Long days for Week 3

So because of Labor day my one class on monday was pushed to tuesday. So yesterday I had a full day of classes. Starting off at 9am I was in my BTL lab learning about all the equipment that comes on the grip truck. We were out on the loading dock and Josh showed us the C-stands, which hold various things and the different lights. We also got to set up a dolly which was pretty cool. You pull out track and piece it together and then once the entire track is level you lift the dolly and place it on the track. We got out kinda early from that. I didn't bring my lunch so Instead I walked to Mr. Robotos, a habachi place. For like 9 dollars you can get a huge meal of a side salad with enough rice to feed a small family and three breasts of chicken. Top it off with their yum yum sauce and its delicious. I always split it in half before I eat though so I can take half home. You see the appeal of that for a day like today- I didn't have to bring two meals because I could just eat leftovers from my huge lunch.

On the way back from Roboto's, my friend Jon called me. Jon tried three times to get into the film school but sadly they didn't take him. So instead he decided to go into media production which he thinks is better than the film school. But when he called me on tuesday we met up and he showed me around the media production offices (which are next door to the film school don't cha know?). They have a lot of really nice stuff but I'm personally am still glad that I'm in the film school- we don't need to compete for attention like they have to in media production.

After the tour with Jon I went into my editing lab.

I was editing my weekend project. Basically Andrew gave us a scene that was about one character giving another character a tour of a space. It went like this:

-the living room

-very nice

-the couch

-lovely

-the table

-exquisite

-the fruit bowl

-outstanding

-the bedroom

-theres only one bed

-perhaps you'd like to watch tv while i take a shower?

end scene.

I knew everyone was going to make it really sexual so I decided to make it about a realtor who was really desperate to make a sale that she would even sleep with her client to sell the place.

I remembered that when I filmed it everything went well but in post, when my character said the line about the shower it didn't have the sort of 'i'm so desperate that i'll sleep with you' tone.

So I was like: crap. what was i going to do? i mean my weekend project tanked last week so i really needed to do good.

So here was my solution: suddenly this scene was going to be a scene form a realtor training video. so at random times text would pop up with little tips about what not to do when selling an apartment. so the punch lines came from text that said "DON'T use the shower as an excuse to entice your client into bed" after the shower line.

After that save I was very satisfied with how it came out.

again we got out early and so I just had to bide my time until genres class where we were going to watch night of the living dead. I just decided to eat my leftovers and play on the computer a bit.

In genres we watched night of the living dead which i was originally terrified of. but in the end i was surprised at how much i enjoyed the movie. I really don't like horror but this i could defiantly deal with.

Today was wednesday and we showed our weekend projects. Everyones projects were really good and I was surprised at what a good response mine got. Andrew liked how I utilized the 180 line and i believe he also liked what I did in order to save the ending. So that was a blast! Then we had our filmmaking lecture class where we talked about movement and how to direct the audience's eye towards what we want them to see. we did exercises again to demonstrate that we got the point and when I was with my group I decided to give out suggestions which I normally don't do. After the first shot was taken I suggested that we try a different angle. It turned out pretty well. We ended up taking four shots, two of them by me and when it came time to show one shot my group chose mine as the best example. It felt so good- especially since I had suggested it as a side note and it turned out to be the one we showed. I don't think it was the best one by far, but it was nice for the confidence boost.

I just need to stay strong and keep reminding myself that I am a student and that I am still learning. Its okay to make mistakes and ask questions. Its hard to think that way, but I'm trying to condition myself.

First Two days...

End of day 2 and I am so tired- but let me back track.

DAY 1

woke up at 7:30 to shower and to drive to campus and get a parking spot. went to the gym. ran some errands but class isn't until 2:15 so i'll just chill in the AC. I'm so crazy about getting to things early so I get to class at 1:55..... but thankfully my friend Myranda was there waiting for me and so was 1/2 of my track/class/group so we all went into the soundstage where Joshua (Professor for the lab- i guess) basically pointed out the basics of lighting equipment. This class is called BTL Lab aka Below the Line Lab aka most of the technical work in a film class. So we're going to learn how to drive a truck, set up the camera, set up lights, checkout equipment etc. It was the first day and I'm naturally timid at first when I don't know the mood of the group of in- which means I don't ask questions. So this entire lighting demonstration I didn't understand half of but I believe Joshua was just treating it like a "heres the basics and what I expect to see when you're checking out equipment- other than that you'll learn on the job" sort of thing.

