The Fun Part

After a first full week at Flashpoint Academy, I must say it is good to be back in the swing of things (school things that is). Over the next couple of weeks, we will be introduced to a variety of technology that we will be using for filmmaking, video game design, etc. The trick is to not freak out and drop something.

What is most exciting to me is the classroom space. I originally anticipated the location being nothing more than a few white walls and some desks, but it has turned out to be an entirely different atmosphere. Keycards allow entry to every room...even the bathroom, and editing suites and cinema rooms await our projects. Theres even a screening room, where we can not only view our own films, but screen our favorite films of all time.

As I have said to pretty much everyone that has asked, there is a lot of terminology being thrown at us, but it is all for the best. In very few days we will be diving into the fun part of school....the filmmaking.

I just have to make sure some short film ideas come to mind within the next couple of days...

More as the week progresses

DM

Pictures do the Talking

Here is Flashpoint Academy's classroom space. This is only the 5th floor, and Flashpoint also has a lobby on the 1st floor and more classrooms and labs on the 6th floor. Enjoy.

More in the coming days...

DM

Here We Go...

Well here I am sitting in front of my computer, and no idea what I should write about... I do have pictures of the Flashpoint classroom facility nearing completion, so I figure i'll just post a few of those for you to look at.

Within the next week I am hoping to have some of my own photos of the classroom facility, since these are from the fine people over at Flashpoint. If you want to see the rest of the pics, just head over to flashpoint academy's website, located in the links section.

I suppose it is a little awkward returning to school, although I'm really only saying that. I haven't felt any affects of hitting the books again. Perhaps this will change over the course of the next week.
Along with preparing supplies for school and gearing up for orientation on Monday, I am hoping to get a few short film ideas out in the open. I just have to make sure they are presentable first, since most of my ideas are so unorganized at the moment.

Although, since this school is going to be a collaborative effort, perhaps a few other students wouldn't mind bouncing some ideas around the table.

Here comes the fast track.

Let the filming begin

DM

Macbook Pro

This would be the current object of my affection. Not only will I eventually need a laptop to haul around between classes and work, but buying something like this will allow me to do much more than just whip out essays and check e-mail.

While preparing to attend school as a full time student, I feel that having my work with me at all times would be an extraordinary benefit to my portfolio. After researching the possibilities of how I could make this a reality, it was pretty obvious that I needed to upgrade to a Macbook Pro since movie editing seems to be a hell of a lot easier on that.

What I hope to achieve will be the ability to film something on my camera, perhaps even something spur of the moment, and take it home and edit it within the same day. Yes, it may be farfetched for some people, but it is probably not as uncommon as you would think. I'm not saying i'll be shooting full length features, but I would like to capture a moment and be able to reproduce it online within hours of finishing the shoot. Perhaps I would even post something here on the blog.

Maybe I'm just dreaming of what I could do with a laptop. I do have a desktop that has worked great for years, and yes I have stations at Flashpoint that can assist me in my work, but I just like having my material at my side - easy to work on, where and when I want to.

So I will begin saving money, and with a student discount - and a little luck - I should hope to have one within the next couple months. I just have to remember to keep it with me always, since laptops have a knack for disappearing...

DM

Lifetime Connections Part Duex

Once again, I ponder how I will work with many of the people I will meet at Flashpoint, as well as how these relationships will pan out throughout the next several years. Beyond this, I also think about relationships I have already developed - through family.

I have 3 brothers, 2 of which are in college pursuing careers that are not so different from my own. One is nearing his final semesters as an ambitious film student, who can likely stump me with his knowledge of how to shoot on 16mm. The other is entering his sophomore year with plans to manage music - likely blues and jazz (Although I am sure he will be playing a little too).

Will I work with my brothers often in the future? I suppose that many say they can't work with family - in any profession. But perhaps it will be different for me. Only time will tell, but I can gaurantee that I will be bouncing film ideas off of them on many occasions in the future. Well, for that matter, I already do. I am constantly bothering them with my own film ideas, no matter how silly they may be. We shall see.

DM

Lifetime Connections

With the Flashpoint school year approaching fast, I can't help but think about the relationships that will develop within the next two years. Not only do I hope to create friendships that will last a lifetime, but I hope to also establish connections with various people in the industry, and not just the film industry.

It's not just about making a film. You have to connect your film to other elements of the industry. Along with the film program, the school is offering recording arts, visual effects, and video games. Recording arts is already a popular subject, and with video games and visual effects making advances every few months, I can imagine that I would be using one of them in the near future.

So these next two years will help develop not only my filmmaking skills, but it will also help me establish connections with people already in the industry, as well as people within the same program I am in. I wrote in a previous post that film is a directors vision brought to life by his/her cast and crew. Perhaps establishing connections gets that building process started. More on this later...

DM