What I'm Reading: What They Don't Teach You at Film School.

I'm rereading What They Don't Teach You at Film School. Something It's a lot different to read at 23. I started reading it at 15 and didn't understand. Now that I'm past film school I am able to reread it in a better understand. Also being a film school "non" chosen one, it's more relatable.

Writen by Camille Landau and Tiare White

cupcakes

Baked cupcakes today for N0T0X's gallery party tomorrow. I baked yellow cupcakes made with dairy and chocolate vegan cupcakes. Most people make the mistake of opening up the oven in the first few minutes of the baking but it's important to let them bake in peace. The prime time is in the first ten. Also people try icing the cupcake right after their out of the oven but they need at a minimum of an hour to cool off.

The Bookstore Interview

Went to a job interview at a bookstore yesterday. I found out that day that the interview was in 2 hours. Last minute enough I made it to the interview. It was a group interview which was cool but also really long. The interview took 2 hours. Some people are real chatter boxes when it comes to these things. I found a nice happy medium that answered the question specifically enough to make it unique but different enough to be rememberable. The good part about the group interview is that it gives you time to think about your answer. Although the most rememberable are the first and last.

I think most of the people in the group were writers. I found this to be amusing.

Happy Happy Hipster

I've decided to go on sporadic trips to random places. Yesterday I had dinner with a great college friend in DC. Tonight I watched up in coming stand up acts in Chicago. Who needs a road trip when you can jet set? Next month I am going to Rio and my country of birth. Feels good to be American and it's time to start seeing America in a new way. In the way of a recent college grad who went to film school. I learned how to see light differently so my travels and perspective on life have changed accordingly. I can wait for what I'll see for the rest of today and the rest of tomorrow.

I have a vision that one day humankind will be equal and that children won't be afraid of their teacher.

FSU Film

FSU just sent me my two student films. They are being uploaded to my FACEBOOK account. If you wish to watch them for free please add me as a friend.

Thank you.

RED ONE

I have directed and DP'd four films each on film and RED. As a student I found RED to be more useful. Old school Hollywood still wants to shoot on film but the cost of film is too much. It ruins the environment with a lot of chemicals and you can't see instantly what just happened. Sure it has it's bugs but RED is the future of filmmaking or really motion picture. Sure it might look better because of the grain but is it worth ruining the environment for? I think not.

Being an Intern

Why don't the university's within help their students fine paid jobs?

Interning is a waste of money or possibly a great investment... It depends on who you work for.

The school DOESN'T help you get the internships. Sometimes the classified ads get to you weeks after they were posted. If you are smart you'll google how to get it for free ahead of the other students in your class.

The internships are always upaid. In fact you are required to pay X-amount in "credit" to be an intern. The minute you get to be an intern you get treated really bad. Maybe the heads of the office don't realize what they are doing but every internship there was that person who gave me stupid tasks to do.

Internships are abusive mentally at times. If you do well they push you harder. Almost as if you need to pass the hazing test before you get the OKAY to go to another company as an assistant because your company won't hire you.

The point is that a student from a poor or middle class family has little to no chance of being successful without going the internship route.

Even harder for the student who can't afford to be an intern. That student gets more in debt. They have to take out more student loan, borrow more money and work up to 3 jobs just to make rent.

Once there was an assistant who sat me down and was questioning what I wanted to do. Clearly as an intern you don't know but I had an idea. I want to be a director. I logically went to two top agencies as an intern. I wanted to learn how the office works, how they pick writers, how they pick scripts, and what is needed for successful producing.

The office isn't my place I learned. That took me 4 internships to learn that. I've decided to go back to school pay $40,000 to attend a private school that has a big name. A name bigger than Florida State University "film school"

In a year I'll have a MA, hopefully a job with summer vacations. This is great too because I will be able to direct my own financed work.

Live your Life

Everybody is always worried about tomorrow... Forget tomorrow live in today and forget what happened yesterday. It's all nonsense anyway.

