Brigham Young University
Faculty Center


Faculty Development Plan
Theatre & Media Arts Department
2005

I. Self-Assessment

 

A. Strengths include:

1. A love and enthusiasm for filmmaking and teaching about it

2. Finding common ground with colleagues and students, and expanding upon it

3. Developing new expertise, skills and knowledge

4. Striving to maintain spiritual balance and personal growth

5. A love for and interest in others

 

B. Weaknesses include:

1. A propensity for perfectionism

2. A tendency to be a workaholic 

3. Taking on more projects than I ought to

4. Lacking a broader and deeper knowledge of film’s historical movements and critical theories

5. Internalizing criticism

 

II. Professional Goals - Five Year Plan

 

Teaching

1. Stay current with industry practices and production trends

2. Clarify course teaching objectives and develop deeper learning objectives

3. Deepen and broaden my understanding of critical studies

4. Continually reshape syllabi and course content, emphasizing deeper student learning and assessment of that learning

5. Restructure the way students learn to use equipment and how that is taught

6. Participate in at least two professional writing/production conferences

7. Develop online content and online student assessment

8. Teach students how to improve their work through focused peer and self-critiques, reconceptualization, restructuring, reshooting

9. Form additional professional relationships in the Utah film community in order to provide mentoring opportunities for students

10. Initiate guest lecturing opportunities for filmmakers working in diverse areas of expertise

 

Professional

1. Complete at least three feature-length screenplays and two short screenplays 

2. Receive festival/professional association recognition for projects I’ve written, produced and/or directed

3. Write and direct a film developed within the department

4. Continue writing, directing, and editing commercials and similar projects for broadcast

5. Direct and/or produce several short films or a feature film

6. Write at least 30 minutes a day

7. View at least one film a week

8. Become more familiar with critical studies through regular conversations with colleagues and their recommended books, journals, and scholarly papers

9. Develop additional skills in the Final Cut Pro production suite and the Avid software applications

10. Mentor students on professional projects

 

Citizenship:

1. Continue serving on the forum, production, writing, and other departmental committees

2. Teach a religion class in addition to other department assignments

3. Maintain strong working relationships with other faculty members

4. Explore opportunities for collaboration with the Theater department

5. Modify my courses as needed in order to help create curricular flow within the department

6. Support college meetings, faculty meetings, and student presentations

7. Help maintain an atmosphere of good will within the department

8. Balance my professional goals with my responsibilities to my family

9. Contribute my skills to the community

10. Devote myself to ongoing spiritual growth and development

 

III. My Goals and BYU

Part of the mission of Brigham Young University is to, “assist individuals in their quest for perfection and eternal life.” My goal is to assist and encourage students to explore and express that quest in a meaningful way. That is what filmmakers--and all artists--do, but from their uniquely individual life experiences and journeys. 

 

Film, and the related media, is the language of our time. Thus, filmmaking is a particularly seductive discipline--not only because of its power to influence others, but because of the way it can give a false sense of importance to those who make films. Filmmaking is not just about making films. It is about having something of significance to say, and saying it with grace, beauty and truth. BYU can create such filmmakers. However,

without disciplined thinking, spiritual sensitivity, and practical knowledge, students can easily become filmmakers--and people--who are as sounding brass or tinkling cymbals. 

 

So, it is my desire to help students do more than find a job in the industry after they leave Brigham Young University-- particularly since such a small percentage of those in the professional workplace remain in the field they study as students. Joseph Campbell once said, “...a vitalizing soul vitalizes.” That should be the aim of BYU film students: to develop their own spirituality, skill, intelligence, wisdom, and humor so that they will be capable and worthy of being heard-- wherever they go and whatever they do. Of course, since they’re studying film, they need to develop a mastery of specific tools and skills. But it is my desire to teach these tools and skills within a living context; one much larger than an occupation.

 

IV. Budget and Resources

With the exception of some on-campus productions and smaller projects, the budget and resources required to achieve my professional goals are too substantial for the University to accommodate. Therefore, I will need to find resources outside of the University and use the time available to me during the Summer. That said, when I am prepping larger productions, a temporary reduction in some of my load (teaching, committees, etc.) would be extremely beneficial, although such an arrangement would create opportunities for significant student mentoring in a professional environment.