Friday 2 October 2009

DOWSWELL ON DOWSWELL PART 4 OF 6

DECISION TIME AGAIN

So I was out of college...I was now a post graduate...six years combined this was (across two art colleges) and I was out. Now things at this point were not good for me health wise...I’d lived on my own in my own personal ground floor flat for two years...and I had drank an awful lot of alcohol and not eaten properly (I had however cycled a lot so my legs were very strong and still are or at least visually they are)...I actually got a car in the final year at college which was an absolute god send with regards to grocery shopping...putting all your shopping into bags or bag is a nightmare on a bike (maybe should have got a huge back pack actually...ah well).

I had to decide on wiether to stay in the city at this flat, or move back home with my parents...many people of course hate going back to the parents after being independent for so long...and I can tell you its not easy...it took a while to adapt...but I believe there are times where you are meant to go into full rest...full R&R...and I needed this.

So I spose what happened next was I got comfortable-ish living at home...and…well, here’s the part that had me uncomfortable in my chair for a few years…

...when I finished the degree, the head lecturer said to me “Michael, you did the wrong degree…you should have done a filmmaking degree.”...and I’ve always kind of thought about film school, and if I should go there (to be honest I still do nowadays sometimes)...but at the same time I felt that it was time to make films...you MAKE them and LEARN that way by MAKING them...but you need a lot of TIME.

But at the same time I was thinking that perhaps going to the big city and meeting like minded film making people might be good for me...it MIGHT lead to you meeting the right people (by that I mean forming the dream crew where you make a film and it’s a success that leads to things)...you hear stories of how such and such filmmaker met such and such a filmmaker at college and how they kept in contact and helped each other out.

But at the same time I had just had six years of education and was quite frankly a bit sick of it. It still bakes my noodle though (as the lady in The Matrix says)...its better not to think about what ifs.

THE NEED TO MAKE MORE FILMS WAS NOW VERY STRONG

So I then embark on seven years of making animations and silent documentaries.

2 comments:

Unknown said...

Michael, as someones who currently in the stage of wonder what the heck to do with my life, what school to go to, and all that stuff, I'm really enjoying this. Looking forward to the final part to find out where you are now.

Michael J. Dowswell said...

Hey James. Omg...you wrote this on October 4th. Glad your enjoying it...just put up the 5th part...but it's been tricky to write it for some reason. There’s so stuff really to write down and editing of it i find tricky at times. I think the fear is that it can go into a full on ramble session...some of it is tragic too. If I get important information out more finely tuned then I'm happier.