"Soul Controller" Game Night

Off to go to a Game Night in which the video game playing is done while you listen to some jams. Pretty excited because it's two really cool things and in a social environment instead of at home alone. Kind of reminds me of Hackers the movie. There's a lot of colleges around here so the mix at these turn outs it's always interesting to me. I wonder how they find out or know about events. I know how I find them (online).

Chill W/ John Simmons & DJ Form

Tuesdays @smartbar they have chill downtempo, trip hop, & raregrooves. John Simmons is a local resident dj @smartbar both these guys spin some amazing tracks. They are streaming live from 9pm till around 4am for the late nighters who want something different to listen to.

I'm really enjoying it and listening to it now as I type this blog. I took down a lot of notes to myself during the show and found this music to be intellectually stimulating.

If you can keep up with the licks, ticks, tricks, and spicks of these guys you are in for a treat. It blew my bean to sit/stand in front of these guys and try to comprehend how they even begin to learn how to dj. These guys get really into the show live and are like painters on their boards.

Watching this is like watching a different type of music being created. Almost like the alien from Men in Black that can do a million cameras at once. It's like that except with little nubs and nobs. Sometimes they have cool alien beeps and boops.

I love this stuff.

I am sober as I have been for 60 days and must say that the good old H2O is still needed because you get into the grooves and can't help but to bop your head.

Again this is John Simmons & DJ Form if you are tuning in and experiencing this new type of music now.

DJ John Simmons

Censorship of teachers online.

I heard via email at my college that there was a teach let go for some statement they made online. To me that is breaking the freedom of speech rule isn't it? I feel that so long as you are not telling your students to read what you write or where to read it that it is your right as a United State Citizen to have freedom of speech. With of course the exception to defamation of character. I have been a victim to defamation of character numerous times. The Students have the right to research their professors and teachers and in honesty should so that they learn who it is they are learning from and where it is they have been. I for one looked up every professor before I decided in 7th grade that I wanted to attend Florida State University. What I didn't do is look up each of their films and what they have worked on. Something I learned in college. It's important to know who is teaching you so that you are not just being spoon fed.

What I do is I report what I see. I like facts and trumors.

I also have horrible grammar but we are all flawed as humanoids.

I'm listening to some Low End Theory on the greenline to the burbs. About to purchase spray paint and glue for my mix media project. It shall be interesting combo. My art theme is UpCycle. Stay tuned kids. Lots of empty acidicsoda cans. Don't worry the content is not going to waste.

Started a mix media canvas today. Spray paint, glue, & retro things.

Can you turn your music down...

Yes. Sorry I was being HEALTHY in surround sound. Working out is easy to get into if you have loud music playing. Bye Bye Toxins.

Some people are blessed with intelligence but have issues explaining what they are doing and why. Think of every genius in history! Most of them vegetarian, artist, thinkers, and all around imaginers. This is a crazy world we live in.

Rx kind of scare me a lot. It feels like Alice in Wonderland. Drink this, eat this pill with that pill. Can't sleep? Here is this pill with these two pills because it might make you shakey. Don't worry these are legal. Oh you can't leave the hospital until you have a new doctor. No you can't researh while you are in the hospital. Here's our doctor! There great. Seriously.

Mailing labels are pretty awesome. You get a ton for cheap and can color on them. They make really great stickers. I've been doing sticker cartoon graffiti because it's non-toxic makes people smile and can easily be removed by the popo. It's like a compulsive thing. I can't help to put smiley stickers on everything! Also fun idea is using coloring book print puts from Disney's website And printing them on mailing labels. That way when you stick it, it's like a puzzle to put back together.

Are you hip enough for the midwest HIPSTERS!?!

The hipster scene out here isn't as friendly as in Florida or LA. Yesterday I went to my first dance party and already had three nicknames by the end of the night. I'm all like what? I just am here for the music and to chill.

One nickname was American Apparel Girl... I'm all like Yeah! I'm in all American Apparel... I've been wearing it since high school. Duh. Super soft, eco-friendly, stands for everything I stand for, and made in downtown LA. Why Wouldn't I?

