<p>I've appreciated all of the help from the college film experts here on CC! Now I'm seeking your advice...</p>
<p>I'm a freshman in HS and just about all EC's have started up at my school. Here's what I'm involved in so far...</p>
<p>~Speech & Debate (Dramatic Interp)
~Literary Magazine
~Film Club (we don't have the resources to make movies, we just watch and discuss them)
~Drama Club (set work for a lot of hours each week)
~A club where we show science demonstrations to kids in younger grades to inspire them to become more enthusiatic about science
~I'm also looking to start a club where HS students teach basic computer skills to seniors for free</p>
<p>Do these EC's look good for an aspiring film student? There aren't too many opportunities to do any hands-on film work; however I'm looking to do a film apprenticeship next summer if I can find one.</p>
<p>BTW, I DO enjoy all of these EC's. I'm not just doing them for resume padding.</p>
<p>I want to challenge you a little when you say your film club doesn’t have the resources to make movies. Nobody has an iPhone? You would be surprised what you could do with a phone and iMovie on someone’s laptop. How about hitting eBay for a used Flip Video recorder at under $100?</p>
<p>I like that you guys are watching movies but I want you to find a creative and inexpensive ways to start making them.</p>
<p>Still too expensive? Alright, then how about a pencil and a piece of paper? Write, write, write. How about you start a screenwriting club? Write scripts around the people and things that you have around you, act it out, film it, rinse and repeat.</p>
<p>I totally agree with Wheaty. And… how about starting a film festival. You can solicit films from your school, county or state. As for resources for making films, check with your local school board. They might support you with some equipment.</p>
<p>Six EC’s as a freshman is fine, you’re exploring opportunities. It’s OK to eventually concentrate on the one’s you love, don’t fragment yourself. Step up to the challenge, find some other students who have a video camera laying around at home, and make movies. Check your school library or other resources, even our little school has 3 flip video recorders, they are great to start with. Get that club going, and maybe some community group will step up with some money. Do a film night fund raiser. Convince the booster club to buy the football team a new video camera and you get their old one. Use your imagination, where there is a will there is a way. Sorry for the cliche, but the best thing you can do (besides getting a good education) is to start making films.</p>
<p>@Wheaty: The reason why I’m hesitant to do something like that is that writing and filming little stories is kind of the area of the broadcast journalism students (they are in a class that meets throughout the entire year producing news stories. Along with that they make cute/funny videos that introduce freshman to the high school, etc. so there is creativity involved. The class is limited to sophomores and beyond. However I’ve also heard that it’s kind of a “fluff class” and I would much rather expand my writing skills by joining the journalism class next year). All the resources go to the broadcast class and a club that makes films may be stepping on their toes (or it may look that way to the school board, to go with maddenmd’s post). </p>
<p>@jtmoney: “the best thing you can do (besides getting a good education) is to start making films” haha yeah, getting a good education’s kind of a big priority too (I have a somewhat odd sense of humor, pardon me)</p>
<p>Moral of the story: I want to pursue the formation of a filmmaking club. The best idea I can come up with is maybe partnering up with the drama club for actors. The problems are that I don’t have great faith that the school board would fund it; I haven’t really seen much interest in going beyond the mere viewing of films in my fellow film club members (although it’s not like I’ve avidly sought this out. We’ve had two meetings), and, here’s the kicker: I really don’t think I have enough time to give this the dedication it deserves! I know that I shouldn’t be saying that, that I should MAKE time. But I feel strongly dedicated to all of the previously-listed EC’s and the fact that they are all established and solid (with the exception of the computer-teaching club I’m starting; but dropping that wouldn’t free me up that much at all; it’s going to require very little time commitment) makes me want to stick with them versus dropping some things I like to go out on a limb hoping that I can produce some good, quality films. Plus, my HS is by no means easy! The rigor really kills freetime too, and most film club members are upperclassmen.</p>
<p>I know I’m listing out excuses. But for once I’m trying to be a realist (something that’s very new for me). I honestly thought that these EC’s might be satisfactory because they would display and foster my love for storytelling/ creative endavours (most of them, anyway).</p>
<p>If you read this whole thing, THANK YOU. I’d be amazed if I got any responses after this. But given the circumstances, do you think I should really try to make this club happen?</p>
<p>I think what you are doing sounds great.They are are great EC’s. They will all be great on your resume for film schools. And you sound like a very involved and interesting person. I think the reason we are all pushing you towards film things, is that when it comes time to apply, showing some passion for one specific thing can sometimes be more powerful than doing multiple things. Especially if that one thing is related to your intended major. However: YOU SHOULD DO WHAT YOU LOVE AND WHAT INTERESTS YOU. Not what you think will get you into a school. And yes, I DID read your whole answer! :)</p>
<p>@maddenmd: Thank you so much! I really appreciate your response! Your dutiful help to film applicants always makes it clear why you’re such a valued CC poster! </p>
<p>I see what you’re saying about pushing for more major-focused EC’s. It has come across my mind before. I just hope that the whole storytelling/creativity factor will come into play. And once my schedule begins to free up (over the holidays, towards the end of the school year, over the summer) I could take a shot at making some more films on my own- who needs a club (I actually used to write extremely crappy films and make them with my best friend as the lead actress when I was in like 3rd-6th grade just for the heck of it. Maybe I could try that again sometime!)? Plus, my passion for these EC’s will most likely vary throughout the next four years and some of the less relevant ones may get kind of pushed to the side. But right now I love what I do and will try my hardest to find time to make my own films- another thing I love to do!</p>
<p>(P.S. I’m really excited because I just found out that I got chosen for my school’s Cappies team -it’s a team of high school drama students who go around writing reviews of high school productions around the region. The students learn how to be theatre critics and their reviews have the opportunity of being published in the local newspaper!)</p>