Personal Statement: My Love Affair With The Movies

whether it’s being apart of different art installations in museums or even in a painting class. I am fortunate enough to have an art club at ASTEC and being apart of it has gave me an opportunity to be its vice president. Having the advantage of being vice president, it gave me the option to be apart of Artspace at Untitled mentorship program and having the chance to be a part of their art installations. A part of being of art space I was given the offer to audition into Quartz Mountain; a facility that gives other students like me a chance to learn more about different forms of art. Being a part of one thing related to art it has opened so many more doors and chances to be able to extend my art. Making my own art in these programs and clubs has extended my connections with different

My dad and I are both huge movie nerds. We both love watching them and talking about them. Although we like some similar and some different types of movies, we like to watch and discuss them together.

The first class I took part in was weaving and fibers, and similar to that of playing an instrument, art influenced my life. Weaving and fibers opened up a whole new world I had never experienced; my grandfather built me my own loom, and my whole family became interested in my art projects. After taking my first art class I chose to participate in many more: arts & crafts (twice), ceramics, and stained glass. Art opened up many opportunities for me both socially and intellectually. I participated in art competitions including the contest for the Erie Times News 100th year anniversary (my school placed second) and the Vans Custom Culture contest. I collaborated and built friendships with diverse groups of individuals, worked on group projects (such as stained glass windows), and a plethora of independent study projects (macrame hangings, dream catcher’s, gnome houses…). Through the arts both musical and visual I experienced unimaginable opportunities and experiences that allowed both self-expression and

It was my freshman year of high school when I took Drawing A; I quickly learned that I had a skill that I had previously ignored and began embracing it. Sophomore year, though, was when I truly started using my art. It was during this year that I received a 4 on my AP-Studio Art portfolio, and won four awards at Scholastic Art and Writing in photography. Art gave me a feeling of accomplishment that I didn’t usually get in the rest of my academics, so I always tried my

Ever since my parents bought me my first camera, I’ve been hopelessly attached to it. Film was always something that intrigued me, and I spent most of middle school with a camera in my hand. That didn’t end when high school began. As I furthered my knowledge of film and photography throughout school, I found more opportunities to create something bigger than myself. Using my passion for film and photography, I aided with Tri-M Music Honors Societies community outreaches and events. I have been involved with Tri-M for three years and have held two officer positions, currently being the President. This organization helped me to decide my career path by giving me opportunities to create advertisements and analyze marketing strategies on a small

I love movies. For as long as I can remember, I’ve harvested a passionate, slightly embarrassing obsession with film. The way in which cinema can paint such vivid and beautiful moving images, portray moving stories containing a wide range of emotion and narrative threads, leaving a long-term impact on the viewer, all within a runtime of two hours or so, captured my fascination at an early age. This fascination continues to this day. While I cannot state for certain the first film I ever watched (My parents seem to think it was either Disney’s animated princess flick Mulan or The Phantom Menace, the first film in the Star Wars prequel trilogy), I can most definitely remember the first film that left a lasting impression on my youthful mind, in addition to inspiring me until this day.

Ever since I was able to write, I documented my everyday encounters. My journal expanded alongside my writing skills. However it was until college that my true passion for storytelling unfolded. My freshman year, I declared my major in journalism. I craved getting out of the college bubble and actually going into the community. Listening to stories about people within the community excited me, and I thrived off being able to rely this new information back to the public, especially people within the college bubble. This past year I was able to publish some stories about volleyball and softball games in Ole Miss’s newspaper, The Daily Mississippian. Currently I am a member of the Native American Journalist Association, working on a project about

I graduated from Hilliard Darby High School this past spring. My love for art began very young with my father who always made sure to encourage my creativity. I remember making coil pots with him during the summer and then painting them. In the ninth grade I took painting which I immediately became attached too. For the past four years I have continued to expand my abilities and strengthen skills with the help of my teacher Mrs. Kulick-Brown. From there I have completed several commissioned pieces for teachers and their families. Painting has taught me a lot about color and composition. During high school I also was involved in ceramics where I competed in the annual ‘Feats of Clay” competition. I love the focus and serenity I experience

It might have started with the extensive film collection my grandfather had accumulated and watched with me in my carefree youth, or it might have started with me browsing the vast sea of shelves at Blockbuster, grabbing every movie with a cover that caught my eye. The films I chose

So, now the question of how they could entertain without offending anyone come into play. Films from this period have been named the "Cinema of attractions" by film scholar Tom Gunning, in part, because they treat show over narrative. The popularity of film in its first decade was for some, a cause for concern. It faced challenges to produce longer pictures, which not only would advance their profitability, but also needed to be narrative, which in turn allowed films to carry ethical and good messages.

Once in high school, I put my all into my art. I started exploring different styles and types of art, like design. I applied my skills everywhere: from designing the yearbook for eight years straight to photographing for the Admissions team. I toyed with mediums like acrylic and watercolor as I deviated from the paper I used to use. As time passed, art became who I am: it was what I used to think and feel about the world and I’m compelled to create for

I never stop thinking about being a film director. All these elements have given me a very broad outlook, with varying degrees of knowledge in a range of topics. I strongly believe that although some are not related directly, all these qualities will influence my graduate work.

Since I struggled in school and cannot play many sports due to my Rheumatoid Arthritis, I found art to be the perfect outlet for me. I chose to pick a major from the CSULB College of the Arts because I knew I wanted to get a degree where I would be able to create art and explore other artistic talents. I decided to major in film because I find films magical, every time I watch a movie, music video or short film I escape reality and enter a fantasy. Films inspire me to write new lyrics, new scripts, and to make a change. Growing up I wanted to be an actress in films and film has given me the opportunity to act in films and work behind the camera. I have enjoyed every film class especially FEA 299 Media Aesthetics. I did not have much knowledge

As fun as it was, it was like running away and joining the circus, this was not moving me forward in having a deeper relationship with people or my yearning to be a part of something greater. Once, this would not have mattered. Yet, I had matured enough to recognize that I was no longer that young man. For my personal growth, I needed to move on. My taking part in the world of independent movie making did not last long, but it was a fantastic experience.

studied various art mediums to explore creative talents. In my junior year, I decided to