They play spin the bottle... Not really a fan of that. I was all like... mono... excuse me while I use my hand santizer and cough into my arm (elbow pit).

I even put the button from that day on my bag... I don't care JUDGE me Chicago hipsters. I'm just here to listen to your cool music and blog about it. I even used a Hipster PDA (in an oxford holder because those are cooler and more appropriate).

Thank you Merlin Mann (Awesome dude...)

Jibberish Poem 2G

Sometimes

You’ve

Got to just stay

FOREVER

YOUNG....

I love Bobs

Bob Dylan,

Bob Marley,

Bob that computer dude that used to work for my dad.

When life gives you rusty...

...spray paint it flamingo pink.

My BMX (hand me down) bike is rusty. Took it to the shop to get a safety check (around $20) than picked up some spray paint (Flamingo Pink) from the Burbs (Suburbs).

I am spraying it because people love to steal bikes. If you have it spray painted it doesn't show off the label or brand.

Maybe when I get back to Cali I'll jump into the BMX scene.

Detoxic yourself

D A N C E it out.

I hit the clubs and all I drink it water.

H2O that chemical that is natural and we are made of it.

Listening to some sweet sweating beats helps you move your body, builds the endorphins, muscles, and removes toxic chemicals from your body.

A Chicago DJ @BenBrownDJ uses his music to save lives... and it does. He just tweeted this "Off to sweat out every toxin from my body for the next 1.5 hours."

Even if you hit the gym throw on some new electronic. Dubstep, minimal, electronica, rock, or jazz it doesn't matter. Do whatever gets your heart racing like it's at the track.

Etiquette In The Club Part 1

One of the things that gets under my skin is when people are rude.

Here's what I think is rude; throwing cans and yelling at DJs.

What happened to the classy days where you could see a live show dance and not have these things happen?

Last night a girl threw a can than continued to kick it. I was thinking to myself that isn't very lady like. What is lady like? Well to me lady like is caring at the very minimum. My issue was that there was a guy cleaning up tables all night. He has to clean up after her. Sure he gets paid but it's still rude and takes a 30 seconds to put your cup on the table. The can thing is a safety issue to. Do you not care about the people around you? Sadly most people would say no.

Yelling at DJs... So many drunk people do this. There's a quote about "I don't go into your office and yell at you." Ditto to that. These guys work really hard to keep your beats, bass, and heart bumping the least you can do is shut up and let them work their magic. Most DJs if they see you sitting out will try to spin you up. They know their audience and want them to be ignited. You don't have to but I always try to Thank them. If it's a free show sometimes these guys do not get paid. They are doing you a service by playing. Least you can do is shout out a Thank You. Sometimes adding them on FaceBook or Myspace and saying Thank You on there works too.

In time of depression we should at the very least be thankful for what we have.

On my way to the hideout. Always a great dance party. Really love that the dj booth has clouds and sparkles over it. Totally the hipster's watering hole out here.

Forget Beer Goggles...

My thesis film SPRAYED has the effect of being on a drug - the illegal aspects. See what REALLY happens when you over indulge and make a deal with the devil.

To Quote A Quote

One of the alumni I look up to recently quoted a lot of quotes I relate to but it would be just creepy to like them all. Instead I am going to blog one of the quotes.

"All you need for a movie is a gun and a girl." - Godard

So here's my riddle for you: A film school girl... with guns (arms they are little though) makes a sexy movie with a girl and lots of guys with real guns... so what do you have?

A MOVIE!!!

Forget censorship.

People want sexy, they want funny, and they certainly want guns. My thesis film SPRAYED has it all.

Sure it has a weak ending but what film student's thesis is perfect?

Film School Punkette

Just like Kermit says it isn't easy being green. It also isn't easy being a punk. Certainly not easy being a punkette.

