Life That Things Have Seemed

¶ … life that things have seemed simple, yet when I go deeper into trying to understand issues or solve problems, I see that things are in fact more complex than I originally thought. This has included moments when I was sure of one thing or another, but learned upon examination that I was incorrect. One of the major events that happened in such a manner was my belief in my artistic skill regarding film. I still believe that I have great skills that would be useful in the film world, but I used to believe that this was all it would take to become successful in the arts. I now know that study and perseverance are even more important than skill.

It took a lot of honest and critical thinking for me to come to this conclusion. One of the ways it happened was in my reading about one of my favorite artists and thinkers of all time, Leonardo da Vinci. Da Vinci had great skill as an artist, scientist, and engineer, but it was not only the brilliance of his mind that led to his success. He worked very hard for many years to study anatomy and other aspects of art in order to make is skill better. I also learned in my studies that he often had to work on projects that he did not really enjoy in order to earn a living so that he could then be able to survive and work on the projects that really meant something to him. His dedication to his craft far outweighed his talent, though it was also great.

My belief that talent is the essential quality for a successful artist has undergone a massive reevaluation. My experience with the change of this notion has influenced my thinking in general, too; I have learned to examine things for all of the possible influences, motives, and causes, rather than simply taking the most apparent (and often wrong) answer. This skill in critical thinking is the most valuable lesson I have learned from my study of art.

Educational Goals

My goal in life and in my education is to experience as much diversity and collaboration as I can. Though my specific interest is film, I would like to learn as much as I can about the different types of art and creation that go into making a movie. I would like to work with and learn from people from many different disciplines, because I believe that this type of exposure will make me better at what it is I want to do -- make films -- and will also make me a more well-rounded individual. I would also like to the opportunity to share my knowledge, and to see how the things I have learned and will learn about film are useful in other disciplines, as well.

What I enjoy most about the artistic world is the way many kinds of people with many different talents are necessary for one project. I would like the institution where I receive my education to reflect this collaborative and cooperative nature of art in general and film making specifically. I would like to learn the art of direction, editing, and artistic design for movies, as well as the basics of other types of art so that I might make better and more artistic films myself.