Blog #8: Teamwork Makes the Dream Work

Creating Community

As far as undergraduate majors go, Film Studies is very unique. From the very beginning in FST200, there is a sense of community and collaboration that isn't found in other majors. Since there is such a wide variety of talents within film, every individual is going to have different strengths and weaknesses. Because of this, it is imperative that the student body operate as a team in order to accomplish their goals to the fullest potential. Being open to collaboration in film allows for endless opportunity in school and after graduation.

Expanding Your Creative Body of Work

This assignment has allowed us to create a work of art as well as put our name on others' works of art. These works were all accomplished with no budget, just a group of creative individuals who work collaboratively towards a common goal. Even though we are all creating different final pieces, the content library that we pulled from was all the same and was created by everyone who is also making a final piece.

Expanding Your Technical Skills

This assignment has really opened me up to different aspects of film that I had never experienced before. I am and have always been a DP, thats it. I have essentially no experience with sound or editing. I broke out of my comfort zone with this project and now feel much more comfortable with the entire filmmaking process. However, this wouldn't have been possible without the help of people guiding me in the areas I struggled with, which is what makes the group work so special.

The Importance of Project Management

The process of making a film has always been very daunting to me, particularly because I had trouble seeing the different steps. The way that this project was spread out over 8 weeks made the process seem much more manageable because we were taking it one step at a time. This method also allowed me to see where my strengths and weaknesses were in the filmmaking process.

Building New Pathways

Personally I think this is the most important objective for the project. It is so easy to fall into the trap of basic storylines and unoriginal ideas that will generally always work in your favor, but you don't grow in the process. The ability to think freely and creatively allows for the generation of content that is unpredictable and completely unique to the individual. Everyone has their own vision and this project enables each student to delve into their personal artist. While the final product might not be as polished or easy to watch as usual films, it will be unique. In my opinion, making a unique film is far more appealing than making film that is 'good'.