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May 1996, Week 1

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From:
Lincoln - Fetching Pictures <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Film and TV Studies Discussion List <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Thu, 2 May 1996 22:39:19 GMT
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On Wed, 1 May 1996 12:29:26 -0400, Evan Cameron <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
 
>Filmmaking, more than most of the other arts, focuses on human beings and
>their interactions.
 
><snip>
 
this can often be true. however, what i found most disturbing about
film school was the total lack of social skills by a great many of the
professors/teachers who taught the courses.
 
i remember once getting into an argument with a screenwriting prof in
my final year of school. the argument? believe it or not it was over a
line like this:
 
"jason walks through the cafeteria with his lunch tray in hand." (my
writing)
 
the prof had put a big question mark next to it. i asked what the
problem was with the line and the man said that i didn't specify which
hand the tray was in. the script was riddled with such question marks.
i suggested that it depend on the actor cast and that stating the hand
would be irrelevant.
 
basically, the prof ended the conversation with a statement along the
lines of  "my way or the highway." i dropped the class and fought like
hell to get my money back.
 
i went to the dean of fine arts and mentioned the conversation (and
showed the script). meetings went on and on. i was busy doing my 4th
year film (which was a short feature--70 minutes) and couldn't afford
the time needed by administration to get the problem sorted out.  i
could have used that $400 (or whatever it was) for my film.
 
the man still teaches the same course, among others, to my knowledge.
 
social skills (as well as understanding and being observant) can work
wonders for a screenwriter. they can work wonders for screenwriting
profs.
 
L.
 
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