Right. We're a good, what, five weeks into our 'real' classes at RSAMD now (Creative Beginnings doesn't count a mon avis) so I figure it's time for a lil reflection. And not just because Andy mentioned something about a blog assessment....
Anyways. It seems like we've been here at the good ol' Academy for ages now, even though it's only been a couple of months. But at the same time, it's also scarily close to Christmas and it's dawning on me we're only a couple of weeks away from the end of term. I.e, halfway through first year. So what have I learned from all this? Well...
When I first started at RSAMD I was interested in learning more about camera, since I'd always loved doing photography at college and thought cinematography sounded like a larf. I'd also done some veeeerrry basic editing on our video art piece for my HND, and thought I'd find it fairly easy. WRONNNGG. I didn't take into account the fact that I'm pretty much technologically retarded, and up until now I've found it kind of difficult to try and listen, take notes and follow directions at the same time... I'm rubbish at multi-tasking. In saying that I DID manage to edit a whole sequence without too much drama so maybe I'm coming along after all, albeit a bit slower than the rest...
Camera class with Ray has also been a bit of a struggle for me, mostly I think because I'm feart of the kit. When I'm holding a camera all I can think about is dropping it, or putting my foot through a monitor, or something going up in flames... Although considering I didn't even know what "calibrating a monitor" meant when I first started, I've actually learned alot more than I think. The cameras we used in college were basically regular cameras with a video function, so at times I feel a bit out of my depth. Tutorials an'that will definitely help though, and more than anything I just need to PRACTICE PRACTICE PRACTICE...
As for the rest of our classes, they're going swimmingly so far. When the course started I had no internet and was working 5 days a week to pay off my lousy flat, so I couldn't really enjoy myself and get properly into the swing of things. Since moving back home though, I've been able to focus on what's really important, and that's getting my head in the game fer real.
It's helped me to concentrate on the fairly daunting workload without the added headache of dealing with 'grown up' stuff. There's alot of aspects to the course I'd never have expected- Andy's Introduction to Cinema class, for example, has shown us the basics in getting to grips with marketing strategies and the importance of advertising/ audience awareness. Also, I now know what a producer does, which I could never fathom before. I didn't really think about 'the industry' before, maybe I was a bit caught up in the artsy-fartsy side of it but it's actually pretty interesting. Obviously once we're in the big ol' world of the film and TV industry alot of it'll be about selling wurselves and I like that we're getting a wee taster of that from the beginning.
I'm also really enjoying content origination- I didn't really go out of my way to watch much TV before (which I remember saying in my interview and immediately afterwards wishing I could cram the words back into my stupid gub). In the past few weeks though, we've been introduced to Life on Mars and Being Human, which I'd heard of, but never seen. It ain't all just watching TV though- coming up with themes and premises for shows we've watched have helped when trying to come up with ideas of my own- it ties in with writing premises for film in Richard's class. I haven't done any 'creative writing' since school and found it difficult trying to write personally, and get my mind working 'creatively' again. Learning about story structure has made it alot easier though, and it's also made it easier to understand films I've seen too...
Coming up with ideas and reading them out also forces me to be less reserved, I don't feel stupid for reading anything out loud cuz everyone else is in the same boat.
On a less academicky note, being on this course has also co-erced me into going to the picutres again. I used to go all the time, but sadly I've neglected it in recent months...
Although I've now seen more pictures since starting at the academy than I did all of last year. It helps that now I'm in a class of like-minded people who want to go watch 'em as much as me. The only problem currently is my lack of income... just wait til I get my Cineworld card for Christmas (please, Santa/ Jewish Hannukah Santa/ Mum...)- there'll be no stopping me! Also it helps with some of the wee tasks we've been asked to do, like come up with a film we want to see in the next 6 months, or the group assessments we've to do about films released in the last three.
Annyywayy. What else can I say about life at the academy? It's been great so far. I got bored of university and doing dry, dry film studies. Art at college was fun enough, but it didn't feel like the right fit. I justs didn't have the passion or enthusiasm for it. Now that I'm on the DFTV course, I actually find myself enjoying being in first thing on a Monday, and even getting up so early it's still dark doesn't faze me. Whereas at college I was always looking for an excuse to skive or leave early. Or go for coffee. Or take multiple extended cigarette breaks. It's alot of work, yeah, but it doesn't bother me- I actually ENJOY it. Even writing blogs, which I originally thought were gonna be a total chore.
On that note, I'd better leave this here before I start getting all hyperbolic and sentimental and junk. There's work to be done- and I'm sad to say this includes the dreaded dumping ground that is Moodle. Wish me luck....
I'm actually ragin' about this post, I'd re-jigged it and written a completely different second half and my effing laptop effed right up and only effing saved the first half. Then I couldn't remember what I'd written and had to make it up. For eff's sake.
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