Andrew Harper 03/28/06
Title: Assistantships Help Students Pocket Financial Support, Reel World Experience
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Andrew Harper pursues his Master of Fine Arts in Production, while learning technical and interpersonal skills in the School of Film and Television's projection booth.
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For some graduate students, assistantships are a favorable way to financially support themselves while going to school. Andrew Harper is currently pursuing his Master of Fine Arts in Production, while working in the School of Film and Television's projection booth. Having financial security has enhanced his film making experience. "The overall quality of my filmmaking has gone up. Better locations, more film stock, and greater freedom to realize my vision." It's also improved Harper's time management skills, learning to balance projecting, filmmaking, and studying.
Students like Harper are learning real-world skills with their campus employment and SFTV offers graduate assistantships and work-study positions within a variety of areas: Camera and Sound, Grip and Electric, TV Engineering, the Woodshop and the Projection Booth. "On a practical level, I have increased my knowledge of the technical aspects of running a theater. But more importantly, as staff manager, I've been building on my interpersonal skills." Harper manages nearly a dozen work-study students who project for SFTV classes, showing 35mm prints, DVDs, and even laserdiscs. Part of his job as Head Projectionist is boosting morale and creating a team environment. "The booth strives to not only make every audience have the best theatre experience possible, but they also make sure their work experience is enjoyable. We work as a team up there, and take pride in presenting a seamless show."
Harper's favorite shifts include the genres classes, where he is exposed to films he's unfamiliar with, and the Monday Night Film Series, which brings in guest speakers from Hollywood. Previous guests who have screened their work and fielded questions from the audience include Kurt Russell, Alexander Payne, Stacy Peralta, and Brian Helgeland.