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Aspiring Filmmakers: To Film School or Not to Film School     
 
Education,Entertainment,Art and Culture
  
 
Often I am asked to consult with aspiring filmmakers or their families on whether or not they ought to go to film school.
I’ve found that some should and some should not!

Some need preparation to be able to get into film school. (In this case, I do what is needed to prepare them, and then deliver the person to the school.)

Some need to learn filmmaking or make their films outside the school system. (I work with this group too, to get them successfully through their projects.)

But how to decide which route to take?

Here’s an article I wrote on that recently, that may give some tips:

Filmmaking has been the fastest growing curriculum in U.S. colleges for the past 15 years.

The aspiring filmmaker should ask two questions:

Should I go to a film school?

And, if I decide to go to film school, which one should I attend?

Having taught at two of the leading film programs in the world (Art Center College of Design in Pasadena since 1976, and Cal Arts in Valencia since 1994), I’ve seen 7000+ students answer in favor of film school. And as a private consultant, I’ve seen many people answer the other way!

It seems to me that there are some points of personal values that come into play.

First, do you thrive better in a structured and demanding environment, or do you do better when on your own with full independence?

Those who need a structure with demands from the outside would most likely do better in a college or university with a set curriculum, lots of assignments and strict due dates, and some teacher and peer pressure.

–Those who feel restricted by the above, and who are highly self-motivated, might consider remaining outside of a school.

–Of course, they’d have to rent or own equipment and hire crew for their projects.

–Also, they wouldn’t get “student discounts” at the various vendors who rent production gear.

–And, finally, they wouldn’t have the advantage of school insurance (insurance MUST be maintained for any rented equipment; and Workmen’s Compensation must be carried for any on your crew, even if they’re not paid).

When evaluating which school, if any, to attend, I recommend a hard look be taken at the results the school gets with its students. Are they graduating people who enter in short order into a film industry job, or are their graduates delivering flowers and waiting on tables (both of which can be quite fun and remunerative) for very extended periods?

You might also look at the faculty and their credits. Are the teachers working filmmakers? Are they retired? Or have they never themselves worked in the film industry?

There’s nothing wrong with an intelligent theoretician, but when it comes to getting and maintaining jobs, it would be helpful to have instruction from someone who has practical experience.

Another point would be the location of the school. Is it in or near a filmmaking center (e.g., Los Angeles or New York), or is it in the sticks? While the second could provide a more peaceful study environment, the former might better prepare you for life in the trenches.

Finally, I’d assess the courses you’d need to take. Make sure there’s plenty of opportunity to see films, either in history or aesthetics classes. At the very least, make sure the school library has an excellent and full collection, and has liberal lending policies.

Also, make sure there are classes where you actually MAKE films. (It’s always shocking to me that one could get a degree in a subject and never perform the activities of that subject!)

So, my general advice is: IF YOU DECIDE TO GO TO FILM SCHOOL OR STUDY FILM IN COLLEGE, make sure there’s a satisfactory match between you and the college you choose.

THOSE WHO DECIDE NOT TO GO TO FILM SCHOOL WILL HAVE DIFFERENT CHALLENGES–I’LL TAKE THAT UP ANOTHER DAY!

Learn Scales On The Guitar     
 
Art and Culture,Music,Hobbies
  
 
The job of practicing scales on the guitar can be quite tedious. It is hard work without any immediate reward and the long term reward is kind of not very clear. There is a reason why you need to learn scales on the guitar. When you are improvising or composing guitar solos your fingers need to be able to go from one note to the next without your brain having to think about it. The end result when you learn to play scales is your mind can relax and play with musical ideas instead of needing to think, “where do my fingers go next?”
There are two ways to practice guitar scales. The first is to play as fast as you can with a maximum amount of tension and a minimum of precision. This kind of scale practice is characterized by fluffed notes and a distinct lack of improvement. The other way is to play your scales slowly and carefully, trying to keep your arms relaxed as you play. This way you are always learning something about how your body works and what you can do to improve the way your scales flow as you practice.

The major scale is a good place to start. This scale is a series of notes with a definite number of intervals or steps between each note. For a guitarist a step is one fret. The distance between D and E is one step and the distance between F sharp and G is a half step, which means G is the very next fret up from F sharp. If you are playing in the key of D, the notes of the major scale will be: D E F# G A B C# and D.

