Writing for Film, Filming for Writing: Goals and Reflections

Thought I might start off my first blog post for the course with a brief outline of exactly why I chose it. For me, writing and film have been two of my biggest passions, though I’ve rarely had opportunity or inclination to combine the two. I’ve been writing since I was a kid, coming up with strange little stories and jotting them down in a Scooby Doo emblazoned notepad, using my friends and family as characters in these make-believe worlds that I created. Film has been a passion for as long as I can remember, introduced to the classics (North by Northwest is one of my earliest memories) at a young age, and making regular trips to the cinema ever since. It wasn’t until my Year 12 Media class that I was given the chance to attempt writing a screenplay, and though I wasn’t really clear on the formatting or rules that govern the screenwriting process, I did enjoy myself doing it.

So that’s why I’m here, I guess, to learn more about the process. Having had a look at the studio aims, I think that they align quite closely with what I’m hoping to get out of this course. Developing competency “in production techniques” is a basic goal for the studio, given that I’ve had an interrupted run at the Media course so far, and my memory of even operating a camera is a little fuzzy at this point. What really interests me in the studio guide is the ability to “critically analyse…established and broadly accepted project development and industrial production methods”. Firstly, to examine these methods in the first place is something I think would be interesting, but to be able to question these production methods and analyse whether alternative options would be better suited – that’s really interesting to me. The best media practitioners and artists are the ones who are able to critically analyse their industry, so to have that opportunity now is really exciting. So, I’m looking forward to the studio and what I can hopefully offer!