New Film Class at School Sucks Balls... How can I make the most of it?

T

Theskiingguy

Member
Okay, I arrive to school today SUPER stoked on the film 2 class I'm taking. I didn't take film 1, but I managed to get into 2 by showing my past experience making videos and stuff.

We start of school in the art room... full of paint, clay, and paper.. this is our classroom for a film class. Why not the "mac lab" that has 30 new iMacs in it for editing and full of DSLR's and camera shoulder rigs? I have no idea, but whatever. So of course I'm a bit disappointed, but I assume we'll be in and out of other rooms so whatever.

Then this teacher goes "Yeah... so I haven't ever taught a film class before, so this will be an interesting semester, we'll play this by ear" even better.. teacher literally has no idea what she is doing, and told us she will be making it up as we go.

Now this next part is where I just lost it, gave up all hope for the class. She goes to every student with a check list and goes, "Would you be willing to use your smartphone as a camera to record?".... a SMARTPHONE... you can't actually be serious wanting students to use their OWN camera phones to film and make projects. Would you expect photoclass to use their iPhones? No.. So why film?

She then says "this class won't really be guided, just giving you the tools to go and do things". But seriously? Asking us to use our IPHONES for film cameras and mics? That is NOT giving us the tools to do things. That's a joke and an insult. How are we expected to actually learn how to film things when we use an iPhone that we can't change aperture, iso, shutterspead, zoom, change lenses, etc.

-------------------TLDR: Walk into film class, teacher admits to not know what she's doing/where the class will go, asks us if we will be willing to use SMARTPHONES to film projects, classroom not fit to teach film, and by the looks of it we won't even get to start making videos till next semester.----------------------------

So Newschoolers, how can I make the most out of this terrible situation and maybe actually try to learn something while in the "film 2" class??

Thanks guys, I really appreciate any advice. Films my passion and I'm just super disappointed because we have the resources to make a lot of the class, they're just not putting it together. +K to those that help
 
Oh and btw, I know this should be in the media/arts section, but I'm putting it in here to hopefully get some more responses, but if you move it that's fine. Thanks :)
 
Came in here expecting a whiny freshman complaining about a class that was boring. But your complaints seem pretty justified. Is census date passed? If not, drop it and add it next semester once there's either a new professor or once this professor has a clue. Talk to the head of the department, otherwise. See if you can get some shit straightened out and improved.
 
We get it. You know more about the topic material than the Prof. It sounds like you went into the class with something to prove. Academia is not always perfect (rarely so). Often a Prof will have to teach something outside of her specialty because of a scheduling conflict. You have two choices:

1: Make the best of the situation. Just have fun with the class and get an "easy A."

2: Drop the class and take a similar class another semester when someone else is teaching it.

I suppose you could take option #3 and just complain to your classmates while engaging in a "my dick is bigger than your dick" conversation about your filming knowledge, complain here on NS, complain to mommy & daddy, and do nothing about any of it yourself. Grow up. You're in college now.
 
Also, you never know you might just end up learning something. If you want to take another film class later chances are film 2 is a prereq.
 
I never once stated that I knew more than the teacher.. I said in the very first sentence that my previous knowledge of film helped me skip film 1 (because I figured it would be a very basic introduction to film, and I don't have time next year taking 5 AP's to take film 2) and that was it. I never brought up any past experience or knowledge.

I said straight up that "Films my passion and I'm just super disappointed because we have the resources to make a lot of the class, they're just not putting it together." ... You really think I took this class to "prove something" or "show what I know"? Hell no. Why the fuck would I make this thread then? Because I wanted to MAKE THE MOST OUT OF THIS CLASS. It's a situation that I am disappointed by and was wondering how I can learn and get the most out of this class with the little structure and planning that's going into this class.

I'm not in college, I'm in Highschool. I care about my education and the opportunities I get so I'm trying to make the most out of what I have to work with. I want to make sure film is what I want to do once I enter college, but I makes it much more difficult when situations like these arise.

 
Thank you, I appreciate that. I will check with the counselor tomorrow, but I'm thinking it might be hard to find another class the same period. But I would like to stay with the class because I'm most likely going to have a very busy, no electives year my senior year, so this is sort of my last chance for it.

I will see if I can talk with the teacher outside of school and see if I can try to get something better going. Or maybe go to the principal/head of the department and express my concerns. Gah, super bummed and disappointed about this :/

Thank you for your response though :)
 
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