Sometimes you just go with your gut feeling on films and hope people will get it. If they don't oh well. If you asked me now I could explain everything I was thinking when I did each film. Nobody ever asked so I guess they'll never know.

When you are on the internet all night because of insomnia you tend to learn a lot more than the other kids.

I held an Oscar just like the rest of the class did. I didn't want to because I was afraid of breaking it. They are heavy. Stuart made us email a photo of it to our parents. My mom loved that.

I think I blogged about how upset I was with film school because they never backed up any of my films. Despite the fact that I made an art car and gave it my all. When I needed help with an internship I didn't get any help from them. I found them all on my own. Sure the name helps but it was a real disappointment.

The entire staff knew I was in the hospital and only one professor (my mentor) called to make sure I was alright.

Sigh.

Ken Burns Effect

is back!

music + film

As at our film school parties the people out here love video with their dj music. It gives the people something to look at when they are dancing. The films playing were documentry style of old archive footage. I liked it a lot.

Tune Question? Friday Night Baby.

Friday night lineup is very good. What to pick? That is the true question. Lots of amazing free music. Grabbed a copy of the Red Eye and am going to pick the best. Will blog about music and my fav moment musically speaking. Stay Tuned!

What is new? (Music)

What's hot in the world of music?

Dub... SmartBar Chicago has Dub nights on Thursday. Let me tell you... it's all about the dub step right now.

People line up in 30* feels like 10* for them dubs.

Here's what I saw last night:

CASPA featuring ROD AZLAN

CHRIS WIDMAN

PHADED

MC ZULU

What to expect if you go to a DubStep show:

Lots of drugged and drunk people.

Age range is complex the shows are 21+ but everybody loves the dub right now so don't be shocked if people are around 35.

Dancing is odd but you just got to flow with the grooves.

If you are the anxious type don't dance too much people will think you are on something. That's okay... right? Who cares what they think.

Keywords:

Glowsticks...

Zombies...

Blow Horns...

Face.

Description of my favorite part of the night:

"Enjoying the electric ambient touches of cool and warm beats. Lots of bass which I'm really digging right now. Repetitive interactions of synths makes the grooves super approachable towards listening to the clever lyrics."

Jibberish Poem 1E

Play with toys,

paste,

ice cream?

Is this the heaven internship?

Still unpaid...

Would do

"play with toys and hd video camera"

for free

anyway.

Thank you!

JACQUEEEEEEEEE

There's that YouTube video where the guy in drag says Jackie a lot. My friend david and I used to jokingly do this to each other so today I recorded a I miss you via the real JACQUE.

Bass Electric Guitar

I've been trying really hard to learn bass.

I've started with Only In Dreams by Weezer.

Improving is kind of fun.

I've written a few bass lines already.

No Spray Paint!

In the city of Chicago... just learned this today when I went to get flamingo pink to give my bike a make over. Bummer. Good thing I live on the edge of Chicago and close enough to the suburbs.

What a silly thing. If they want to avoid spray painted graffiti they should just commission murals. Problem solved, jobs, beautiful artwork, and peace.

What....

What is this a lightswitch rave? Yes. Yes. Yes, it is. Lights out everybody.

First Day of My New Life

Just moved to Chicago, the "Windy City..." Though it is windy, it is not really called the windy city because of it's weather.

Attached is my doodle. The words are a randomized poem.

The doodle is done while listening to the radio so the emotions are according to pop music.

A Jibberish Poem: 1A

Stuck while confused,

Twisted while used.

If ever an action,

If ever a pain,

Blown in the wind,

Stuck in with your sin.

Up Against the Wall

You learn the most about yourself when you are pushed against the wall. Sometimes it’s hard to see your friends in a cloud of smoke. You have to blow it away to see that perhaps the people you think are you friends are in reality just pawns in your chess game. There’s nothing wrong with pawn as you need them to play. They shouldn’t be ignored either because if they are you can create wrong moves. Like a game of chess it’s all about how swift and suave you maneuver around. It’s also a reality that you might not win every game... even the best aren’t perfect.