Hard Core

I realize it's been a while since I've written. I did that mainly because classes started this week and I knew I'd prefer to write one entry about the first week of classes, otherwise known as "Core Classes." I will have to add another entry when I have more energy about the weekends events, but for now, Z CLASSES!

Firstly, we have Basic Czech Language twice a week with Ilona Koranova. She's really nice and a good teacher. I think she's a great sport considering none of us really want to know Czech fluently, just enough to get around without getting death stares. Her last name is different than her husbands because women's names end differently in the Czech language.

Secondly, there is Master Class with Rudolph and other instructors. This class includes the NYU students as well. Basically it's screenings of Czech films. The first day of this class we watched "The Devine Ema" [Bozska Ema] made in 1979. We then had a Q&A with the director, Jiri Krejcik. He's about 90 years old and still making films today. "The Devine Ema" was based off of the life of a Czech opera singer. Speaking of Czech films, our program was also required to take Czech Film Screening for 3 days the first week with Pavel Jech. It was essentially a crash course in Czech film history, my guess is to give us some background to the country's rich film history, particulary New Wave Cinema styles. Pavel also mentioned the strong presense of FAMU in the New Wave Cinema Era, which could be another reason for these 3 sessions.
During the class, we watched a total of 6 films, 3 narrative, 3 experimental. First day, we watched "The Shop of Main Street" [Obchod Na Korze] filmed in 1965. Then we watched "Diamonds in the Night" [Demanty Noci] made in 1964 with director Jan Nemecs. These two focused on Czech's in relation to WWII. "The Shop on Main Street" was a narrative about an "Aryan" Czech man who has to keep tabs on an elderly "Jewess" and her shop. The movie culminates when the Nazi's begin rounding up the Jews, it gets, well, dramatic. The second day we watched Closely Watched Trains made in 1966 then Daisies also made in 1966. The third day we watched Loves of a Blonde and The Joke. {I will go into detail about the plots and what not later, I'm currently exhausted}

Thirdly is Pavel Jech for screenwriting. Pavel is the director of FAMU international and I really enjoy his classes. He's easy to talk to and is extremely knowledgeable about Czech film history and writing screenplays. He's also lived in Pennsylvania for an extended period of his life. We talked about basic story structures in his class and pitched a few ideas. We also watched shorts called "Postcards" that were created for the European Film Awards in 2003 and 2004.

Fourthly is Camera Works with Michael Gahut. He has ADD or something, I can barely follow him. He keeps describing very technical things without providing any background. I can tell he's passionate and knowledgeable, now it's just a matter of absorbing some of that knowledge and passion...

Fifthly is Script and Directing with Pavel Marek. No one really liked him because he was fairly harsh in his criticisms. We watched a FAMU film then had to pitch ideas. He would analyze each idea and provide feedback. He appears really knowledgeable as well. I think he has a lot to offer.

Sixthly (is that even a word? Has anyone gotten to "sixthly" before?) is Acting Studio with Dasa Blahova. We did a LOT of warm up exercises and then some acting exercises. A lot of memories from acting classes and workshops flooded back to me. We did an exercise where one person can only say the word "No" and the conflict was the "No" person was a parent and their partner was trying to get the keys to the car.

Seventhly, there is Film Language with Marek Jicha. I could barely understand him as well. I look forward to another class with him to see I get more information the second time around.

Eigthly there is Editing and Directing with Henry Hills. While we did not have his class the first week, I did meet him at a dinner held for the AU program and the teachers for the core program.

{As mentioned before, I'll be adding on in great detail, but I'm exhausted. Also, when I have the energy, I can add all the accent marks...if I'm really bored anyway}
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