FILMMAKING AND FILM STUDENTS- My View

One of the things I've always been interested in is to work and be surrounded with people with passion, at least people with my same interests.

I've always looked for cool and interesting people to work with. In the biz I always wanted to learn from the best...so I went out and looked for the best. And always...I felt that INSANE desire of shooting in film ( and playing music too).

There was always a desire for knowledge, to get better at something, to learn from a good source, etc. To hell with whatever wall was placed in front of me, no matter how hard...I would climb it and conquer.

I have the privilege of teaching Cinematography, what I consider the BASIS of filmmaking. The art of blocking, framing, lighting and bringing the story written on the page into the screen. This is it.... where the magic happens.

Any director that seriously calls himself or herself a Director NEEDS to know these concepts.

I would assume the students that come to these classes I teach have at least...a little interest in the subject. In fact, me being me, I expect everyone to be insanely fanatic about the subject.

But the reality is that not everyone is going to be interested, and that's ok. But in my situation, not many are interested!!!.and this is before any teacher utters a word.

Of course, there are always exceptions...out of 100 I usually get at least 5 to 10 jewels. Great students that ASK the right questions and that truly look to learn as much as they can. SPONGES, enthusiastic and full of drive. Those people make the process worthwhile. SO I AM NOT TALKING BAD ABOUT THOSE PEOPLE AT ALL, lets be clear about this part.

I understand if Cinematography is not your thing...honest I really do, but this is filmmaking and you cannot avoid reality.

It seems to me that the new generation of film students going to a film school are more full of complaints that of actions. Quentin Tarantino once said...: " In film school you have Film MAKERS and Film FANS.." Not many want to do the hard work.

In the past I've invited an average of 50 to 60 students to shoots to end up with 3 to 4 left the following day. As soon as they realize it's work, they vanish.

I see film fans everyday, not many filmmakers.

It seems that the majority wants everything served to them, but not many want to go out and practice, polish their skills, fill the remaining 50% they won't get in school.

I am confronted at times with a class that sits in front of a HD or 35mm camera and cannot wait to leave the class and go home. When I was in my early 20's I was prepared to kill and go to prison if I had to in order to touch a 35mm camera!

I have students that fail to realize that life is short and the time of action is NOW. They come to me and tell me they will direct when they leave school. But yet I see more and more of them working eventually at Taco Bell.

PASSION AND LOVE for the craft. If you don't have it, accept it, know it and don't waste your time. Or mine.

That passion that drives people like Tony Scott, Robert Rodriguez, Quentin Tarantino and Wes Anderson and many more dedicated filmmakers seems lost.

It seems easy to complain and blame something else, and (like I've been guilty of in the past) many fail to put that giant mirror in front of them and confront the truth.

And as professional I face week after week countless of clueless directors that are unable to simply block a scene. They just turn to me and ask me to make it look pretty. Then I see those same directors get fired, and fade away.

For the future filmmakers reading this, the ones in school, here are some tips:

-You have to love this, really love it, like you cannot leave without it. Like sex, like breathing, like eating.

-You have to practice, if you don't have a film camera, take still pictures (even if its a "Tickle Me Elmo" shitty Fisher Price Camera), practice framing, practice blocking, just go out and practice some part of the craft.
Go out, right now, do something about your career.

(and this goes for the actors too, you know the ones that woke up one day and decided to do acting, and then only go for the lead role without a clue, experience or study, its a CRAFT, study it!!!!)

-Learn to observe, look how lighting affects people, faces, structures. be aware of your surroundings. There, "its a dude putting gas on his car tank"...how would you block or frame this scene?, how?

-Watch older films, not just the new crapfest on the new release section in Blockbuster. Most films now days look and feel the same (not all but the majority). SEE Hitchcock, Kubrick, dePalma, Lumet, Scorcese, Scott, Cronenberg, etc, compare those to other filmmakers, take notes, how does one person block versus the other one, what made them different?. How do they tell a story versus the other filmmaker?

Its like an athlete getting ready for the Olympics, you have to eat the right food and nutrients.

-Never cease to be excited about filmmaking. What can you do TODAY to enhance or improve your skills?, ask that always.

Among students I constantly hear..."well, they never told us that or this, etc..."...oh well:

Mr. Sean Connery in THE ROCK said it best:
"LOSERS ALWAYS WHINE ABOUT GIVING THEIR BEST...WINNERS GO HOME AND FUCK THE PROM QUEEN"

I think, when it comes to life and to film, that sums it all perfectly.

Thanks

Jose