Another scale you will be seeing mentioned in guitar literature is the pentatonic scale. This scale contains five notes. The notes of the pentatonic scale are the first, second, third, fifth and sixth notes of the major scale. So the in the key of D the notes are D E F# A and B.

If you become familiar with the pentatonic scales in a few keys, you will be able to compose guitar solos using the five notes of your pentatonic scale played at various locations on the fretboard. Then it will be your turn to tell newbie guitarists the benefit of slow, careful practice when you learn guitar scales.

Canvas art and canvas prints make great Xmas gifts!     
 
Art and Culture
  
 
Canvas art will make the perfect Christmas gift for and member of your family or any of your friends. For children why not print their doodles and create canvas art they they will love and will be able to look back on for years to come. Teenagers may want their favourite football starts or other celebrities as a canvas print. Canvas Prints Online have a wonderful selection of canvas art that caters for this too. If you are lucky enough to have recently had a beautiful baby, what better way to remember this special time than to print your favourite photograph onto canvas and create some very special canvas art! If you’re also fortunate enough be enjoying the relationships between with your grand children, then show them how much you care by printing their favourite photograph and give them a canvas print this Christmas.
Canvas art pleases everyone, Canvas Prints Online have providing our customer with sensational canvas prints for many years. Our service comes with years of experience and you will not be disappointed with your memorable canvas art.

Finding the perfect Christmas present this year might well be difficult, we are all feeling the pressure of the recession and a canvas print comes at little cost. For such a special present, turning your sentimental photographs into beautiful canvas art really is that expensive. Please visit our site to see our canvas print prices and find how to create your own canvas art

Furnish Your Talents in Reputable Acting Agencies     
 
Art and Culture
  
 
Media plays an important role in the society today, what goes on in the media affects the business industry, the economy, the trends and the fashion world. Studies show that every individual gets to be affected by the media in one way or another.
There is also a lot of money involved if you are part of the media circle. If you have an in-born talent and you would like to enhance it to be able to become a star of your own right in the media industry, then you should go to a reputable acting agency to assist you.

Acting agencies boost up the confidence level of any aspiring actor or model who would like to get in the show business. Actors, actresses and models need self confidence and courage in order to perform in front of a huge crowd and acting agencies will help you obtain the right attitude for this.

The top acting agencies will even give you casting, representation and industry resource to help you get inside the show business. They will provide you with addresses and phone numbers of agents, managers and casting directors you can contact. They will schedule you with your casting calls and inform you as well of you get the part.

There are also various talent agencies in the industry today and you have to find one that will suit your needs and your budget as well. Acting agencies also have their own website, which you can research about over the internet. The sites post their contact details too so you can give them a call and inquire for yourself. There are acting agencies that will require minimal fee for their service and there are those who do it for free. Just make sure that the ones asking for minimal fee are reputable ones or else you might fall prey to scammers scouring the internet for victims.

For models out there, being represented by top model agencies is a big advantage for they will expose you to people that will help you climb your ladder to success. Top models who are represented by acting modeling agencies before are Tyra Banks, Heidi Klum and Cindy Crawford.

W12 illustrations     
 
Art and Culture,Business,Publishing
  
 
W12 illustrations
Louisa Cookson is a graduate from Glasgow school of art having studied art and architecture. She then went on to work in architecture both in Glasgow and in London over a 5 year period. She now enjoys working on her illustrations.
Local artist, Louisa Cookson, has started a collection of illustrations of the popular London borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. Her designs for cards are proving popular and she looks forward to expanding her portfolio to encompass more London boroughs.

She is available for commissions through her website:

web.me.com/louisa/cookson

She has lived in london for 5 years and still gets baffled by it’s vibrance and little pockets of madness. that’s why she has started this collection of works around my local area, w12.

She has developed her own technique for the designs, which can be applied to suit a wide range and type of work. The design for one off pieces are often then used as an interesting alternative for thank you cards or invitations to depict and commemorate the special event.

Her work is on display at Ginkgo café in Hammersmith and is also available to purchase as prints through her website above.

In particular she is interested in the idea of designing wedding thank you cards. Her designs depict the scene of the actual event and are spread across the front and back of the card, making for a perfect keep-sake and realy rounding off the whole event and giving everyone who was there the same lasting, fond image of the day.