I really wish there was a script writing program at my school. In order to achieve the degree I’ve been pursuing I have to take endless film and video classes. I don’t want to be the one directing or working the camera. I really don’t like it. Plus, working in groups or with partners is not a good way for me to work or learn. In studio video class, the advanced students (of which I am this semester) get together on tuesday to plan out what the entire class (beginners and advanced) will film on Thursday. Penis jokes and stereotypes anyone? These are not people who create stories, they just want to film them, so we never do anything original or clever. Even our teacher has had enough and managed to vhange some of last week’s dating show script (thank goodness) It’s all bad jokes about child molesters and gay people, penises and boobs. Yesterday, Kelan and I were brainstorming our next project while everyone else watched last week’s effort (I had to act in one of the takes and don’t like watching myself, Kelan neither) and we wondered how much of our work would last before the others decided to use penis jokes. Five minutes, thereabouts.

I am not a vocal person. I never have been. Put me in a group and my voice gets drowned out, if I even bother to try. I’m not a prude, I just don’t think most of the things they brainstorm are funny. The stereotypes are lazy story crafting and the jokes are only impressive if you are ten years old. And some of these people are older than I.

And in electronic movie making (another class where I am a beginner) I just feel uninspired. I have to make a music video, a commercial and a short film. Maybe if I was only writing these I’d enjoy the class, but no, I have to film and edit. It isn’t that I don’t understand how to do it, but I am uninterested. It’s starting to effect my efforts. 

The closest thing I had to a scriptwriting class was Media Writing and that included all media including news and journalism. So, essentially I spent about a month on the actual part of the program I care about only to have my counselor tell me that was the part I did not have to take. 

I’m just venting, of course. Maybe I’ll enjoy the editing process. Doubt I’ll like the filming. Dreading the other projects. Ah well, I’ll get it done and hopefully maintain the grade point average (4.0 thank you very much) that I had last semester.

At least I am enjoying beginning guitar and drawing classes. Even if they are completely irrelevant to my degree.

Okay, all signed up for next semester classes. I had thought they would consist entirely of mass comm classes, but realized one class is an advanced I will be taking the prereq for, and another that I don’t want to take I may not have to because I took a different class a few years ago. Anyways, that all means that I am taking three mass classes, another drawing class and beginning guitar.

I am going to double check that I can still get my AA without that other class and talk to a counselor. I want an AA this time, not just an AS. I’ll have plenty of units (24 required, I’ll have close to thirty mass comm units by the end of next semester) but are they the right ones?

Finally, my media writing class has moved onto scripts. Our first script is for a radio show, two pages including a commercial break. I’ve been developing a podcast idea, and I think I shall use that show for the assignment. I am very excited.

Also I am nervous. For my studio video class I have to create, write and direct an 8 minute show. I already know what I want to do, its the directing and timing I am worried about. As I watch other people doing their shows I can see that timing is the real problem. One guy was sure his script read at 8 minutes, but in run through was about 12. Another needed the talent to improvise for about a minute. Most of the students in the class are not actors so that is iffy. I just want it to turn out really good. It is due on November 3.

I am visiting an arts college on the fifth to see if they have a scriptwriting degree. So far, scriptwriting only comes as part of a larger degree and you have to do the filming and directing stuff. I don’t want to do that. I only want to create and write the content, not film it myself. I can probably do it all, but it gets in the way of writing, there is so much I have to put together beyond the script for the third.

Ah well, its not awful, and I am writing a script.