HAPPY GRADUATION!

Survey: out of 100 recent American high school grads.....

■ 71 were physically assaulted: 28 victimized sexually (10 from date violence, 10 raped), 32 experienced maltreatment, 27 had a physical fight, 16 carried a weapon.

■ 64 had sex: 48 are sexually active, 27 used condoms, 12 on birth control pills; 21% had a sexually transmitted infection; 3-4 young women have been or are pregnant, 1 had an abortion.

■ 39 have been bullied, physically or emotionally: 16 in the past year; 29 felt “sad and hopeless” continually for at least two weeks; 14 thought seriously about suicide, six went through with the attempt.                         ■ 34 are fat, 22 live in poverty (10 in deep poverty).

BEST WRITTEN TV SERIES

101

BEST WRITTEN 

ENGLISH-LANGUAGE
(meaning eliminating most of the world)
TV SERIES 

OF ALL TIME
(meaning 60 years)

Chosen by WGA Members 

[Writers' Guild of America],

the professional association 

which every film/television writer joins 

(voted by internet, 6/13).....

Some great series were left out, 

but (as writer/director/teacher)

I agree with 95% of these choices. 

Every film and television student and writer 

should watch ALL of these. 

Really!

JOSS WEDON, DIRECTOR

GRADUATES:  Action is more important than words....but words are more important than nothing.  Here are 13 minutes of funny, serious, true words than can help you, if you occasionally think of them.

The two professor-administrators at the front, who probably invited him, get his dark entertaining humor and agree. The professor in the back is probably bored and thinks he's a jerk.  You can make your own decision.  (The English is clear and non-academic.)

The problem is that at graduation ceremonies, students are thinking about partying, their dates, supportive and non-supportive families, no job, the terrifyng future, being hot or cold, holding on to their caps in the wind, eating, texting, boredom, and having a good night's sleep, hopefully with someone.

Still, the Graduation Speech Ritual is one of civilization's more useful inventions, too often unused.

http://www.upworthy.com/behold-the-bluntest-funniest-and-deadliest-graduation-speech-in-the-history-of-the-known-universe?g=2&c=upw1

ART and art

GREAT ART uses many different, constantly changing, carefully chosen and carefully crafted techniques (art language) in a single painting, to reveal deeper levels of thought and feeling....

MINOR ART discovers one or two new techniques and maintains them obsessively -- afraid to break through the surface, lose control, make mistakes, do failed paintings, or lose temporal reputations and sales. This very human, but anti-creative fear can be seen in a single painting, a series of paintings, or throughout an entire career....

There is nothing wrong with minor art. It can give us great immediate visual pleasure, make us laugh, feel a simple non-challenging emotion, and make our boring ugly environment more interesting or pretty....

But minor and great art are not interchangeable, and should not be mistaken for each other by art lovers, critics, museums, buyers, art teachers, art students, or other serious artists. The actual fate of our civilization and the human spirit depend on knowing, admitting, and celebrating the difference.

NECESSARY KNOWLEDGE

DARKENED SCREEN

ROGER EBERT...the passionate, sensitive writer who inspired an army of young film directors to care about cinema as art, and have the courage to make their own personal creative films, has died of cancer. He leaves a gigantic unfillable hole in non-academic serious film criticism, cinema history, and critical awareness....Roger did not inspire me to direct films - Kurosawa, Bergman, and Fellini did - and I didn't always agree with his critical opinions (who cares), but Roger was the eyes and perception that kept me making films, despite the socializing politics and cold greed of Hollywood. Every director I ever talked with, from English-speaking countries, all cited Roger as their "guiding light". He was especially caring of film students and first-time directors who had talent but had no network of support. Now we all must continue to struggle forward, without a kind mentor, but with his powerful spirit by our side.

DESERVED FILM AWARDS

Taiwan gave out awards for best student scripts and films....

Taiwan has some of the most creative filmmakers, who all need much more support from the government, society, and Taiwanese audiences.

CONGRATULATIONS,  MICHAEL WU CHIA-HSU !

http://blog.sina.com.tw/movieseeds/article.php?pbgid=122285&entryid=628764