Mediaworks

Student Evaluation

15December1999

My intention in taking Mediaworks was to focus on creativity, which I have felt has been secondary to academic concerns during my work at Evergreen. The workload at times has been immense. I am amazed at my accomplishments, considering the separate disciplines we have worked through; video and film production, small-scale performance and introduction to the television studio, as well as audio production; this in addition to viewing films and seminar on texts as well as the written responses to both.
One of the high points to the quarter was the workshop intensive by Rachel Rosenthal. Being a participant in this unique opportunity was gratifying intellectually, emotionally and spiritually. It brought back memories of theatre work that I have done much of my life, and how this has inspired me through the years. The mini-DBD workshop will remain a cherished experience of my undergraduate career.
It is amazing to see the power of the camera, as humbling as it is to reflect on the ethics of representation. The texts we have worked with this quarter have opened my mind to the responsibility that goes along with that power. The seminar work we have done has reinforced my awareness of this as well. The writing I have done in response to John Berger's The Ways of Seeing, John Huston's The Battle of San Pietro, and Michelle Citron's Home Movies and Other Necessary Fictions has been effective in explicating my thoughts on, not only those artists work, but also on the ideas raised in discussion and seminar.
The work I did in video production would have benefited from the collaborative experience. I am inspired by the aesthetic qualities of the images and marvel at the technical expertise necessary to create them. I find that these same qualities are expressed in the film work currently underway. My only mea culpa thus far would be the limited work I have done in the audio portion of the program. I will be producing a soundtrack for my film project and will utilize the knowledge and expertise of fellow program members who have shown themselves more adept at audio production.