It was supposed to last till 6 but he let us out at 4 and I sped home to hang out with my recently engaged roommate and watch Sunday's episode of TrueBlood

Next week in BTL Lab we're going to be registering for truck courses etc.- I am so scared about driving a truck. Reasons: 1. Its Big. 2. If we get into an accident, even if we are blameless, we have to pay for all damages to the truck and the equipment inside it (a $90,000 camera!!) 3. trucks scare me when the drive by or when they're next to me on the road.

But so I called my parents and gabbed all about my first day and I read them out my supply list which has wrenches and screwdrivers and other handy dandy electrical tools that my Dad has in our garage. He said he'd look and see if he could send me doubles- because that would save me alot of money and why buy new when you have perfectly good ones at home? I also asked him for power tools for Christmas (so that I don't have to rent tools to build sets) which I thought was pretty humorous but he didn't laugh..... maybe he was tired.

DAY 2

Today started at the same time as yesterday. 2pm for Edit Lab.

I decided that instead of getting up early to get a parking spot and going to the gym I'd sleep in (plus I was sore from yesterday). But it was tough finding parking- I had to park three blocks away from the stadium- which was bad because I was going to get out of class at 10pm and that area is not well lit. Thankfully when that time came Paige and her BF gave me a ride to my car so I didn't have to walk in the dark. Bless them.

Edit Lab was fun. We're using FCP which I'm used too so Ian (I believe that was our prof's name- he's Alum of the FS) was teaching us the basics of the program so we can edit our weekend projects. I've been using FC Express all summer and three years in High School so this was a boring review for me. Ian went kinda fast and later I learned that some people were really struggling with it so I kinda kicked my ego and told myself to stop boasting and to help others out instead. I mean I helped my neighbors when they asked me but I just kinda felt prideful when I heard that- and thats not too good. Ian then showed us a movie called "The Cutting Edge" which was all about the history and significance of film editing featuring a cameo from my fav filmmaker Tarintino (sarcasm hand raised).

Edit lab was over at 5 (again, it was supposed to end at 6) and we broke for dinner because we had Genres & Filmmakers class at 7 with my History of Film teacher from last semester. I had brought my dinner in my Disney Princess lunchbox as had my friends Paige and Myranda (not and Disney Princess lunchboxes- but theirs were cool too). We also got to eat with one of the transfers into our class who I hadn't met before- her name was Lexa- and yes I did just look at my FBK in order to remember her name. we all just talked about how we got in and that little adventure. Lexa got in on her third try- so she's a year older than me- but Paige told her that we were the social rejects of our film class so hopefully that doesn't discourage Lexa because I'd like to get to know her more- she seems really cool.

Everyone came back around 615 and us four girls were in the screening room by 630ish- and it was COLD!!!

So my Prof from last semester's History class, Andrew, is my teacher for this class. My friend Josh (not Prof Joshua but Josh Smooha and I might refer to him as Smooha...) came and sat down next to me. Josh was in my History class last semester too so when Andrew started his powerpoint we were laughing about how some of the things on his ppt were copied and pasted from his other ppt- which is fine but it was just funny. We're going to focus on American Independent Cinema in this class as we look at historical and present independents to discover what really makes a film 'independent.' we then proceeded to watch a film called 'Medicine for Melancholy' a film about a one night stand that turns into a two night stand. Apparently a boat load of our Alum made it. It was good but Myranda and I agreed that it was a little dry and I came out of it with a large headache because the last shot was so unfocused and moved around so much I was getting sick. But class ended at 945ish and I went straight home because I am beat.

Tomorrow I have two more classes with Prof Andrew all about Production- but the first one starts at 9am and ends at 1245 and the second one starts at 2 and ends at 6 again.

In conclusion: Tomorrow is going to be a LONNNNNGGGG day.