Symeon T. – Writing and Film
Bachelor of Arts, in the Liberal Arts
Lights! Camera! Action! Movie-making is often seen as being about stars, glamour and special effects. But it all starts with an idea. And ideas are what Campionites should have in abundance. Moviemaking is about storytelling. Stories start with a philosophical premise, take place in a particular time, located in a particular place. They revolve around dilemmas and questions. Hey, this is beginning to sound familiar, isn't it? Could it be that Campion offers the most perfect mental preparation for anyone who wants to spin yarns and tell tales? The answer is, of course, a resounding yes. It resounds so much that I've received bear-hugs from noted screenwriters when I’ve mentioned what is studied at Campion, and was asked for scripts within a few weeks of being at AFTRS once people realized my background. I've listened to countless debates about the influence of Aristotle on moviemaking, and been involved in discussions over how important understanding religion, and religious expression and training, is for the new myth-makers of the media age. We even learned that Horror movies are all about Sin; and that as the most “pure” form of cinema, if you don't know how they work, you won't know how any movie work. Campion offers students a way to get to grips with the history, traditions and personalities of the West; it teaches the grand, wild, complex story of our civilization. For those who so wish, it is but a hop, skip and a jump from that story to the ones on the Silver Screen.
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