Why do you want to study AV?

During the last ‘’assessment’’ of the Propedeuse, Paul Segers, one of the teachers who formed the jury that examined me, ask me a question that at that moment I didn’t know how to replay using convincing reasons. He asked me: Why do you want to study AV?
The same day, at home, I tried to give a more complete answer to myself. And now I’m going to write it here using new reasons I found starting this second year in St Joost.

I am thrilled by movies, even though with the ‘’bad’’ ones. Sometimes while watching a movie I get so deep in the history that I feel like the protagonists themselves, and I get upset. And also sometimes after watching some dramatic documentary I remain overwhelmed by the horrible things that happens in this our world and I'm pretty mashed for hours or even days. It seems to me as I can feel the sorrow, the joy, the confusion and the pride, among other feelings; of each of the cast members and that full me a lot. I will like to learn how to create images, scenes (starting from the beginning) films with which the people would be emotionally touched as me, and of course with a message. I would like to communicate my ideas, I would like to make public conscious of the things I find important to be aware of, and not only that but also I will like people to reflect about them after seeing my movies. I will like to be the culpable of all kind of changes (from the littlest to the biggest one) in the way of thinking, the way of doing of the people who watch my films. I am talking indeed of a sort of manipulation.

I know that to achieve this goal I still need to learn many things. And that is why I am currently doing this study. I believe, and I am not talking only in the film world, it's very important to find balance between the two extremes. With this I mean that to create a good documental, piece of art or whatever, it is important to have knowledge of technique and creativity. In my point of view the academy offers me, in part, this balance. Of course there are other schools where perhaps I could learn more specific things about technical skills but St Joost also gives me the opportunity to choose my own way. They let me create my resume through exchanges and work experience, they let me go to where most interests me, and the most important thing, they let me experiment. And this also helps me as a person, not only as a student.

I have always been very interested in the sociological part of human being. I would like to study something in reference to this, humanities, sociology or psychology, to understand better human’s reaction. I think this may also help me (considering myself as movie maker) to know what should I bring to the screen in order to win public support.

There are many different ways of communication but my choice is AV because I think that the image (can also be combined with other things) is the future rather than text or other ways of communication, since society is getting laziest every day.

I do not know if my arguments are weighty. And because extreme planning does not convince me, sometimes I like to let myself go. I don’t know if this is the study that suits me the best but I decided to try. At any time I do/move by one statement: you should study something you really want to study, something you will not mind to spend some of your time on it (and I apply it to working life as well). Maybe I will see at some point of my career that it was the wrong choice, but until then I would have learned something and enjoyed my time (I say that again because it is vital in my opinion), and I then I will be satisfied. For example, I have started in Holland, something that before I had never planned to do. Sometimes we don’t have to keep doing everything as it is said, but drop in and attempt the chance. Better that than remain with the doubt of how it could have been if…

Maite Klis.