4 ms·

The amazing thing to me now is that friends of my children are going to prestigious schools to major in video game design. This is so strange to me, as a perso

The amazing thing to me now is that friends of my children are going to prestigious schools to major in video game design. This is so strange to me, as a person who has made his adult living making video games. Obviously when I started no academic would take it seriously and considering it as a career seemed like a fantasy. I am sure it is fine to study whatever interests you. And learning to think critically about anything is useful. But in the arts the real teacher is experience and everything important to know is currently unknown. I think Friedkin never went to college. He just worked at a TV station and shot news, shot dramas, learned how a camera worked, etc. You can go to a class and learn about what he did, but what he did he didn't learn about in a class.

elmomle 5y ago
A lot of the most famous New Hollywood directors (Lucas, Coppola, Scorsese) did go to college, and among famous film directors they were more or less the first to have done so. In that context, Friedkin was an outlier. Since the 70s it would seem people went overboard trying to emulate the motions that led to the earlier successes they saw--as happens so often. That said, it's probably no coincidence that all this happened after massive amounts of federal money started pouring into higher education starting in the 1950s, and the academization of arts and crafts (a term I use with great respect!) seems to have proceeded in lockstep in many fields after that.
- georgeecollins 5y ago
  I take your point but I also think actually Lucas, Coppola, Scorsese are the outliers to have studied film, but the schools they went to really make a big deal about it. But to get more into the weirdness of the video game thing.. My kids went to a pretty fancy high school($). Many of the parents think it is key that their kids get a STEM education and go and be engineers/ programmers. Many of these parents work in entertainment. For example, really good friends who are very successful TV producers have their heart set on their daughter getting an engineering degree. I mean, that is great but I want to say to them very very few STEM graduates enjoy the success you have had. Could you teach your daughter how to be a TV producer? Also, when we talk about these MFAs at regular universities, that is different than dedicated art schools like Cal Arts, RISDI.. They are a whole different kettle of fish and I think lots of people recruit there just like tech firms recruit from certain CS programs.
  - germinalphrase 5y ago
    “I want to say to them very very few STEM graduates enjoy the success you have had. Could you teach your daughter how to be a TV producer?” Perhaps, I’m reading you wrong- but isn’t that exactly their thinking? They understand the tenuousness (or luck or whatever) of their success and wish an “easier” path that’s less ‘winner take all’?
    - sprafa 5y ago
      Anyone who works in film/media industry will advise their kids against it. Or to at least learn a trade that is completely unrelated first, then do media arts if your heart is set on it. Even Denzel Washington got his kid to do other things. Im 31 and working in the field I’ve just been enjoying the first few months of professional stability. In my career. Yes it’s great that I can finally do that, but like someone else said I wouldn’t recommend the first 10 years to anyone.
motioncuty 5y ago
The most applicable knowledge I ever got was from a seasoned vet seeing promise in me and taking me under their wing as a mentee. 2 people in 2 different careers helped shape my path and gave me a perspective of the world that my parents and schooling could not. I hope you reach out to your kids friends, and give them that mentorship(even the subtlest kind of mentorship, e.g. "hey if your interested in this, please reach out if you have any questions or seeking advice" can make such a large impact on confidence, grit, and determination.)

elmomle 5y ago

A lot of the most famous New Hollywood directors (Lucas, Coppola, Scorsese) did go to college, and among famous film directors they were more or less the first to have done so. In that context, Friedkin was an outlier. Since the 70s it would seem people went overboard trying to emulate the motions that led to the earlier successes they saw--as happens so often. That said, it's probably no coincidence that all this happened after massive amounts of federal money started pouring into higher education starting in the 1950s, and the academization of arts and crafts (a term I use with great respect!) seems to have proceeded in lockstep in many fields after that.

georgeecollins 5y ago
I take your point but I also think actually Lucas, Coppola, Scorsese are the outliers to have studied film, but the schools they went to really make a big deal about it. But to get more into the weirdness of the video game thing.. My kids went to a pretty fancy high school($). Many of the parents think it is key that their kids get a STEM education and go and be engineers/ programmers. Many of these parents work in entertainment. For example, really good friends who are very successful TV producers have their heart set on their daughter getting an engineering degree. I mean, that is great but I want to say to them very very few STEM graduates enjoy the success you have had. Could you teach your daughter how to be a TV producer? Also, when we talk about these MFAs at regular universities, that is different than dedicated art schools like Cal Arts, RISDI.. They are a whole different kettle of fish and I think lots of people recruit there just like tech firms recruit from certain CS programs.
- germinalphrase 5y ago
  “I want to say to them very very few STEM graduates enjoy the success you have had. Could you teach your daughter how to be a TV producer?” Perhaps, I’m reading you wrong- but isn’t that exactly their thinking? They understand the tenuousness (or luck or whatever) of their success and wish an “easier” path that’s less ‘winner take all’?
  - sprafa 5y ago
    Anyone who works in film/media industry will advise their kids against it. Or to at least learn a trade that is completely unrelated first, then do media arts if your heart is set on it. Even Denzel Washington got his kid to do other things. Im 31 and working in the field I’ve just been enjoying the first few months of professional stability. In my career. Yes it’s great that I can finally do that, but like someone else said I wouldn’t recommend the first 10 years to anyone.

motioncuty 5y ago

The most applicable knowledge I ever got was from a seasoned vet seeing promise in me and taking me under their wing as a mentee. 2 people in 2 different careers helped shape my path and gave me a perspective of the world that my parents and schooling could not. I hope you reach out to your kids friends, and give them that mentorship(even the subtlest kind of mentorship, e.g. "hey if your interested in this, please reach out if you have any questions or seeking advice" can make such a large impact on confidence, grit, and determination.)