Updates
I'm okay. The column's a week late but I'm okay. Had to fly back to the East Coast to help
a cousin open a restaurant. The restaurant is up and going and everyone is happy.
Two weeks ago, a production company approached me via email about one of my scripts, Above
Paradise. Lets call the company, BUMPY. Bumpy read the script on Triggerstreet.com.
This site started in November 2002 by Kevin Spacey and accepts short films and scripts. People read
and review each other's work. Pretty good idea, don't ya think?
Anyway, Bumpy read the script and wanted a hard copy for further consideration. That was two
weeks ago. We'll see what happens.
Next week, Jon, co-writer of Above Paradise and I are going to flood Hollywood with
query letters of our work. Hopefully, this will lead to some interest and meetings. Both of
us have been in a lazy trance.
Year two of Film school
Like I mentioned last week, this version of film school is from my second year at the Academy
of Art. Your version of film school might and will be different. Good for you.
After the first year of learning the basics and foundation of film, the second year is where
you get to use some of those skills and built on it. Now you won't be shooting 35mm just yet,
but this year will bring you closer to being called a filmmaker.
For writers, this year brings you to screenwriting 2, where you have to create two 30-page
scripts. They have to be complete 3 act scripts. This is the class where you make or break
as a writer. If you can't hack it in here, than let the dream go.
For editors, you'll be playing with Media 100s and Final Cut Pro. Now the school lets freshmen
play with Final Cut Pro. But I had to deal with tape to tape editing and than Media 100.
Media 100 was my first foray into digital editing. The biggest difference is that tape to
tape is linear and Media 100 works on a time line and you can click and drag your digital
footage. The biggest pain in tape to tape was everything had to be done in order from
beginning to end. Media 100 can be edited from anytime in the time line.
Director of Photographers will be taking lighting classes. The stuff you learned in Color
and Design will be applied here. You will learn to paint with colors.
Actors will be dealing with cold readings and auditions. The last time I checked, they added
a movement and voice class. Which is a great idea, an actor needs to be in control of his
voice and body.
Now to the best class I've ever taken in film school, Motion Picture and Language. This class
forces you to create two pieces of short film from scratch. You have to conceptualize,
produce, write, cast, light, shoot and edit a short film and documentary. You're given six
weeks to shoot a documentary. Right after that, you have another six weeks to shoot a short.
This may sound easy and fun but on top of all your other work, this can become a full time
job.
This class is usually taken together with an editing class. The teachers' let you hand in
one project for two classes. So your editing project can be your short film. Otherwise,
there's no way you can pull off.
No one told you but film school is expensive. In liberal arts classes, you have expenses for
books. In film school, you have to pay for everything from film gels to catering food for
your cast and crew. The bill can run pretty high.
I talked to a recent Boston University grad and she mentioned that her film experience
consisted of theory classes and one production class. At the Academy, you are in production
from the third semester on and every semester had a production class.
That's probably the best thing about the Academy of Art, they let you shoot and work together
with your peers. This is how you build your cast and crew and where you first begin to
network.
Next time - Year three.
Written by Charlie Cheng
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