La La School

He-Yo!

Misinformation # 1 about semester in LA are the classes. I'm taking both Fiction film Theory and Senior Seminar in Film Studies here. Everyone at IC talks about how theory classes in LA are a breeze. The notion I got from them was that classes in LA are a joke, not much learning, just attendance and easy As.
FACT # 1: NOT TRUE. The theory classes Im taking in LA are the best film theory classes I've had in my entire college life. Period. Are they easier than the ones at school? Definitely so, and part of the reason is that Doc Tropiano is an excellent teacher. Why is that? I don't know. I cant put my finger on it; maybe its because you can tell that he is excited by the material he covers in class or maybe it is because he doesn't read theory papers or books out loud to us while we sleep, or maybe because he isn't constrained by the year of the film's release and will freely mix films like Y Tu Mama Tambien (2001) and The Dreamers (2003) with The General (1918?). Or it just might be because you get to here things like "... not that I look down upon any film called BOOTY CALL" a direct Trope Quote from my notes. I don't know, even though the classes are 4hrs each, they just breeze by and we actually end up having a nice time, and learning a lot too. SO HIGHLY RECOMMENDED, look forward to the theory classes here.

MISCONCEPTION # 2: Public transportation system sucks. Truckin' buses in LA don't show up at all, run couple of hours late and everything, everywhere is completely unsafe. Oh yea, also, the Earth is too big and stars don't seem to be shining as brightly anymore.
FACT # 2: Yeah, RIGHT! Too many sissies out or spoilt kids or god knows what. I'm not the only one doing internships w/o a car here in LA and all of us seem to be doing FINE without a car. Dont not come to LA because you don't have a car. In fact, don't even spend too much to get your car over. If you have any sense of adventure and don't mind behaving your age, i.e., roughing it out, you will have a lot of fun here. Not goign to lie: The buses are erratic, but only by about 5 mins so get there 10 mins early and you will definitely catch the bus. Also a 15 min car drive will take you 30 mins by bus. But, you don't have to park, deal with single lanes, carpooling, jams. Not to say anything about gas bills or insurance payments. A $3 pass gets you on the bus for an unlimited-all-day ride session or you can get a month pass for 40$ or something. PLUS; nearly all of us found people who live around us and dont mind giving us a ride... so THERE YA GO!

Misinformation # 3: Internships = Slave Labor. Your only job is to get out of the way. Your employers are only interested in making money and you are basically a pain in the ass. So stay low, dust the floor, wash the dishes and get out of the way.
FACT # 3: NOT TRUE. For every internship that is like that, there is another one where your boss was once in your situation, understands your trepidation, could do with an extra hand AND genuinely wishes to pass on information he/she has gathered over the years to an enthusiastic, respectful learner. SERIOUSLY, there is. Now I had some offers from the first kind of people and I swiftly turned them down. Just when I started to get discouraged, and my semester-in-LA started to look like 4 months of ass-kissing, I found mentors in the other, second, more awesome bracket. Don't get me wrong, I still brought these people coffee, but I did that in exchange for knowledge, not to simply JUSTIFY my existence at their agency. PLUS, I only got them coffee TWICE in all the time I've been here AND i got a free milk-shake out of it!! Wee Hee!! So most people love you asking questions. My Boss at Bernie Mac got angry at me because he didnt thinK i appreciated the internship enough, he thought I wasn't asking any questions. Believe me, I haven't felt happier in a while. I just threw all the internship info I had recieved from all these instructors here right out of the window. My boss doesn't fit into the second bracket.

So doesn't mean, these myths aren't true for some people, but what I am saying is, you don't have to hang out with those people. Make your semester in LA rock. I mean, make it reallllly count, dont just go through the motions! Phew!

Latrrr