School started yesteerday, and it's pretty cool so far. During downtime yesterday I managed to do all the online reading for the storyboarding and scriptwriting classes. Viewed videos from The MAtrix, Indiana Jones, The Birds, a Touch of Evil, and Mission Impossible. Posted intros, etc, to the discussion boards for each class. Did most of the online reading for the editing class, and played a bit with Final Cut Pro. More reading today, from "In the Blink of an Eye" and editing book written by an editor, instead of a director, or a film critic. Loving it so far. Only bad note is my digital still camera isn't manual enough for the storyboarding class, so I'm looking to borrow one from a friend. Life goes on, and it's fun.

Well, school doesn't start until 2/1/2010, but I've been getting the itch to start early. After watching the orientation videos of the AoA website (I think I went into a sugar coma from the narrator's voice) I downloaded all the supplemental videos for the three classes.

I have already bought all my school books through Amazon, so I figured I can at least start on the book for MPT 110: Nonlinear Computer Editing 1: Principles of Editing (aka Final Cut Pro 6). Since I've already got a background in video editting, it's mostly just a matter of getting use to FCP interface, and working on a Mac instead of a PC. I've gone through the first two chapters, and I'm liking things pretty well. One of the nice things about the book (displayed below) is that it uses footage from Seaworld's "Believe" show, with the killer whale Shamu. My kids and I just got back from vacation a couple of weeks ago, and once of the things we did was go to SeaWorld in San Diego. It's kinda cool see some of the behind the scenes footage of a show we got to see as tourists.

Getting ready to start school at the Academy of Art out of San Francisco. My major is Film and Television Production. I'm going with the online program, but I expect I will end up taking at least a few classes on campus, since they are only two hours away.

I'm registered for three classes this first semester:

MPT 105: Cinematic Storytelling
MPT 110: Nonlinear Computer Editing 1: Principles of Editing, and
MPT 295: Successful Storytelling

Picked up a new MacBook Pro and Final Cut for the editing class, my student loans are squared away (don't ask how much), and I have my books for the first semester.

I'm going to keep a running commentary here so other people interested in the program might be able to get an idea what is involved.

Filming a comedy show with local improv troupe ICUP on Saturday night, then on Sunday we going out to the Sacramento Horror Film Festival to support the local horror community. Busy, but lots of fun!

A series of short interviews with various costumed attendee at Sacramento's SciFi/Horror concention, From the Land Beyond. The Interviews are done by Laura Iriarte.