[MoriartyL]

Okay, this is sort of exciting...

I wrote an interactive blog post demonstrating and describing a new type of dialogue control. It took me two days straight of work, much of it tedious, which is a very big deal for me. (My life is built on the principle of instant gratification.) Anyhow, I was satisfied with my work for around five minutes, which is also pretty rare. See, generally, I'm not satisfied by any activity which is not part of a work of art. I lost enthusiasm when, upon posting it here, I was given a reality check: the ideas I was taking for granted as the ideal are not ideas which anyone else even cares about. So I made a pretty big decision, which definitely holds exciting potential: I'd ignore all critics. I'm feeling much more proud of my effort now that I've decided on that. And I look forward to doing something like it again soon.

[Spiwak]

Originally Posted by jjacob

Nice, perhaps UF even allows you to flow through to FSU (not the right term here but you know what I mean) for the second or third year, atleast that's a possiblity here I think. I've applied to NFTA (Dutch Film and Television Academy) here in Amsterdam - they have a splendid reputation in Netherlands and even Europe as a whole. I could've applied to Utrecht's Film Academy but they only have general 4 year programs as opposed to the more specialized 4 year program I'm hoping to get in (where there are separate majors such as directing fiction or documentary, editing, sound, visual effects, screenwriting etc. as opposed to one big whallop filled with training I won't be needing at Utrecht). I could've applied to a school in the far south of NL, but thesame goes for that, no specialised schooling. Anyway the NFTA is horribly selective as well, only 72 students get in for *all* majors (for example only 6 for directing fiction and 6 for directing documentary). I'm still awaiting word if I got through to the next round (where you get an interview with a commision) - if they liked my material (did the editing for a short and wrote a screenplay) I might get through, and here's hoping. Still, if they turn me down I'll just try again next year and write/direct/edit films in the meantime so I'll have more material next time around. My mind is set though - NFTA, NFTA, NFTA (all the way, yay! ). Did you have to give your own material with your application as well? And what do you want to major in?

PS. What/which film school(s) has/have the best rep. in the US?

Sorry, just found this post. The thing is that I wasn't ever in much of a position to have my own material, because I've neither been to a school with film classes nore do I have money to get equipment to make my own. At that, the film school I applied to specifically requests applicants to not send tapes and screenplays and what-not. I'm not exactly sure why, but they rather we just tell them what all experience we have with art/film. I figure the main reason I didn't get in was precisely because of the fact that at this point I haven't been able to really do any fo this stuff first-hand.

But I consider the education I have received (that is, watching a lot of movies from various schools and countries and directors, and absorbing as much as I can from them) to be more important this early on than the technical aspects of it, which would be why I'd go to film school. But of course, it's hard to tell that to a film school (on the resume simply putting "I've seen a buttload of movies" doesn't mean a whole lot).

The school I will be going to, since it's not a "film school" and isn't selective about who can learn under them, might serve as just what I need to start learning this stuff (filming, editing, photographing, etc) in which case it could just be a late-bloom and I could get into a real film school later on. But what's nice about it is that it's very open-ended to the point where the
senior thesis can be either a short film, an essay, or a screenplay, so if it turns out I feel more comfortable with writing about films (certainly possible) then I can go that route.

In America the big film schools are in California and New York...University of California in Los Angeles, University of Southern California, the American Film Institute, and New York University, mainly. The film school at FSU is up there though nowadays. As well as Texas, oddly enough.

[Intrepid Homoludens]

I dunno if I should be excited or annoyed. For the past several weeks a movie crew has been setting up and filming right outside, primarily at the cafe across the street. And it happens to coincide with my mood to go to that cafe with my laptop to relax over a cup a joe, and then I can't go.

They're shooting as I type. There are a couple of famous looking actors but I don't know who they are (I'm not one to keep up to date on that stuff). And I don't know if it's a TV show, TV special (like a documentary), or a big screen production.

[Melanie68]

Damn you - go find out who they are, get the gossip!!! (just kidding...). Oh and watch out for your laptop. Oddly enough they had an article in today's San Francisco chronicle about laptop thieves. I hate reading stuff like that because in the grand scheme of things, it's not common and you can't live your life in fear but it's just enough to scare you...

[Intrepid Homoludens]

Originally Posted by Melanie68

Damn you - go find out who they are, get the gossip!!! (just kidding...).

That's the last thing I'd wanna do. But.... ....maybe they'd ask me to be an extra. I could use a hundred dollars.

Oh and watch out for your laptop. Oddly enough they had an article in today's San Francisco chronicle about laptop thieves. I hate reading stuff like that because in the grand scheme of things, it's not common and you can't live your life in fear but it's just enough to scare you...

I have one of these.

