You Can’t Take That Away From Me
Of late I’ve been feeling down, and down is not the path I choose for myself. I’ve maintained writing on my personal blog, and less at CINEs. I suppose that has something to do with the fact that I am no longer employed or taking graduate classes. My dreams and livelihood were put in limbo in the most ugliest, uncomfortable way. It’s time to bounce back more so than I have been.
I’ve been job hunting like crazy, and writing. Writing helps me a lot. I’m looking forward to writing some new reviews of films or discussing aspects of cinema studies. I still love film and I absolutely love screenwriting. I didn’t stop on my dreams, and I still want my masters degree. As to what form my dreams will take is anyone’s guess. God willing, I will see myself rise from the series of actions that were beyond my control, but will come back to my control and care.
Improvement starts with creating more posts. By writing with more frequency and clarity, I can increase my productivity. I get that graduate level quality I’ve been missing for some time now. I feel the silver lining in the situation is that I have all the skills that I was taught by my graduate professors, so there’s no reason why I can’t work on my blogs, prose fiction, and screenwriting. Many can try to strip me of my integrity and dignity, but they can’t take those skills from me. Thank God for these moments where being reflective means progress.
For starters I’m editing a current short story, and will complete another I started yesterday. I will give the new story a week to “cool down” then will edit that. Will work on other projects/screenplays this week as well. part of me is like, “Go get your masters, son!” While other parts of me say, “get your writing on!” All of it is saying to me, “Get your life on track. It was always far from over.” Every day is brighter and brighter. It’s so worth the time and effort for me to write, and focus on myself. I’m 100% worth it.
The CINEs Have Begun for the Fall
As stated earlier, it’s all about world cinema, and critical concepts. I’m both excited and nervous. I did want to take the “Writing a pilot” as another class, but Cinema Studies is my priority. I can’t take three classes, as I know my stress level and ability to get work done would be compromised in a bad way. Gotta know my limits, and I sadly walk away from that class.
Been thinking of staying another year to get a degree in film & television. That’s not an easy decision. After four years of classes and work I do feel like its time to go. I have a lot to weigh on my mind. Fist I MUST finish the cinema Studies program. If I happen to take a producing, editing or more screenwriting classes along the way, I may have to settle for that.
Besides I don’t want to rename the blog, “Several Deadly FILMs.” I am Cinema Studies all the way!
Project 707: Mean Screenwriting
I still got my FILM 707 (screenwriting) project to complete. Essentially I created a screenplay for class, and was hoping for the time to reclaim and complete it. It’s a comedy, which is different for me since I LOVE sci-fi and fantasy, but the change of pace was 100% worth it for me.
I do love thinking outside the box, so it was worth developing for class. Now its worth developing as my first screenplay!
Did several rewrites, but this time I got every page of the story with some changes. I’d like to explore the possibility of getting a lot of the edits I’ve done between now and Sunday.
How I Got To Cinema Studies?
It was a trip worth taking, I must say. I made several missteps in my graduate choices. I started out as an e-learning (online) student in graphic design. While I had the skills, I preferred and in-class experience. I moved to Savannah, got a job, and contemplated my academic life. The program and I were not working out. I wasn’t satisfied. I didn’t know what I wanted.
Eventually I took a cinema study class as an elective (CINE 705). I found I love the class. My perspective changed on how to view films and what I look at in films.
I am making a concentration in screenwriting/writing in general. I took a screenwriting class and fell in love with the program. The class moved at a good pace, and we covered a lot of ground. The coolest film we saw in class has to be Fritz Lang’s Metropolis.
Also I noticed how we take our films and TV for granted. We have shows we visit on a regular basis. For me having a historical background for films will help me become a better screenwriter. For some versatility, I took writing for comics class, and am taking a business writing class this summer (starts on Monday). So far I have two screenwriting classes under my belt: Screenwriting (wrote my first screenplay), and Writing for Television, where I wrote a spec script for The Office.
The Kick-Off-Long Overdue
Pardon the sports metaphor, and the tardy post. I’m as sports savvy as a brick wall, but I’d like to use what little I do know. As the blog title suggests, I devote this blog devoted to my life in graduate school at the Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD) the Cinema Studies Master of Arts program.
I have reasons for writing this blog; for one thing I get to talk about something I’m doing that I love. Next, graduate school has been quite an adventure with several embarrassing missteps and many rewarding steps forward. I’d like this blog to be a positive experience I can share. I love to write, and now I have a reason to update on a regular basis.
What Will You Do With Your Life? Part One: Things Fall Into Place
I have one academic year left in my program. I am most nervous and excited about this prospect. It seems so far away and yet so close. I have some CINEs under my belt, and I look at my progress. What do I know?
Well last quarter I wrote one HELL of a paper on Bram Stoker’s Dracula. So far, this is my best paper for the cinema studies program. I gave it a LOT of time, consideration, and efforts. I was more than willing to push for the 15 page mark, AND I wanted to have the best paper I could have. I love a challenge.
Now I want to know my future. Working on my fourth CINE (737c – New Hollywood) and I want to know I’m heading in the right direction. A professor told me things will fall into place. I certainly hope so, but also I’d like to feel the power of the CINEs working on me.
Where am I going? Don’t know yet.
