A photo from the set of “Hide and Seek” in the sound stage in the Media Production Center (MPC).

After an intense bootcamp session, directors and producers all welcomed the start of the “real” term. I almost didn’t realize 2 weeks had passed. Time flies when you are doing something that you enjoy with people that share your passion!

Bootcamp was a great way to meet our classmates. Though the schedule was intense, it helped us all become closer. After just 15 days, I felt like I was a member of this family. If you are coming from a film background, bootcamp is going to be repetitive for you; however, the experience is worthwhile. It’s purpose is not only to be informative, but also to get to know your classmates that you are going to be with for the next 2 years. Although it has been just a month, I have already shared so many experiences and stories with my classmates which I think is amazing! During Bootcamp, one of my favorite projects involved making documentaries about our fellow classmates. It was as much about getting to know each other as it was about the creative process.

A frame from the documentary that I shot about a fellow directing student.

For our Turning Point projects we met at the 1104 S Wabash building for the first time for our class. It is really great that we have all these spaces for us to use. We have huge whiteboards that we can write or draw on which definitely makes the process easier! Everyone was really excited about pitching their project to our professors. Although we had gotten to know them well, it still felt like a real pitch. So, my producer and I spent a lot of time preparing and developing our idea. Everyone gathered on the third floor before giving their pitches. Some had storyboards in their notebooks, like me, and some had made theirs on whiteboards.

A director drawing her storyboard.

After Bootcamp had ended, one of our producer friends decided to have a gathering on her building’s rooftop patio. Almost everyone was there and we had a great time. We played games, ate food, and talked about so many things. It was sort of our celebration party after Bootcamp. Since we had all bonded so much during the fifteen days of Bootcamp, we felt the need to get together and celebrate. (We felt that need at the end of almost every day of Bootcamp, but this time we had a poster!)

At the moment, directors are working on their final projects for the Directing for Character class taught by Sue Mroz. Bootcamp is only the beginning. Be prepared to have lots of writing assignments, different pre-production work for multiple projects, productions, and editing work all at the same time. It can be a lot to juggle at once (so you may need to invest in a calendar) but overall it is a fun and rewarding experience!

Get ready, be prepared because this is just the beginning so there is much more to come!