Going to film school

There’s still a month and a half until school starts so not much is going on. To kill the time, and prepare everyone for the journey (including myself), I’ve decided to write on topics that surround my going to film school. In this case I’m talking about how I ended up going to Boston University.

The story of how I realized I wanted to become a filmmaker will have to wait for another post. I mean, this shit’s already boring enough, why would I want to lump it all into one post? Like a first sexual experience, just a little at a time…

I realized that the cubicle world wasn’t for me. Lots of drab gray fabric walls and whirring computer fans day after day. I think that was the big problem day after day. When you’re in school, or you’re working a job that isn’t a 9-5 every week is different, things get changed up, but in this case it was one week after another. The fact that some days the job I was doing was different didn’t change the fact that I was still sitting at that fucking desk. So, after 4 months there (graduated in May ‘08, started the job in June) I started the school application process.

I didn’t really have a first choice, or any choice. I just wanted to be in school doing something different than computer science. I’m big into independent film and I love the DIY approach (okay, I’ll make this part quick, because I realize explaining all of this will make for a long ass post), so some may ask “why didn’t you go out and make your opus and just fuck the film school? Kevin Smith, Robert Rodriguez, Quintin Tarantino, fuck, they all did it, why can’t you?”

For two reasons:

1) I have no friends. This isn’t completely true, but the amount of friends that live anywhere near me, and want to be in/help on one of my movies is very short. I’m really lacking actors in my life. So I was kind of on my own, and I don’t do too well of that. I like having a supporting cast.

2) I can’t write. Maybe this is getting better, but if you look at the three indie staples about, they could all write, I cannot. So school is part learning screenwriting, and possibly part collaborating with someone who can put pen to paper but wants nothing to do with a camera.

With that said, and understood, I applied. I told myself that if I didn’t get into any of the schools this year, then I was going to work on my portfolio and apply again next year. Off I was, applying to Boston University, Florid State University, and San Francisco State University, with no hope of getting into any of them. I got two rejections, and one acceptance. BU was the only school that didn’t ask for a film, and the only acceptance. Maybe I should rethink this filmmaking thing… They did ask for 3 pieces of writing and a photo story, so I was still surprised when I got the acceptance. You read their description about a photo story or a “creative narrative about yourself” and you hope that they see your creativity and position in the work you hand in. Well, BU did…or they were lacking applications, who knows? That’s where I’m going, head to head with my Film Production I teacher, Bob Arnold (a post for another day).

It didn’t take much to put me on this course. The money is steep, but I would much rather say I tried and failed than make $25k a year at a job that makes me want to kill myself. I have to say that I, personally, didn’t like the job, but others do, and as a company they are great to work for.

Fuck that now, I’m going to college.

At the time of this writing I have 5 days of work left, and 44 days until the first day of school.

Holy shit.