Job Hunting = Making Connections

We had auditions last night in a room right next to where my Thursday night editing class was last term. We kept the door propped open when we didn't have someone in just to make us easier to find for when they arrived. In the room were 3 people in their last semester of school: and undergrad senior, Aaron, a young grad student, and me, a not so young grad student. At one point we all looked at each other and had the realization that we all needed to be job hunting starting right now. Fortunately we're not really qualified for the same jobs so it's much easier to be supportive rather than competitive with each other.

Pet Peeves

Actors who send head shots and resumes with filenames like DSC_9481.jpg, and Actingresume.pdf.

That's great, so when I've got a folder full of 50 head shots and resumes I will have no idea who you are. And if you don't care I'm not sure why I should.

Actually the first round of auditions aren't going so badly.

Be careful what you wish for

For my film studies class I'm reading an article about Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire, Trainspotting, other films you've heard of even if you haven't seen them). He started his career by doing low budget gritty British films and then tried to translate that success into Hollywood.

"Boyle found that larger budgets and crews entailed creative compromises"(1) and the films that followed were flops.

An article from this year's Sundance

I've long said that it's easier than ever to make a movie, but just as hard to make a good one. This article from someone at Sundance seems to prove that out.

http://www.thewrap.com/5-cold-truths-uninspiring-sundance/

I see it as a challenge for when I really start working on Enid's Wall. Not just that there's a lot of other people making films so mine has to be better. Also, just because you can get it made you still need to be sure that it's worth anyone taking the time to see it.

Wow, it's only week 2

Making a film could be a full time job. You can laugh at that statement if you want, after all the possibility of it being a full time job is why everyone has come to school for it. However, I have 3 classes this term and all I want to do is work on my film. I'm half tempted to double my thesis credits just so I can drop one of my classes except that I like all three of them. What all three have in common is that they are taught by professors who LOVE the thing they do.

The TA's role as mentor

I often talk about the stories we tell and how disappointed I am with the stories Hollywood chooses to tell, and the lack of women and women's voices in the stories coming out of the media industry. The thing is I don't think I'm going to storm Hollywood and change the industry. But what I can do is be a mentor to the next generation of storytellers. That's part of why I want to teach, and what I enjoy about teaching. However, I don't have to wait for that elusive professor job because right now I am a TA and even when not, I'm a grad student in with a bunch of undergrads.

Hit the ground running

I am back in Boston and ready to go. I had a long meeting with Charles this afternoon and a short meeting with Aaron. I am so charged up now.

A TED talk about the stories we tell

I saw this today on youtube. He's talking about what movies he'd like his kids to watch. Or rather, what movies he'd like them to be able to watch. It's about 12 minutes. He says good stuff. 

Plays are different from movies, Part 2

So, you remember back in December I was talking about how plays are different from movies? Well, I just saw August: Osage County. It was apparently a successful play (though I'd never heard of it, but I wouldn't, so don't use me as a gauge) so someone paid the playwright to make a screenplay out of it. What we got was a play on film with a bunch of actors you recognize.

Another screening for Killer

I just found out that Killer is going to be screening at the DC Independent Film Festival the weekend of February 19th. Southwest flights that weekend are $59 each way so I'll definitely be going. If I can get a good group of people to attend - which is possible as most of my friends live in the area - I'm likely to see people that I haven't seen in more than a year and a half. I think that's going to feel very strange. In a good way, it'll be great to see everyone. It just really doesn't feel like I've been gone that long.

Movies I've seen over winter break

I try to catch up a bit when we're on break. I wonder if I can even remember them all.

Philomena
American Hustle
42 (rented)
The Hobbit (twice)
12 Years a Slave
The Book Thief

Also lots of Downton Abbey, Sherlock, and the Doctor Who Christmas special.