Two years ago, I started school at Boston University with the intention of someday becoming a screenwriter. I have always written, as far back I can remember, and storytelling has always been one of my greatest passions. When looking for schools, I focused on the places that seemed to have a strong writing focus, and BU definitely had exactly what I was looking for.
However, as I went through the stages of being a film student here in COM, I realized that screenwriting is not my only passion. After taking FT201, I realized that production is something else that I truly enjoy working with. Whether it is lighting, sound, cinematography, I have enjoyed each aspect that I have worked with both in class and for outside projects as well as for BUTV10. I think this is one of the strongest aspects of COM, the fact that you are able to take a variety of classes and join a variety of clubs that allow you to explore so many different areas of the Film and TV world.
I think that this is one of COM’s greatest assets, the ability to explore your interests in many different areas. If I was forced to stick to writing classes only, I never would have been able to discover my love for production. Though COM does have suggested tracks within the Film and TV major, you have the freedom to jump between production, writing, producing, etc which gives so many different chances to explore something that may interest you. I believe that it is super important to be well rounded in all areas of Film and Television, and being able to take a variety of classes has allowed to me learn about different aspects of film, even if I don’t necessarily want to work with them someday. For example, I took a class called Film Industry, which was entirely focused on producing films. Though I don’t necessarily want to produce, I now have the knowledge of how people fund, cast, and promote films, which could be very helpful for me someday if I go into the world of independent filmmaking.
Along the same lines, being able to explore these interests in other areas is something that I believe has made me a stronger storyteller. Right now, I am taking a class entirely focused on directing. While this class primarily focuses on how to work with actors in order to get the most effective performance, we also focus on how to make the story come across clearly. Though we don’t write in this class, it has helped me focus on making sure that the stories I write outside of class are clear and easily interpreted for the screen.
Overall, my advice for your time in COM is to take advantage of the many class options that are offered. Even if a topic doesn’t necessarily interest you at first, maybe its something important to learn about, and better yet, maybe you’ll grow to love it!
