Pounds of Research
Michelle May once said “Eat what you love”. I always found an affection to this quote both on the restaurant scene and the movie biz, which is hard to believe coming from categories with some of the most passion, cutthroat fans around. If you try to talk about pizza with people from New Haven or New York, they will tell defend their statement until they are blue in the face. Same goes with cult classics, 80’s action flicks, 90’s love stories, etc. I believe that the culture of food and movies, shape our lives whether we realize it or not.
I know when I walk into a restaurant and see a really cool looking dish or member of the wait staff, I will subconsciously try to recreate that coolness. This goes without saying for every coming of age film you’ve ever seen.
Two years ago, when I would work till midnight, I made it a goal to watch a movie every single night after work. I have dedicated countless amounts of time to connecting to the world of Cinema through filmmakers from every genre.
Films & Fare is born from my experiences in film school, opening up restaurants on both the east and west coast, as well as doing some seriously bad acting. All of this passion and pursuit of greatness has led me to create this interactive concept of movies and restaurants and how they create this super culture within our daily lives.
FFC-C
Hi Fran,
ReplyDeleteI love how you centered this piece on passion. I truly believe that our environment around us shapes us (if we allow it!) You painted really interesting imagery for the reader. Whenever I see an interesting member of the wait staff at a restaurant, I like to envision what he/she partakes in when not working. Very relatable observation!
"I know when I walk into a restaurant and see a really cool looking dish or member of the wait staff, I will subconsciously try to recreate that coolness."
I would rephrase as:
"Upon entering a restaurant, I immediately direct my gaze to the most intriguing member of the wait staff. Subconsciously, my body begins to mimic the overzealous and quite impressionable worker."
As I mentioned in the lecture, the key to the module one assignments is audience. How often do you consider yours when writing?
ReplyDeleteFor module two this week, I ask you to write an “about you” page for your blog. The module one assignments are first and second drafts for that “about you.”
The beat defense assignment is usually the better draft because it focuses your writing and story on the interests of your audience. It thinks of your audience.
Yet the autobiography is still helpful. It sets your mind in motion. It helps you consider possible beats. It helps you think about “you the author.” It introduces you to the class.
At first, I was intrigued by your posts. Bringing two different ideas or worlds together under one beat can produce wonderful results. Then, as I do with all my students, I searched for you online and realized how well this fits into your world as well.
I encourage students to make this course and all the writing involved as relevant and practical to your goals as possible.
I was surprised you didn’t have more of a presence online. Your film Facebook page and personal site didn't line up together as neatly as they could. A little more writing could help that.
Your autobiography and beat defense assignments both take a good stab at uniting your two subjects, but that often takes time, and drafts.
It’s important to use writing to deliver your ideas to an audience, but it’s also important to use writing to develop and discover your ideas—that’s they type of writing that will make an actual connection. That’s why I insist on drafts.
Drafts think. They experiment. They make your thoughts concrete and let you consider whether they express your ideas well enough. Drafts sit in your mind for a few days and foster better expressions and better ideas. Drafts create new thoughts.
I look forward to seeing where you go with this. In terms of combining your two drafts and creating an “about page” this week, you might want to try a simple story. You mention many intriguing ideas—restaurant red carpets, “making films and slinging drinks,” your grandfather—but you don’t tell the actual stories.
Is there one that ties films and fare and your love for them together?
Good work this week.