I've officially had my first week of classes, since technically I didn't have any classes last Monday. I found out about Furlough Days, which are days that we basically get off from classes, but it's really because of budget cuts. Basically there are days when they are just going to shut down the school completely, and no classes are going to happen. Then there are days when the teachers are forced to take days off, and then we have to classes. It really sucks because our tuition went up like 30%, and yet we are getting less actual bang for our buck. Stupid California and it's budget crisis.
That, of course, means my first day of class was Tuesday. My first class of my (hopefully) second to last semester was Screenwriting I. This class I was really worried about. Maybe because I kinda want to try screenwriting as a career, and so taking this class is like testing me. It could also be because it was the first class, so, naturally, I would just be nervous about it. The class was alright, the teacher took like 2 hours to go over the syllabus. This was because he would see something on there that reminded him of something he did once, therefore he would tell the story, in great length. Don't get me wrong, his stories, some of them, were really interesting. He showed a clip from Adaptation, the speech that Robert McKee (Brian Cox) gives to Charlie Kauffman (Nick Cage), for some inspiration for us in picking a topic for our screenplays. He also showed a clip from Dead Again, I think it was called, to show us a way to start off the movie with a bang and so grip the audience right away. This class also come with the news that we would have to read the first 10 pages of our scripts to the class. EEEK! The reason it's the first 10 pages, I learned, is because that basically as long as you have to grip the person to give you money to make the film. I get so nervous when I have to do anything in front of the class, and when it's something that you're so invested in and something that is personal to you. The feedback, while most likely constructive, it's going to be hard to hear. Plus, what if they just don't really get it, or it just sucks. All I know is that I am going to be shaking like a leaf when the day comes that I have to read those first 10 pages.
The second class I had was Film Noir. Now I had to crash this class, mainly because I needed one more class. I didn't really think I was going to get in. At my screenwriting class like 10 people were crashing, and no one got in, because of budget cuts and because the teacher was teaching two screenwriting classes and didn't really have the manpower to read any more than like 40 screenplays. So, my odds of getting in this class were not really looking good. But then a miracle happened, and I got into the class. I was so happy when that happened. I really thought it wouldn't because there were like 30 people crashing, but the teacher was nice enough to let us all in, mainly because she had so many dedicated grad students to help her out. I wasn't sure if I wanted to take the class because of the teacher. I had her for a Hitchcock class, and she really sucked. That's pretty much the consensus is that she is a terrible teacher, but I really needed a class. So there you go. We ended up watching a movie called Woman in the Window. It's about this guy who like sees a painting of a woman in a window, then meets her, and goes out and parties with her. Then they go pack to her place, and an ill tempered boyfriend walks in, and the boyfriend is like strangling the guy, when the guy murders the boyfriend with some scissors. They cover it up, but then the guy's friend is like a DA, so he hears all about the murders. Basically it was really comical because the whole movie the guy is like, I killed him......wait..no I didn't....
Wednesday I had my first English 414 class. I was really dreading it because it was a stupid class I had to take because I didn't pass the JEPET. I actually think this class might not actually suck. The teacher started the class by walking in and speaking spanish, I think asking if it was a spanish class (I'm only guess since I don't speak any spanish). Then he asked what class it was, and people were like 414, and he asked, who's teaching it? And the class answered. He said, "Well I guess I can teach that'" walked in and put his stuff down.
Thursday might be my worse day of the week. Two three hours classes, in the same room. And last Thursday, that room happened to be really hot. First up I had Third Cinema. Unfortunately, I got to class late, and had to sit up front. Unfortunate because we watched a movie that had very shaking images, and it therefore was making me motion sick. The heat also probably didn't help much either. I felt like I could hurl. I couldn't even really tell you what happens. It was in spanish, and I had to cover my eyes to recover, and lost track of what was happening.
My second class I had was Critical Studies. It was less h0t, probably because there were fewer people there. The class was alright. There was a huge debated about what Signifier, Signified and Sign meant. The professor didn't do a very good job of explaining it, and when people started asking questions, she started getting really angry, and all that came out of it, were people feeling more confused. We then watched a short film, called The Act, about like a standup comedian and her act, as it were. If you're interested in watching it, it's like 8 minutes long and just youtube Pi Ware, who is the director.
Nothing much happened over the weekend, too frickin hot to leave. I don't know what was up with it getting up to 90. I mainly stayed in my room and watched TV and reconnected, further, with my inner child and watched Sailor Moon. Seeing as how this post is already much too long, I will write about it some other time. All I will say is that I forgot how freaking awesome it is.
Sunday the Phillie game was on ESPN, so I finally got to watch a game. I've mostly spent my time, watching it on the internet, but just on the thing they have on the MLB site, where it's basically just a pitch-by-pitch record of what happening. That's not really a good explanation, but oh well.
Also, random note, I think Majorie from Top Model might be in my class. Here is why I think this: 1. She totally looks like her. 2. Her voice is really similar. 3. She said she was wearing heels for a casting call. and 4. She introduced herself as Marjorie. So maybe? I didn't ask her, I didn't want to be like annoying, so I didn't. We ended up chatting a little bit about class, while the TA tried to figure out the projector to show a clip that ended up only lasting a minute, about what we had already done in the discussion class, she was late while trying to print out her assignment, which was pretty much nothing.
That's it. If you made it this far, I applaud you.
*Soft golf claps*
I'm going to try and update this thing on a daily basis. I know, I've said this before, but I'm really going to try and do it this time. That is all.
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