Tuesday, January 5, 2010

In the midst of things

Crown Hall at IIT















































In a round about way I found myself on a jury for some final presentations at IIT. I am doing a lot of networking (don't say networking) and research for my feature length script. My script deals with architects in Chicago and the story begins in the classroom. As the script opens the architects are still in school and preparing for a final project. So I had been angling to sit in on an actual presentation for awhile. My experience was great and strange. Great because I thought the students were talented and it's reassuring to know that I sought out useful information for my research. I studied the student's characters and responses to criticism, as well as the practical details like what materials they brought to class. It was a little strange to experience something that I had written about beforehand. I was able to talk to some of the students afterward and they gave me some of their paperwork and research materials. The presentations were in the middle of Crown Hall. All around us were students working at tables piled with paper and cardboard finishing work for other classes. I was surprised to learn that the students work communally. Their work stations were so cluttered but also expressive and active. It was great to be a part of it and then also actively be a part of my own project too.

images: top-flickr, the rest my own