Ch-ch-ch-ch-changes. Many new things on the near horizon. Looks like most of my summer will be spent watching movies. I get to develop a film and filmmaking class for this coming year. I'd like for the students to learn to appreciate good films and aspire to make them. With so many great indie films out there now, a filmmaker doesn't have to sell out to the masses to get a formulaic work of sap produced by one of the larger companies. Why not just make what you want, make it yourself? I'm going to be selecting certain films that highlight different aspects of the process: examples of good story, examples of a genre, or good directing.

I'm also teaching myself a crash course in how to teach the technology of filmmaking. I don't want the kids to get too bogged down in how to operate the equipment (unless, of course, that's what they want). I really want them to learn the art of making movies, short films, and videos. That aspect of the process is the most important. If you look at the spectrum of films that you would say are your favorites, there's an artistic thread that runs through all of them. Something, a theme, lighting, a character, or actor. Something that ties them all together in your mind's eye.

I also need to learn the pedagogy of criticism. Everyone's a critic, but I want the students to learn to criticize film more analytically. To be able to recognize and then verbalize what they like and don't like about movies. They don't need to become a Roger Ebert, but they need to develop that eye for the art form.

Hopefully, we will be able to buy enough basic equipment to get the class started and build something really great for the future. Right now I'm embroiled in the chaos of developing a prospectus on what we need vs. what we can afford to buy. Every teacher deals with that in some way, but this is a whole new venture for me. I'm not sure what additional things we may need when we get started.

So, off to do more research. It should be a busy summer.
Time may change me, but I can't trace time...

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