The End

MEDP 150, we finally come to a close. I don't know why I say "finally," because this semester went quickly-- probably too quickly. In the beginning of the semester, as an ignorant newcomer to the whole media-studies-thing, I saw this class as a great way to get into production, and learn the basics of the field I was stepping into. With promises of movie-making, technical photographing, and an understanding of several computer programs, I thought this class was going to be awesome. However, soon it became quite apparent that having the lab one time a week made it really impossible for one to really hone his or her skills.

The labs were fun for the most part, but they just couldn't quite live up to what they were advertised as. Sometimes it would move too fast, other times too slow. Other than the photoshop-oriented classes, we never spent more than the 1 hour and 15 minutes working on anything else. I honestly completely forget all the nuances of the film camera already. Not that it matters; I am not a film major, but we spent so little time focused on it that it just won't resonate with anyone who doesn't have a burning passion for film. That being said, it is great to actually have hands-on experience

What about the lectures, you ask? Well, unfortunately the lectures were far worse. Professors Lucas and Mercado both clearly know their stuff, but it is definitely hard to pay attention (see: stay awake). There is little connection to the students as a whole, and it does make it quite hard really take in everything the professors are talking about. The movies that were shown were actually quite interesting, though. It's cool seeing all of those heavy weight directors of today looking back and talking about these old black and white movies, and how the directors pay homage to their cinematography today. And one thing I can take away from this class is the importance of lighting and overall composition of different shots, whether they be still or video.

This interest in composition sparked up my curiosity in Photoshop. The final labs that focused on photoshop really taught me a lot about the program. It really seemed fun, so much so that I got it for my own computer at home.

Well...off to the final lecture!