Before I delve into the future, or even the present for that matter, I thought I should revisit the recent past. When I started my studies at the Savannah College of Art and Design on September 11 of last year, I was confident that I could publish regular updates to this blog while also being enrolled in three courses per quarter at the college. I knew that the blog would have to take a backseat to my education at SCAD, but I thought that I could accomplish both tasks simultaneously, as long as I kept my primary focus on the coursework. Within the first couple weeks of classes I realized that it would take all of my creative energies and my undivided focus just to reserve ample head space for the learning curve that would be required for my academic success. Was the past statement wordy? Yes. In short form, it reads more like this – I had to abandon my blog posts temporarily and adopt a new outlet for creative expression, namely the Film and Television Program at the Savannah College of Art and Design.
Now, I’ll move on to a more comprehensive and detailed description of my experiences over the past nine months at SCAD. For readers who are satisfied with the big picture as I’ve already described it, this would be a good place to click your way to some other worthy story on the vast dataspace of the world wide web. Thank you kindly for visiting the “Grand Providentia United” blog site!
As a sexagenarian and someone who had not been in the role of student at college for more than twenty years, I was quite self-conscious about my age while attending the first few weeks of class at SCAD. My classmates were all at least twenty years younger than me and most of them were obviously well ahead of me in terms of their technological proficiencies and knowledge concerned with the art of filmmaking. This self-consciousness was expected, in truth it had been nagging at me since I made the decision to apply to the program in February of 2022. In the lead-up to the first quarter of classes, I spent many an hour during sleepless nights worrying about my ability to make the grade and ultimately graduate with an MFA in Film. Throughout the first two quarters of classes, a nagging uncertainty dogged me day and night. I badgered myself with constant internal questions: Was I up to the challenge of graduate level studies at my age? Was I delusional, thinking that I could keep up with the academic demands and ultimately make the grade? Was the dream of becoming an independent filmmaker beyond my creative reach? All these questions, and many others, came to a climax at the beginning of the second quarter when I realized how much work was required to make it through just two of the three classes, I’d registered for during the winter session. Toward the end of January, I was so worried about the amount of course work in front of me, that I had an experience that I can only describe as a panic attack brought on by a massive wave of the imposter syndrome. Thankfully, a classmate (a new friend) was there to provide a more positive perspective on my circumstances. He advised me to stop looking at the whole staircase and focus on one step at a time. As soon as he gave me the advice, I realized that it was the same advice that I would have given to someone else if the roles were reversed. This snapped me out of my spiral thinking almost immediately, and once I had returned my focus to the work at hand rather than wasting energy on what-ifs and worries about inadequacies, I was able to prioritize the course work and finish the quarter on a high note. Even more importantly, I was able to relax and do my best work in the third and final quarter of my first academic year in the MFA program at SCAD.
Graduate studies at SCAD are said to be comprehensive and fast paced no matter what creative discipline or area of focus you are there to study. In my opinion, that comprehensiveness and learning pace demonstrates that they are adequately earning their tuition fees, and this educational strategy on its own, effectively and continually grows their reputation as one of the top art colleges in the world. One of the things that I’ve come to recognize after finishing my first year at the college, is that I would right now be feeling disappointed and less accomplished had the last nine months been intellectually easy on me. As a result of my struggles, I experience growth, physically, spiritually and intellectually. The way I see it, my first year at SCAD was a great success!
Father Nature was the first time I directed a film with a team of talented filmmakers. I wrote the script during December of 2023 and captured the principal photography in February of 24. I edited the film over the course of the Spring quarter, adding sound as I learned the process in Sound Design for Film and Television. There are certain aspects of the film that I am still not satisfied with, but I decided it was time to put it to rest and move on to the next big idea. Something I’ve practiced throughout a lifetime of creating art – know when to say the work is finished.
Link –https://youtu.be/no8V6ev5eC4?si=7XLJYKDAvFeE3BOV
Over the course of the spring quarter, I decided how I wanted to proceed with my education and the remainder of my creative journey. I enrolled in a class called Experimental Film and there I found an enormous amount of inspiration. One of the driving forces behind my decision to apply to SCAD was inspired by the work of the surrealist filmmaker David Lynch. After taking this course I decided to lean into the surreal – gravitate toward the supernatural – run straight into the horror – experiment with science fiction – and dream a fantastic dream. I want to make films that make people wonder.
Link to “Green Blind Man” – https://youtu.be/zpL9PX0a5Kg?si=ARqpR9gsYzpiSROI
"Grand Providentia United" 