Student Films

I've most likely griped about this but here goes...for the cheap seats...
I had the opportunity to attend a prestigious film school's student film screening. Don't ask me why, but I went.
That's when the nausea hit. These movies are made by young'ins who want to work in the movie business. My friend who invited me to the event and I are way long gone from students. For me I'm nearly double their age, and if I had to say anything to this group, it's this:
Your movies suck.
They don't suck, in that you don't know what you're doing, they suck because their full of stories without a shred of heart. Not the heart that forces you into stories you believe in, but it lacks sincerity. And I'm trying to pinpoint how you can sniff out a student film. By all means, their production value outshines mine by thousands, but really is missing is...rawness. Instead, the opt for film festival showreels. Wrong.

The thing with young people is that they are so polished. That they follow a template to a tee. For my class, it was always debating religion or how divorce effected them. They sucked. Mine was about a kid whose parents died in an accident and gets sent to an orphanage only to escape in attempts to find his grandfather. Too much movie for a short...it sucked. Sucked because I tried to make a Disney film.

What these kids are going to find out, is that they aren't going to get these resources when they get "out here." They will struggle and most will quit. Most will take menial jobs. Others will become teachers themselves.

After the screening, a massive group of people meandered around the party tents and food truck (yes, they're this serious) and talked about...well, movies. And the business. What I discovered is...most are pretty full of themselves with hope. Blind ambition to pursue what the rest of us "out here" have concluded...the chances of you earning a spot at the big table is near impossible. If I had a lesson to teach it's this... make friends with dread.

What is dread? The fact that making these things will most likely never find an audience except for your parents. And that you truly feel less than your peers (well, most of them, since their movies suck more or less than yours). Dread is anticipation of the worst. Making plans to keep the worst at bay and then having something insignificant derail you (wasn't so insignificant now). It's being dragged to set terrified that you won't make your day. It's wondering where your next paycheck is going to to keep the ship sailing. On top of all that...dread of the personalities you have to juggle. Whether it is the actors or crew. Because at the end of the day, dread keeps you alive.

Most students do not know real dread. Their stress is contained in the warm embrace of an institution. Dread when you're a working professional is paralyzing.

Now I'm sure if any student is reading this, their question would be "why are you doing this?"
A) I have nothing to prove anymore, so it doesn't benefit me either way.
B) I need something to occupy my time.
But the one thing I have to say more than anything else...if any opportunity comes to do anything ESPECIALLY if you are offered it, DO IT. Students make the BIGGEST mistake of thinking these things come around daily. THEY DON'T. Feel grateful. Be grateful.
This is why I like doing things to support student filmmakers. They're annoying, BUT...I know at their level, a simple push (or in this case, bump in budget) helps. And they are most grateful for that. Yes, this makes me an enabler. So what? Student films suck.