussions. It brought me back to high school and the anxiety I faced as I tried to decide between different film schools - ultimately I settled for the cheapest one.
From screenwriting to directing, from grant applications to film school applications, there are so many facets to film and video that make it possible to really shape the path you take. In my own experience, I returned to a smaller city after film school and actually established/developed my position with both companies with the promise of bringing a new approach to their creative strategies. While I still strive to do narrative/independent production, the work I've been doing since university has been highly self-motivated and full of variety.
I really just wanted to share this Film School Advice forum to get your brain working. Whether you're an aspiring filmmaker, recently graduated, or just interested in film and video, there's a wealth of information to be borrowed (and to make your experience less stressful).
Perhaps the greatest bit of personal advice that I can give is for you to find the answers that work for you. There are thousands of ways to get to where you want to go - something I didn't quite realize until I got there. For more general banter check out my post on Advice for Aspiring Filmmakers.
This short video cut together using a piece of narration from astronomer Carl Sagan, titled We Humans Are Capable of Greatness, is a profound piece of perspective. I love being reminded of how seemingly insignificant and overwhelmingly unique we humans really are. Trapped on our own little world, in our small societies and neighbourhoods, it's too easy to forget that there's a vastness to our own existence that we can barely comprehend without being philosophical. This is worth a click.
