Saturday, 12 January 2013

Film Industry and Education alignment p.2


There are a large number of film schools in NZ. Their focus is on short intensive ‘real life’ skills working alongside part time tutors who are active film practitioners.  This model allows for wonderful practical experience. There is no better way to learn than alongside artists in their work.

The issue though is the large number of graduates seeking work are finding extremely high competition for very few roles in NZ. The student is trained for existing industry positions. Once ever position is filled what is left for the other graduates? Nothing? Nothing except the opportunity to create new work and new industry.

Greater attention then can be directed to giving students the skills to create the positions that don’t exist. The ability to create work, to create industry is a far more vital skill than being able to work within the existing one.

It might be easy enough to guide students in this direction but to give greatest value the students should model off practitioners. Currently they model of artists who make for an industry. Who is there to model off on how to create industry yet to exist?
This a territory that can be best filled by full time academic staff. Research by academic staff should give focus toward new ways of working. Exploring new territory, which is not dominated already by existing industry. The students do not need to be part of creating this work but rather be exposed to the staff member’s practice of it. It is the practice of exploration that is of value here not just the findings of the research.

Potential areas of research are numerous. Narrative and storytelling models based upon NZ Maori oral history could offer a wealth of innovations for NZ film practice. Exploration of how to devise for film is much safer within an academic institution.  Studios use viral campaigning heavily but very little information exists on effective ways to distribute and market films in the digital market place outside of existing distributors. Where is film knowledge not being applied that it could offer greater benefit? The filmed live performance of the Met Opera is a hugely successful exercise in taking film into once forbidden territory. What live performance in NZ could be better utilized through film?

The wealth and depth of talent in the film industry is driving the technology of storytelling. Who though is driving how we will tell stories in the future? Across what formats? What stories will be relevant to us? This high-risk exploration of film is best undertaken in the safety of an institution. The hope of course is that this work becomes of greater value and can lead to new financial markets.  In any case there is huge benefit to the student working alongside such exploration in that they might themselves make the breakthrough necessary to create new work in NZ. 

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