Week After Week, After Week, After Week
The weather has gotten 100x better and the sun is so nice shining through my window every morning. I explored Prague Friday and yesterday during the day. Yesterday, I went across the river and landed at Mexican restaurant where we had to buy margaritas haha. Friday was nice because we went to Letna Park to see the whole city and the metronome; we just sat and soaked up the sunshine. I have so much to do and I hate this pressure that I put on myself that makes me feel like I’m wasting something. The script process for our short film is moving slowly but surely, I’ll feel a lot better when we have it all written down. I’m excited to pitch our idea this Wednesday!
I had this idea before I came here that I’d change a little; that thought scared me to death. I’m realizing now that this is more important than anything else and I couldn’t imagine not going through these necessary life changes while I’m abroad studying film. I’m graduating college in a little over a year and no one’s waiting for me to catch up. I just need to accept it and decide. I’m happy with this chaos in my life because I know it’s not going to last and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
It’s almost been a month now that I’ve been here. This month flew, but they all do. I’m not concerned about time really. Everything is new and I’m organizing my priorities finally. Berlin was an adventure. We were on the wrong side of Berlin and went to the wrong club. So much walking in the cold but we survived somehow. At the Berlin International Film Festival we saw a film called Winter Nomads and Avalon. It was just exciting to be at such a huge festival with so much history. The more I think about Winter Nomads the more I like it. Prague is beautiful and there’s inspiration around every corner. I need to venture out alone and get lost It’s nice to be able to just sit here alone in my apartment. Everyone needs to be alone once in a while. There are dogs everywhere here and it makes me really miss owning one. Last night I saw Hugo but I don’t know why people said it was phenomenal, I guess I never get it. I need to find a free movie watching website or something…I just want to watch things on my laptop. I took Netflix for granted, haha. I’m going to send postcards out to people soon.:)— In acting studio we have to improvise a lot and I don’t know why I’m so bad at it because that’s all I did as a child. I need to expand my imagination. I keep falling more and more in love with Prague and I never want to leave!
CET FILM PRODUCTION IN PRAGUE CAST OF CHARACTERS
Without unforgettable characters, we wouldn’t have unforgettable stories. So, before I begin the imperfect process of blogging about the next semester of our cinema studies and film-worthy experiences, I’d like to try my hand at a perfect introduction.
If you are what you eat, then on the very first day of our program, Eli would have been (delicious) pig tongue. Though to be honest, he’s probably not a tongue, but rather just an adventurous eater. Take your pick.
Taylor visits us from a 1920’s silent film to which she will return at the program’s conclusion. For the time being, however, she is doing very well with her newly acquired ability to speak without intertitles, and she seems to be enjoying colors quite nicely.
Few can be as stoic as Laura, especially when she overlooks the beautiful town of Cesky Krumlov. Why, you ask? Bets would best be placed on the fact that she is our program’s only Brit, or because she can only be photographed in the foreground of epic landscapes.
Old Town Square and sunglasses-clad hat-topped Ari have many things in common, the most important being that I see both on a daily basis.
Rocking a used bike and always down to bring a sack lunch, Liz is by far the coolest person here in Prague. If anyone else claims otherwise, know that they are lying. Period.
Jon planks like a G6.
After wandering through forests, Anthony has a tendency to imitate random statues. Because this is a family-oriented blog, I won’t show how committed he is to his practice. Let’s just say there were no pants involved.
Sometimes, you have to befriend a person who is absolutely insane for the very sake of feeling normal. This is what I have done with Katrina.
FAMU receives #7 ranking in Top 25 Film Schools!
The Film and Television School of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague (locally known as FAMU) is ranked the #7 Top Film School (and Top European Film School) in a recent article by The Hollywood Reporter.
Click here to see the entire Top 25 list compiled by The Hollywood Reporter
CET Film in Prague students take a practicum at FAMU that guides them through the lengthy film making process. A semester lighting workshop gives students access to facilities at Barrandov Studios, the MGM of Prague.
The CET Film in Prague program provides students hands-on instruction at FAMU. Students collaborate in groups to produce their own short films. And they do it all: pitch ideas, write the script, create the story boards, select the actors, set the lighting, direct the films, edit the takes. They work with professional Czech teams—production managers, camera assistants, sound designers, color graders—to produce a film that will be the highlight of any portfolio.
Scenes from the Set, take 11
posted by Kim Strozewski, Director of Prague Programs
Last but not least our final photos from the Set. Film students will work rain or shine, sleet or snow on Easter Monday to get the perfect framing. The makers of the film “Tuba” (working title) had to make do with unseasonable cold weather as well as the whipping by the “pomlazka” from local children, a traditional activity of Easter Monday. Here is a description about the tradition:
In the morning, boys walk from door to door to spank the girls on the legs with their whip. It is to say, that the whipping is rather symbolic. The symbolism is easily traced from the Czech name of the Easter whip – pomlazka, which comes from the world pomladit or “make younger” in English.
It is believed that the freshness, youth and strength of the twigs is passed to the women on this day. Every woman thus wants to be whipped in order to keep her health and beauty during the whole next year. Unvisited females can even feel offended. It is therefore almost a duty for all boyfriends and husbands to whip their loved ones with Easter whip!
The boys accompany the whipping with a special Easter carol, usually asking for an egg or two. The girls “reward” them with an Easter egg or tie a ribbon on their whip. The more eggs or ribbons boys have, the better.
For older boys or for men the treat, instead of eggs, is a shot of a harder alcohol, mostly home-made brandy. And of course, the point is to visit possibly all girls in the town! So around noon, groups of happy men can be seen in the streets singing Easter carols and chasing girls.
In the afternoon, girls can get revenge by pouring a bucket of cold water on any male.
Students screen their films on May 10th and have an evaluation from the FAMU faculty. Stay tuned for more photos of graduation, the final photography student exhibition on May 12th and photos from the final New Media projects!
CET Academic Programs