JUDGE READ

Check this out. I was a judge for the National Student Film Association of the United Kingdom. I feel so international.

It was certainly an interesting experience. There were a couple of good ones. One in particular manipulated my sense of sentimentality like there were servos connected up to it that could be actuated by an X-Box controller.

There were a couple of really bad ones. One writer, I'm fairly sure aspires to be L. Ron Hubbard, using his screenplay to espouse some sort of nonsensical philosophy though really weird characters. He's got some work to do before he reaches any kind of Scientological level.

Then there was the poem set to pictures. The word is screenplay, not screenpoem. Obviously, the scoring is not going to be awesome on that one.

In between was a lot of chaff. Scenes that went no where. Characters talking just to have talk. And more than one childish revenge fantasy, but the majority of them showed the beginnings of something that, if followed upon and really worked at could be...something.

They may just be students, but I graded from a more professional standpoint. There is no leeway in this industry. Either you're good or you're not (or somebody owes you). But if you're not good, you can become so. Just be open to it.