Cinema
Tonight after rugby I sprinted on over to the Grace st. Theater to watch 2 of my good friends’ films that they made over the summer. It turned out that I watched 3 hours of cinema department goodness, much to my dismay, because I had KI homework back at home. It was fine, though, because I was supporting my friends. Unfortunately, Rob Tregenza stood up after the movies had ended and stated: “The cinema department, unlike KI, thanks and appreciates our actors…”. I kid you not. Now, this was very off-putting. Mostly because I had just given up valuable editing time to sit and watch films (excluding my friends’) that I didn’t really give a flying fuck about. I walked outside, fuming, and couldn’t put a full sentence together. I walked away without hitting the bastard, and instead went home and wrote it an email:
Dear Robert,
I was in the audience tonight as a guest and friend to many of your cinema students. To sit through 3 hours of work, applauding and supporting your very own, I was extremely put off by your “KI statement”. I am a junior in the KI department and I work very hard at what I do. The problem with your statement about Kinetic Imagers not using or thanking our actors, not only being false and incredibly insulting, is that Cinema and KI are two completely different things and can not, should not be compared as you did. We deal with sound equipment, video editing and animation. Your students are forced in to writing 90 pages of script to possibly get the chance to make a film over the summer, when they will be put in to a demeaning, overly-mature, film-hierarchy. I have made at least 15 videos so far in my KI career, and have used and thanked many actors. Many of your cinema students were in my pieces, and I have worked with many of them for yours. Please do not bring up the KI department again, unless with good words. We are a talented group of students and teachers who do not need your judgment, especially when being put aside in front of a large audience.
I am aware of your habit of not returning emails, so I will not hold my breath. However, it is important for you to know that the world does not revolve around you and your cinema department, and that many other departments are involved with VCUarts. Many of which have helped you and your department. Many of which were in the audience tonight. I will not be attending another cinema premier, and will not hesitate to spread your very rude words, unless apologized to.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Amanda Patterson, KI student
