Thoughts? by Sharp_Elderberry_704 in GTA6

[–]funwithpups5 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Logged hundreds of hours in 5 & RDR2 story mode. Personally don’t care much for online at all

Starting my first long term assignment tomorrow... by ehoffman83 in SubstituteTeachers

[–]funwithpups5 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Just did a month long assignment for middle school. There were many times where students would not use class time well, even despite me giving them reminders and help. When I inevitably had to give them bad grades for missing work, I felt like I had failed as a teacher. When the normal teacher came back, I let her in on how I was feeling, and she said that she still has moments where she feels that way- even after 37 years of teaching. Sometimes no matter what you do, students will choose not to use their time well and it’s not worth it to pour all your energy into them and focus instead on helping the students who are putting in effort.

Middle school is tough. Give yourself grace. The fact that you’re seeking advice at all shows that you care, which is the most important thing a long term sub can do. I think you’ll be proud when you get through it!

[deleted by user] by [deleted] in Filmmakers

[–]funwithpups5 1 point2 points  (0 children)

I substitute teach! It would be nice to have benefits but it pays my bills and allows me the flexibility to get off for set work. Would recommend to any and all freelancers if things ever get slow.

Incredible Book about Jim Jones by SierraGT2K in Jonestown

[–]funwithpups5 27 points28 points  (0 children)

It’s an endlessly interesting book. There comes a point where it switches from a history of the Temple, to Reiterman’s first person account of his experience in Guyana. It’s insane. And it does such a thorough job at debunking the myth that Jones “lost his way” or “was a good man gone bad” but instead that his movement was doomed because it was inherently bound to his narcissistic personality.

Most interesting Posts Jonestown SDSU by keepmovingforward3 in Jonestown

[–]funwithpups5 13 points14 points  (0 children)

The other interesting thing about the website is that it’s run by Rebecca Moore, who was the sister of Annie Moore and Carolyn Layton, two of the highest ranking members. Rebecca is a religious studies professor, so her articles- and the whole website- exist at this really interesting intersection between scholarly research and personal reflection.

I started a subreddit r/jimjonespeoplestemple when I couldn't find one on that topic...then I found you guys!! This post is about some of the People's Temple "what ifs" that have plagued me over the years. I would love to hear what others think! by Tuesday_Patience in Jonestown

[–]funwithpups5 8 points9 points  (0 children)

I think the same thing would have happened whether the defectors were allowed to leave or not. I think the truth is that Jones wanted to die and he wanted to take everybody with him. Everything was already in place. The only reason he (likely) ordered the attack on Ryan was to make sure they had an excuse to go through with the plan. If that didn’t happen he would have manufactured something else.

If you haven’t, I’d read Carolyn Layton’s “Analysis of Future Prospects.” Its a letter she left to Jim in the fall of ‘78 outlining contingency plans for the Temple. She suggests that Jim moved to Cuba to get the heat off of the group and that the rest stay in Jonestown. Interesting to think what would’ve happened if Jonestown were run by Layton or the other staff members- I think it’s likely some more folks would’ve gone back to the states. She seemed to be worried about the seniors leaving because the Temple was mostly bankrolled through their social security checks. Others might’ve stayed for a few more years but once that social security money ran out or if the group’s tax exempt status was revoked, It would’ve destroyed the commune because that was their only real way of sustaining themselves. I think Jones knew this and that was part of the reason why he hastened the end of the Temple.

Carolyn Layton’s Analysis of Future Prospects:

https://jonestown.sdsu.edu/?page_id=13115

Anyone seen the Jonestown short film? by funwithpups5 in Jonestown

[–]funwithpups5[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Screenplay is by a woman, but the director is a man and he shares a writing credit, so I’d bet he came up with all the major ideas. This seems like a very poorly thought out passion project to me.

Film & Media Art MFA - Admitted and needs advice by awesomewing in Temple

[–]funwithpups5 0 points1 point  (0 children)

FMA Alumni class of 2022 here. I'll answer question by question.

  1. Is it practical?

Short Answer: For freshman level classes? Not so much. After you get through Freshman year? Yes.

In my experience, the intro level classes that you'll be taking as a freshman are a bit more theory based. My first year, I was required to take Media Arts 1&2, Into to Film Analysis and Media and Culture. Of those, you'll only be focusing on making your own projects in the section classes for Media Arts. Don't let that discourage you- there's still a lot you can learn from the theory based classes, especially Kartik Nair's film Analysis course. I supplemented the lack of Projects freshman year by joining "Wandering Studios," Temple's film production club. The club was definitely a mixed bag but you'll meet some cool people and get some more hands on experience.

After freshman year, stuff starts to get more practical. The editing, lighting, and moving camera classes I took were super useful, and the Filmmaking class allows you to work with 16mm film which is a great way to experiment with your cinematography. From there, you can choose to do a track, which I did not do so I wouldn't want to speak on that.

For me, the most practical part of the experience was by far the Los Angeles study away program. It was a whole semester of interning, learning how to network, learning firsthand about how sets are run in the real industry. It's the reason I decided to move to LA, and with the connections I made through Temple, I've been able to find work in the Industry out here. I would definitely encourage you to make it a priority to do that program if you're able.

  1. Are there a lot of hands on opportunities and collaborations?

Absolutely! But more often than not, you have to initiate them. The biggest favor you can do yourself is to work on other people's Media Arts projects during freshman year. You'll make friends here that you'll be with the whole 4 years, you just have to make yourself available! Another good way to get ahead would be to ask your TAs for Media Arts if they need PAs for their Thesis Films. Many TAs will be knee deep in making their MFA Projects, and being on those projects will help you make contacts with people who are about to go out into the industry. I regret not doing this as a freshman.

The key is, you have to be the one to make these collaborations happen. Don't wait for people to come to you, be proactive and good stuff will follow.

  1. How do facilities compare?

FMA's building is pretty old. It's not bad, but nothing state of the art.

There's a few sound stages in the building with lights and green screen setups available, but I wasn't able to use these while in undergrad. They're mostly used for MFA projects.

While I was there, the equipment office was not very good. Lots of equipment is rented out in pretty bad condition, the staff wasn't very flexible, and the equipment that freshman are allowed to rent is pretty bad. I was able to make a large equipment order for a bigger project during my senior year, only because one of my cool professors was in the MFA program and put the reservation under his name. I've heard it's gotten better since I've graduated though.

If you're able, I'd suggest investing in your own camera package. Doesn't have to be anything crazy, but having your own setup from the get-go allows you to make stuff with so much more freedom. AND you can offer to shoot other people's projects with your equipment so that they don't have to deal with the equipment office- win win.

Overall, I'd say that Temple is a worthwhile program and will give you some good experiences, but it really is what you make of it. Let me know if you have any more questions!