Post by John Gone on May 13, 2008 23:33:20 GMT -5
Of all the professors and instructors I've had since getting to college, Dr. Carson is by far my favorite. I've had her for three classes, including my first filmmaking class. I burned copies of DVDs of my Video and Film final projects for Dr. Carson and asked for feedback. Tonight I got an e-mail back (links provided by me to the movies in question):
"Hi, Stephen. I finally finished grades and have had a chance to watch your films. WOW.
First, "What Why" is fantastic! I love everything about it--the camera angles, the music, the editing, and the ideas most of all. I thought of Dali, of Deren, and of lots of other great avant-garde artists. This is an absolutely wonderful film that I could watch multiple times. I did wonder what those cars going by probably thought as you were shooting. Great work!
"No Exit"--Very well executed, even the darkness of some of the scenes in the parking garage work fine since it's a horror film and that increases the mood. I wanted some kind of twist at the end, for her to do something outrageous like be a black belt in karate or something like that. Still everything works well from his measured walking to her franticness, from the music and sound to the pacing of the scenes.
Your work is just terrific! I'm so delighted that you gave me the DVDs so I could see these. What's up next? I know you're taking the summer off from classes, a good idea to catch your breath. I'm so impressed by what you've done this semester. You have the theory, the concepts, the insight and the technical expertise to realize what your wonderful imagination creates.
Let me know how and what you're doing. Diane"
If I had to choose between getting A's in the class or getting feedback like that from someone like her, whose opinion on film I hold higher than most anybody else, I would pick the latter. Good grades show that I can get good grades, but something like this shows that I can make a good movie. Someone with a friggen PHD in film production using phrases like "techincal expertise" to describe your work means you must be doing something right.
"Hi, Stephen. I finally finished grades and have had a chance to watch your films. WOW.
First, "What Why" is fantastic! I love everything about it--the camera angles, the music, the editing, and the ideas most of all. I thought of Dali, of Deren, and of lots of other great avant-garde artists. This is an absolutely wonderful film that I could watch multiple times. I did wonder what those cars going by probably thought as you were shooting. Great work!
"No Exit"--Very well executed, even the darkness of some of the scenes in the parking garage work fine since it's a horror film and that increases the mood. I wanted some kind of twist at the end, for her to do something outrageous like be a black belt in karate or something like that. Still everything works well from his measured walking to her franticness, from the music and sound to the pacing of the scenes.
Your work is just terrific! I'm so delighted that you gave me the DVDs so I could see these. What's up next? I know you're taking the summer off from classes, a good idea to catch your breath. I'm so impressed by what you've done this semester. You have the theory, the concepts, the insight and the technical expertise to realize what your wonderful imagination creates.
Let me know how and what you're doing. Diane"
If I had to choose between getting A's in the class or getting feedback like that from someone like her, whose opinion on film I hold higher than most anybody else, I would pick the latter. Good grades show that I can get good grades, but something like this shows that I can make a good movie. Someone with a friggen PHD in film production using phrases like "techincal expertise" to describe your work means you must be doing something right.
