Endeudamiento público por entidad federativa 2008-2012

theoretical   and   cultural   approach   to   film   education   or   a   more   holistic,   collaborative  and  experimental  approach  to  practical  training.  However  given  the   economic   impact   of   film   it   is   strange   that   the   industry   does   not   present   a   coherent  vision  of  educational  content.    

University  of  Bedfordshire  Vice  Chancellor  Bill  Rammell  supports  the  relationship   between   academia   and   industry   but   has   already   noted   (section   1.5.2)   that   industry  needs  to  be  ‘more  coherent  in  its  ask’  (Rammell,  2012  Interview).  The   Head   of   Film   at   Middlesex   University   Patrick   Phillips   also   contextualised   discussions   he   has   held   with   industry   practitioners   regarding   graduate   requirements  in  the  interview  at  the  opening  of  this  thesis.  

At   present,   the   UK   film   policy   document   and   BFI   Film   Forever   strategy   do   not   suggest   an   education   that   provides   a   full   understanding   of   filmmaking.  

Professionals  whose  films  are  the  subjects  of  study  on  academic  and  production   courses   do   have   views   about   filmmaking,   they   have   clear   opinions   about   their   education  and  they  also  have  clear  positions  concerning  film  education  and  what   it   should   be.   Interestingly   their   views   are   rarely   sought   nor   are   they   used   to   develop  policy  or  curricula.  These  ideas  are  discussed  in  the  next  section.  

2.6  Film  education  from  the  perspective  of  filmmakers    

2.6.1  Challenging  the  Auteur:  filmmaking  as  collaboration    

This  section  addresses  film  education  from  the  perspective  of  those  who  make   films  at  different  levels  across  different  forms:  narrative  and  documentary.  The   aim   of   this   section   is   to   introduce   the   voice   of   the   filmmaker   into   the   debate   about  what  film  education  is,  could  and  should  be.    

Filmmaker  Alex  Cox  (2008)  says:  

Film-­‐making   is   a   communal,   collaborative   medium.   Only   the   writer   and   editor  can  work  alone  –  every  other  part  of  the  process  is  a  group  effort,   involving  specialists  in  many  different  areas  (Cox:  03).  

The  teaching  of  film  production  and  practice  is  primarily  focused  on  directors.  In   the   teaching   of   film   practice   the   work   that   is   created   is   often   aligned   with,   or   created   in   response   to,   the   teaching   of   certain   directorial   style   and   technique.  

This   approach,   which   stems   from   the   impact   of   the   auteur   theory,   is   representative  of  the  hierarchical  structure  in  filmmaking  and  is  problematic  due   to  the  inherent  collaborative  demands  of  filmmaking.  This  produces  a  false  idea   of   the   nuanced,   practical   reality   of   the   process.   The   director   as   creative   and   logistical  figurehead  has  permeated  much  of  the  thinking  regarding  production   training  and  education.  It  is  unclear  why  this  thinking  permeates  beyond  creating   a  visually  simple  structure  for  students  to  grasp  and  a  romantic  notion  of  director   as  the  visionary  solely  responsible  for  a  film’s  success  on  artistic  terms.  There  is  a   more  nuanced  understanding  of  the  role  of  the  director  as  filmmakers  including   Alex  Cox  and  Sidney  Lumet  have  addressed.  They  explain  in  X  Films  (Cox,  2008)   and  Making  Movies  (Lumet,  1995)  the  reality  of  film  production,  the  role  of  the   director  and  the  need  for  collaboration.  This  may  be  why  the  required  reading   for  production  courses  includes  so  many  technical  titles  written  as  manuals,  as   opposed   to   more   practical   works   written   by   successful   practitioners   including   Cox,  Lumet  and  Alexander  Mackendrick  among  others.  The  texts  by  filmmakers   that  are  traditionally  considered  appropriate  for  teaching  practice  are,  ironically,   more   theoretical   examinations   of   artistic   endeavour   and   examples   here   would   include   work   by   film   and   sound   editor   Walter   Murch   and   cinematographers   Néstor   Almendros   and   Vittorio   Storraro.   These   works   retain   a   critical   distance   from  the  more  pragmatic  depictions  of  the  process  by  the  directors  mentioned   above   and   also   represent   key   examples   of   filmmaker   ‘voice’   in   film   studies  

education.   Because   of   these   factors   the   teaching   of   film   production,   for   ease   possibly,  is  taught  hierarchically.  Even  cursory  questioning  of  aspiring  filmmakers   would  still  see  a  predominance  of  aspirations  to  direct  above  all  else,  at  least  at   the  outset  of  a  film  production  degree  or  post-­‐graduate  qualification.  

