Film School Files: On a Scale From 1-Death…

…how tired will I be by the time this first semester of film school is over? This is a question I pondered yesterday and if the past two weeks are any indication, I #minuswell get my casket ready. My goodness have things picked up and my free time has all but evaporated. Luckily I have the day off today to recuperate. But let me tell y’all a bit about my life so you can share in the wonders that is film school. Warning: Reading this may cause you to want to lay down and rest lol

These past two weeks have been the most trying because I have either been on campus or on set every single day. That wouldn’t be an issue if the school work wasn’t piling up. For instance, I have had to turn in a polished screenplay for the short film I’m shooting next month, do a take home cinematography test, do two cuts of an editing assignment where we have to tell 4 different stories from the same footage AND come up with a documentary idea, interview the subject, shoot it and edit it by this past Monday. Like whew my spirit was tried!

That documentary assignment has been a particular mess for me. Two weeks ago we had to pitch our prof ideas and I had a pretty solid one, however it fell through because me and the subject couldn’t agree on a time to film. So I ended up having to interview one of the priest in the Jesuit community, which went well. However, when I presented my concept (recreating a moment where the priest felt he had to reconcile his faith) it pretty much got soundly rebuked. No this wouldn’t have been an issue but maybe I just was not hearing the instructions correctly but suffice to say I had to completely reevaluate my idea and shoot and edit the film the past Friday. One day I will regale you all with the tale but for now, I’m just happy I had a rough cut to present.

In addition to school work, I have been on set each of the past two weekends (and will be on for the next two) working on film productions. Each of these sets have offered me different experiences (I was a grip on a comedy and 2nd AD on a Rom-Com) but lawd have mercy is making a film a taxing process even when you’re not the director. Also, I am helping produce a thesis for one of the 3rd yr Grad students. It’s been interesting sort of making the vision of someone else happen. If you all are interested in that project please check out the Indiegogo campaign and contribute. The script is really great and the actors are cool.