EDIT: I read the entire story. Thanks, Melsie. Don't worry too much about me, I grew up near rough neighbourhoods on the west side of Chicago, so I know exactly how to watch out and what to watch out for. And I'm not one to stare at my screen for very long periods of time, I often look up and look around at people, annotate them, so my streetsmarts have bred me to be a hawk-eyed Trep. Once I even prevented a couple of pickpockets from victimizing an American friend of mine in Paris.

[jjacob]

Originally Posted by Spiwak

Sorry, just found this post. The thing is that I wasn't ever in much of a position to have my own material, because I've neither been to a school with film classes nore do I have money to get equipment to make my own. At that, the film school I applied to specifically requests applicants to not send tapes and screenplays and what-not. I'm not exactly sure why, but they rather we just tell them what all experience we have with art/film. I figure the main reason I didn't get in was precisely because of the fact that at this point I haven't been able to really do any fo this stuff first-hand.

Heh, same here (just found this post, that is ). I haven't had any education in filming either though, but I guess that's what they're looking for, regardless of your experience (from a film they can easily see how much talent you have, how much you know etc. etc.) I guess that's the point of it or something It feels a bit cruel, considering there must be loads of other applicants who've practically been born with a camera in their hands. Oh man this waiting is killing me, I want to know whether I got through or not, ARGHH! Anyway my advise, -not that I'm in a postition to give you any, but anyway-, grab/rent a camera, think of something, film it and gain experience - every little bit helps

Originally Posted by Spiwak

But I consider the education I have received (that is, watching a lot of movies from various schools and countries and directors, and absorbing as much as I can from them) to be more important this early on than the technical aspects of it, which would be why I'd go to film school. But of course, it's hard to tell that to a film school (on the resume simply putting "I've seen a buttload of movies" doesn't mean a whole lot).

LMAO, I know, I said it on my application form anyway though, since they asked for it and also for movies that made an impression on me recently. I'm guessing everyone says that, but for me it's more than true, I've been watching films since I was like four (and I mostly hated kids' movies back then already, so mostly 'mature' films, meaning non-kids films anyway). I must've seen thousands, if not tens of-

Originally Posted by Spiwak

The school I will be going to, since it's not a "film school" and isn't selective about who can learn under them, might serve as just what I need to start learning this stuff (filming, editing, photographing, etc) in which case it could just be a late-bloom and I could get into a real film school later on. But what's nice about it is that it's very open-ended to the point where the senior thesis can be either a short film, an essay, or a screenplay, so if it turns out I feel more comfortable with writing about films (certainly possible) then I can go that route.

I see, and I guess most great people in the business are late bloomers anyway, I mean, most masterpieces were made by directors/producers/cinematographers/etc. who were in their sixties at the time, right?

Anyway NFTA is a bit more hard core (not implying better ofcourse), where you'll start making movies in the first year and your senior thesis four years later is a commercial project (meaning it'll make cinemas/tv). On the "open day" (dunno what it's called there, but it's where you can familiarize yourself with the academy and decide if it's what you want) they said you'll be making over twenty films in those four years

Originally Posted by Spiwak

In America the big film schools are in California and New York...University of California in Los Angeles, University of Southern California, the American Film Institute, and New York University, mainly. The film school at FSU is up there though nowadays. As well as Texas, oddly enough.

Cool, thanks, I get a feeling that info migh come in handy someday for some reason Anyway good luck with it!

[Spiwak]

Originally Posted by jjacob

Anyway NFTA is a bit more hard core (not implying better ofcourse), where you'll start making movies in the first year and your senior thesis four years later is a commercial project (meaning it'll make cinemas/tv). On the "open day" (dunno what it's called there, but it's where you can familiarize yourself with the academy and decide if it's what you want) they said you'll be making over twenty films in those four years

Whoa. That's incredible. Does that mean that the senior thesis will be a longer (i.e. >30 min) production. Because that would be very....hardcore is really the best word for it.

[jjacob]

Originally Posted by Spiwak

Whoa. That's incredible. Does that mean that the senior thesis will be a longer (i.e. >30 min) production. Because that would be very....hardcore is really the best word for it.

Yeah I even think that's a requiment, that it be a feature length film/documentary. When I meant they get a cinema release ofcourse keep in mind select cinemas, but still that's like atleast fifty around the country (for a country our size that's alot ) or something, although some even make it to a wide release and/or TV. From what I was told, I'll be working with small 5-10 people teams (director, cinematographer, editing, sound, fx etc.) throughout four years (ofcourse the teams change all the time, so that eventually you will have done a project with everyone in your grade at the academy, and some senior graders). I've seen bits of a couple of senior end projects, and they looked very professional (in fact, if you didn't know better you'd think they were done by professionals in the industry). That's why I really want to go there, but I have to be realistic and consider that it might not happen this year (no matter, just travel/write/direct/film in the meantime and try again next year, I'm still young ). Honestly, when I was there for the two 'open days' I really got a buzz about going into this academy (and eventually business), it was like a really nice high about my future or something, I can't describe it, I love film