Re: More possible ways to Get By

From: jason rosette (email suppressed)
Date: Thu Oct 16 2008 - 08:59:06 PDT


Stan Brackhage talked a bit too much I think...

On Thu, Oct 16, 2008 at 8:39 AM, JEFFREY PAULL <email suppressed> wrote:

> Suggestion #1:
> Mr. Brackhage has a very good point regarding becoming a plumber., But
> because we live in a classless society, we white collar folks with BAs and
> MAs
> tend to overlook these ways to make good money. Plumbers, Electricians, any
> of the Trades, of which there are many that wouldn't immediately come to
> mind.
> One experimental filmmakerI know is a Postie. His "walk" is done by 2pm,
> good money, good benifits.
>
> So, with all your education so far, one suggestion is get a bit more, but
> of a different kind.
> Community colleges often have programmes that teach so-called blue collar
> work - the Trades.
> Often there is a shortage of these people ( inquire either government pages
> on net, or with career councillor (spelling?) at the CC.
> Those unionised crafts pay very well. (Getting in the union can take time,
> but check how much those people make per hour!)
>
> Suggestion #2:
> Check out or pitch ideas for courses or workshops you might develop for
> Adult Ed., Seniors, Annex Learning, City recreation places.
> Check out catalogues to see what sort of thing is already on the books, and
> how they are described in the course Descriptions.
> When you pitch them to the person in charge, think about them from these
> civilians' POV.
> An academic BG can cause you to inadvertently plump up course plans to
> intimidating complexity.
> For training, if possible, take a course yourself to get a sense of how the
> teacher comes across, what's covered and how long it takes to cover only
> that much.
> Watch the reactions and questions of the other folks in the class. Ask them
> informally what attracts them to this course or adult ed.
> I've taught some of these courses and discovered that many people take them
> again and again, as it's their "night out" and a continuing interest.
> And they are able to talk with people who share their enthusiams. And that
> situation, in and of itself, greases the skids and oils the wheels.
>
> Suggestion #3
> I think you can teach at a community college having less Official
> Signifiers than at university.
> Look through the course catalogue to see if there's an unrealized "gap"that
> you see in the cluster of course presentations that you could fill.
> Think of a course you'd invent as ways to help the other teachers teach
> their classes.
> What might you bring that isn't already there, that, as you pitch, tell
> them NEEDS to be there.
> I know people who have invented courses that otherwise wouldn't exist:
> Using literature to teach business ethics, for example was pitched
> by somebody I know, and the department head bought it. Whatever course(s)
> you might invent, make it have a novel way of doing the usual.
> And be very clear how this will make the programme better and so make the
> department head look good.
> "Here's how this would help the department".
> Check out existing Course Descriptions to get a sense of how that
> department operates, and what your pitch should contain.
> Most Course Descriptions are exceedingly exceedingly boring because they
> are Official. Make yours official so the department head
> doesn't have to make the transition from Officialdom to your pitch. But
> when you describe it, give it drama of a sort.
> If you discover you can invent a course that looks very Right, keep at it.
> Try other appropriate departmens, other ComColleges.
> Remember that Part-timers are paid maybe half of what full-timers get. So
> there are usually a lot of part-timers, and there is
> turnover, so if not this year, again next year.
> Leave a SHORT CV that contains only what might seem applicable to the
> course you apply for, or pitch.
> Check website to see how you go about applying. (Sometimes you go through
> Human Resources, not the dept. head.
> But if you invent your own, you'll need to make a "15 minutes of your time"
> appointment with the Dean, Dept. head. (varies).
>
> Observation #1
> Most of the experimental film makers I know are either really poor, have
> independant money (rich family BG) or their partner earns the bread.
> Another experimental filmmaker I know: his parents bought him and his
> partner their house.
>
> Jeffrey Paull
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> On Thu 16/10/08 10:24 , Fred Davidson email suppressed sent:
> > That's a good point. Thanks for sharing. Thanks for sharing that
> >
> > story with us.
> >
> > In answer to Santi Vernetti on a note admittedly not film
> >
> > related I might add that if only you could learn to play the guitar
> >
> > you could learn to play the blues. Once done you could learn to play
> >
> > the blues in a blues band. And if that doesn't work and if you are
> >
> > really stuck I suppose there's always the steam laundry!
> >
> > That's what Lightnin' Slim* did. Lightnin' Slim worked for the
> >
> > steam laundry. The steam was hard on his hands. Lightnin' Slim didn't
> >
> > have much in the way of luck though. If it wasn't for bad luck he
> >
> > wouldn't have had no luck at all. You'll have better luck than him. I
> >
> > just know it.
> >
> >
> >
> > Fred Davidson
> >
> > Boca Raton
> >
> >
> >
> > * "Blow your harmonica, son."
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > On Oct 16, 2008, at 6:53 AM, Chuck Kleinhans wrote:
> >
> >
> >
> > > On Oct 15, 2008, at 1:36 PM, Santiago Vernetti wrote:
> >
> > >
> >
> > >>
> >
> > >> Does anyone have any suggestion/leads/contacts for a
> > film and video
> > >> artist searching for a job related to those passions?
> >
> > >
> >
> > > A few years ago the IFC (or was it Sundance?) cable TV
> > channel had a
> > > series introducing experimental film mixing short films
> > with
> > > interviews. Stan Brakhage observed that his first
> > advice to
> > > students who wanted to become experimental filmmakers
> > was to train
> > > in a good reliable profession like being a plumber.
> > Then you'd be
> > > able to support yourself and your passion.
> >
> > >
> >
> > > CHUCK KLEINHANS
> >
> > >
> >
> > >
> >
> > >
> > __________________________________________________________________
> > > For info on FrameWorks, contact Pip Chodorov at (address suppressed)
> > om>.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> > __________________________________________________________________
> >
> > For info on FrameWorks, contact Pip Chodorov at (address suppressed)
> > om>.
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >
>
>
> __________________________________________________________________
> For info on FrameWorks, contact Pip Chodorov at <email suppressed>.
>

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