This past week was pretty full-on as our ‘proper’ classes started. The first day where we were introduced to Maya 8.5 was an experience-and-a-half having never really used the program until now. It was very much being thrown in the deep end, but I’m gradually getting the hang of it.
Life drawing classes on Thursday was a misnomer, having had the model pike on us at the last moment and as a result we sketched some stuffed birds. I’ve never done life drawing before, so it was an interesting experience. And with my first drawings looking like stick-figures, I gradually started to get the hang of it towards the end.
A trip to the iCinema on friday was an interesting look at display technologies - stereoscopic 360° images, interactive spaces and a minority-report-styled video browsing system (lots of video clips floating in 3D space around you that you can select, move, combine, etc). Very, very impressive even in its early stages.
Friday night saw a screening of last years graduate films including the Oscar nominated ‘The Saviour’ (great short film) which was really impressive. Saturday night was spent in the village, hopping from one party to another (albeit unintentionally). And finally we have a new flat-mate: Sarah from the States (Iowa).
This past week was an interesting one. At AFTRS we’re now becoming more focused on various areas which culminated in a ‘three minute feature’ on thursday where we were given a video camera, placed in groups and told to make a 3-ish minute dramatic story in about 4 hours to be screened that afternoon. The results were hilarious and were reviewed by the Sydney Morning Herald’s Garry Maddox, our group winning the coveted ‘Golden Gorilla’ award for Best Film.
Friday I went on a tour of Foxtel. I’d have never thought that so much effort, time and money was be poured into television. Highlight of the trip: Master Quality Controll where a couple of guys stare at two 20-feet high screens with all content that Foxtel is putting out at any one point. Hundreds of streams all being monitored at different stages, computers and monitors everywhere - it looked liked a Bond villains lair (no pictures, I’m afraid).
Friday night a large bunch of us went to the local pub to socialise for the first time which was really good and I found some fellow Adelaideians. Saturday night went to a party at Manly (cheers, Adam). It seemed that about 50% of the people there were Swedish girls who have convinced me that Sweden is a place where if you’re not a beautiful person, they must deport you, your nationality revoked. And while we’re perpetuating stereotypes, every second person at Manly can surf.
Next week we start getting down to the nitty-gritty as all the students scurry away into their dark little rooms, only to venture out at free-food time (4:00 in the Cafeteria, if you’re wondering).
Well I arrived in Sydney on Saturday carrying as much as humanly possible. Arriving at the Maquarie University Village at 2:58 (the office closed at 3:00), I got into my room and… ah… no sheets or pillows. So the first few nights were spent using a beach towel for a rug, but we found a pillow in the apartment.
Anyway, the two flatmates with me at the moment are a 21 year-old American (Yanina) and a 19 year-old Kenyan (Pat). They’re good people, if a little messy in the kitchen… My unit is a 15 minute walk or so to a Marion-like shopping centre, with a small shopping complex just across the road. It’s pretty quiet here in the village because uni hasn’t started, but more people are gradually trickling in.
So far at AFTRS we’ve been bombarded with information for most of the week, but it’s an amazing place and the talent of the people there is pretty scary. All up there are 80-something of us (and about 50% of those are radio students) and it’s great talking to people that are really “into” their various areas. The facilities are also very, very nice. Oh! And the library - 15,000 videos and DVDs and great books…
It’s mostly been orientation, getting-to-know-you, introductions etc this week and will continue until next week, then we get into the course proper.
So it’s all going well and I’m not broke yet, so I’ll give you all another update in a week or so.
