more navel gazing

I'm not quite sure how to reflect on my personal development but I feel like I've hit upon a bit of a writing streak so let's give it a go.

I enjoy my writing classes a lot. They're zappy and creative and I'm constantly amazed by some of the things which people come up with while we're describing scenarios. In last week's lesson, I found the free writing exercise quite difficult, and I'm not sure if it really suits me - it's a good warm-up, but as for uncovering my subconscious... there's a lot of silt over my subconscious and I don't think looking at a hanger will clear it off. Actually, my associative little brain just went into overdrive about "hanging" which led to a very despondent few pages. The group therapy bit was... well, we'll all know each other quite well by the time we graduate. Ok, I say group therapy - we had to talk about a time we were betrayed or when we betrayed someone else, and for everyone it was very personal. I'm not looking forward to when this gets even heavier, but then soul baring is this class's business and I'll never write a goods script if I'm too scared of people seeing me in them.

To skip to the other end of the week for no reason, I also really love the screenings. What a way to spend a Friday! The current run of classic American films in the morning is great, since I love most of them. That does make it harder to blog about - I'd rather talk about a flawed gem or a complete trainwreck, but it's more fun to watch something brilliant. Also, it sets the bar somewhat.

Skipping back to Content Origination, it can be quite bleak. It's good that we're learning the cold and brutal truth about the industry we may well work in, since I doubt we'd make it if we don't know what's going on, and it gives TV a new layer of significance watching it. The style of class is nice, feeling a lot like a conversation at times. I'm not sure how I hold up when it comes to looking at statistics - maths is not my strength, and while I can usually understand a figure given to me sometimes it can feel like I'm drowning in a sea of viewing figures (and wow doesn't that sound like a good idea for a horror film! Anyone? Bueller?). The same goes for the figures we get in all our classes, really - a powerpoint full of numbers makes my head swim.

In the technical classes, I still feel a bit of a dunce, but I'm reasonable enough to see that I'm learning and that soon(ish) I'll be able to put up a tripod quickly and efficiently, I just have to slog through the learning process. So far, editing is A-OK, since we've mainly been covering how to use a Mac OS (which I do every day) and the basics of Final Cut (which I do know). Still, I'm not sure if I'll really be able to memorise the log-in to Edit Share. There it is, numbers again...

In a more general sense, I really feel like I'm settling into life in the academy. Ok, I still get lost from time to time (and I swear they've moved our pigeon holes! I can't find them, let alone the pigeons) but I can usually find our regular rooms and I know where to go to get a blackpudding roll or a squirt of antibac alcohol. It still feels a little bit like a really great summer camp which will have to end eventually, but I keep telling myself I'm here to stay and hopefully I'll listen.