The  teaching  of  film  production  has  historically  not  addressed  on  a  grand  scale   this   falsehood   and   instead   it   has   created   a   myth   about   the   process   of   filmmaking.  While  appreciating  the  role  played  by  good  directors  in  the  delivery   of  coherent,  powerful  films,  it  is  important  to  also  offer  alternative  routes  and   questions  that  probe  the  diverse  potential  of  film  education  that  can  result  in  a   more   diverse   and   collaborative   approach   to   the   teaching   of   film   production.  

Opening   up   the   teaching   of   film   production   to   reflect   a   process   that   is   a   truly   collaborative   and   not   hierarchical   experience   could   also   result   in   areas   of   film   theory   that   question   the   auteur   receiving   greater   coverage   within   film   production   education.   Alex   Cox’s   words   are   key   to   a   different   way   of   teaching   film  fundamentally,  a  way  that  opens  up  understanding  of  a  practical  philosophy   of  filmmaking  as  one  that  is  not  hierarchy  based,  but  as  one  which  is  based  on   equality  and  collaborative  work.  Two  ideas  that  would  seem  traditionally  more   suited  to  university  environments.  Sidney  Lumet’s  description  of  the  role  of  the   director   highlights   the   pragmatic   responsibility   of   the   director,   which   adds   aforementioned  nuance  to  traditional  ideas  of  the  director  as  auteur:  

I’m  in  charge  of  a  community  that  I  need  desperately  and  that  needs  me   just  as  badly.  That’s  where  the  joy  lies,  in  the  shared  experience.  […]  It’s   vital   to   have   the   best   creative   people   in   each   department.   People   who   can  challenge  you  to  work  at  your  best,  not  in  hostility  but  in  a  search  for   the  truth  (Lumet,  1995:  17).  

Someone  needs  to  be  in  charge  to  ensure  practically  that  a  film  is  completed  and   that  creatively  the  content  is  coherent  but  a  move  away  from  the  dogmatic  to  a   more  democratic  tone  deserves  recognition.  

2.6.2  Some  building  blocks  of  film  history    

The  process  of  filmmaking  and  how  it  is  taught  within  film  education  is  one  key   area  under  discussion.  Another  is  that  of  the  education  undertaken  by  successful   filmmakers.   The   next   chapter   looks   at   this   through   the   lens   of   historical   data   analysis   as   refocused   by   a   conceptual   approach   to   filmmaking   education.  

Academic  Patrick  Phillips  (2012  Interview)  comments:  

So  much  of  the  routine  of  film  education  is  not  about  energising  students   with   the   importance   of   content   and   what   they   have   to   say,   it’s   about   engaging  in  pastiche  practice  of  formulaic  work  that  might  or  might  not   train   them   to   be   reasonably   proficient   in   a   certain   kind   of   formulaic   practice   which   is   not   actually   doing   anything   that   is   of   interest   to   themselves  [as  students].    

Phillips’s  words  are  used  to  set  some  context  for  the  next  section.  It  is  important   to  justify  the  following  approach  given  the  economic  figures  discussed  previously   regarding  the  impact  of  film  on  the  UK  economy.  This  is  not  an  elitist  exercise;  it   is  an  approach  that  has  support  from  within  the  commercial  film  sector,  and  not   just  filmmakers.    

Film  producer  Harvey  Weinstein  (2012)  notes:  

I   was   in   a   meeting   in   Hollywood   and   we   were   talking   about   a   film   and   there  were  six  young  executives  in  the  room.  I  said:  ‘That  reminds  me  of   John  Ford’s  movie,  They  Were  Expendable.’  I  looked  at  these  glazed  faces