The Early Days

When I was a little girl, my favorite movie was Disney's Beauty and the Beast, closely followed by the heart-touching tale, Milo and Otis. I loved movies as a child (so did my mother because movie time for me meant nap time for her.) I possessed a vivid imagination and always managed to transport myself into the shoes of Belle, Cinderella, or Ariel. I think I was always drawn to Disney movies because of the bright colors, touching story lines, humor, and most importantly, the lively musical acts. I love, love, love, love musical. I always have, and I always will. Looking back through the time line of my favorite movies from different phases in my life, they have always been musicals. From Beauty and the Beast as a little girl to the current pick, Singing in the Rain, I am a sucker for a well choreographed song and dance. When I was in elementary school, my very first "grown-up" movie was Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, which is of course yet another musical, and quickly replaced the Disney classic as my new favorite. Chicago, Holiday Inn, and My Fair Lady are all musicals that have been on the top of my favorite movies list for years now, and I predict that the next great musical I discover will join the ranks as well.

So why is it that I am so drawn to musicals? Is it just the dancer and performer in me, or I am subconsciously appreciating all of the work and impressive cinematography that goes into a good musical scene. Probably up until this point it was the former, however I hope that through this course it will be more of the latter. The more you know and understand about something, the more you appreciate it-- whether it be the science behind the human body, the story behind the lyrics to a song, or the work that goes into making a movie. I am ready to dive deep into the world of film making to discover new wonders in a world. As of now, I have only been able to appreciate and experience the surface level of this artful, however soon I will be able to appreciate it in a much deeper and more respectful way. Already, in only a few short hours, I have been exposed to so much new information about film and its making, from frames, camera angles, all of the people it takes to make a movie happen, to the roots and evolution of movies and film. It is so much to take in at once, however, I can't wait to pop a bag of popcorn and sit back and enjoy the show. (I suspect there won't be much "sitting back" in the class, but I am eager nonetheless.)