The treasures of my travels through countless used book stores are many. Commitment to discovery is the driving force and the shelves of my library are lined with great texts on film, mostly hardcover and out of print. One rare beauty – Lessons with Eisenstein – cost me fifteen bucks and hours of happy hunting but can now be had at the click of a keystroke on Amazon for $171.28 (add $6.49 for shipping). Act fast – only 6 are available.
In the appendix of this dusty gem lies the original curriculum for the first film school in history, in Russia. In addition to the great theories on editing developed at the time (circa 1919), Sergei Eisenstein’s four year “Programme for Teaching the Theory and Practice of Film Direction” charts the course of study to receive a diploma and the title of Qualified Director from the Soviet National Institute.
Eisenstein’s First Year Fundamentals
The primary fundamentals for the first year of study are initially surprising. First year, Division 1 is titled ‘Work on Oneself’ with four separate components: Development of the Necessary Physical Requirements, Development of the Necessary Gifts for Directed Perception, The Creative Process, and Work in the Group. Division 2 includes Theoretical Studies and Production Planning both considered inseparable and required to ensure complete assimilation of the Institute’s method of teaching the subject of film direction.
Sign me up for this program any day of the week! ‘Physical strengthening of the health of the organism’ might sound like a fitness membership but believe me, the hours required for industry directors can take a physical toll on some creative personalities, and if you want to work in this business I recommend not skipping any of these classes. Boxing and gymnastics might seem a bit abstract for film directors, but not if you really stop and think about it. These are skills that will come in handy.
Voice training and the bases of diction – this is a must! I took years of elocution as a child and have my parents to thank for that – it served me well. You have to have a voice on set. This is the communication business and, in addition to developing your voice, I recommend installing an instant filter that lets you be impeccable with your words – at all times. How quickly things can get derailed on a set with a leader who has not chosen his/her comments with care.
Most contemporary Western film schools are filled with students packing HD cameras in their smart phones. They’re making movies every day. Their landscape of audience, community and friendship is mediated by the internet. Interpersonal social skills are under siege. What human stories will the filmmakers of tomorrow tell? How will technology impact ‘The Creative Process’ or ‘Work in the Group’? No one is certain.
Dealing With People
In the human experience, some things never change. The Russian Film School lays out an entire section on ‘Tact and tactics in dealing with people.’ Sounds fascinating if you can pull yourself away from Facebook for an hour. Don’t get me wrong. The internet is an amazing tool and I believe that, if used wisely, you could google and learn a lot of the muscles that are detailed in the first year at Eisenstein’s film school. But it requires personal discipline. And discipline constitutes the primary feature and major characteristic of the film director’s craft in this proposed program.
As stated in his thesis, not one of the generally accepted academic methods of teaching is adequate for teaching the craft of film direction. I think the same holds true now. The notion of a strong film production education is not a secret. The study is multi-fold and multi-disciplinary, and should give pause to any budding film student. Eisenstein took great efforts to expose the flaws in American and European filmmaking of his time citing symptoms of elitism, childishness, incompetence and commercialization. Filmmaking was hard and competitive a hundred years ago, and the challenge ahead for the filmmakers of tomorrow is even greater. The playing field has been leveled – sort of. You may have a camera in your pocket but so does the person next to you. In the history of film and film education, our current state is a paradigm shift of epic proportion. Everyone’s a director – now more than ever before. It’s time to take off the gloves…
POZERVISION 