Researching my MA thesis in scholarly journals...

Wow, and now I've confirmed that there is a distinct lack of material relating to production education. And by distinct lack of material, I mean none at all. Dana had me look in a number of journals for material and, while I found several interesting articles on processes in journalism education at the post secondary level, there was not one focused on the challenges related to hands-on, television or audio production. Has no one seriously ever considered studying this area before? I'm a little shocked. I'm not sure if the void in literature is caused by the fact that people would rather work in television than study it. I've had the chance to observe a wealth of interesting behaviour on undergraduate student productions, and it goes without saying that the inner workings of a TV degree ar different than those in an English or Geography degree. The group dynamic is fascinating and worthy of study, but am I the only person who thinks so? And if so, what does that mean for my research and how it'll be received? Lots to think on as I proceed...

My first meeting with Dana...

Dana and I met Monday afternoon, and he was really enthusiastic about my proposal! He asked all of his charges to write out a (rough) two page proposal, and we'd go from there in the meeting. My proposal listed my three ideas, the project and two papers, and my idea was to combine the project with a smaller paper. So, it's a go. I will be doing the half-hour show - either in studio or in the field - and an accompanying paper examining the challenges and difficulties involved with undergrad production exercises.

The research begins! Dana gave me a copy of the (4th year RTA) Practicum and Human Dynamics Handbook to read through. He also asked that I begin looking into the Journal of Broadcasting and Electronic Media" for articles related to production education, to get an idea of what has been written on the subject. There are a number of other media-focused journals that I'll also check.

Something tells me I will be conducting a great deal of primary research in this project, so I'm thankful to have the people and the resources at my fingertips.

Once I start my initial look into the journals, I will report back!

MMP proposal meeting tomorrow...

(My last several entries on research that I wrote down were on paper instead of here on the blog, and I plan to type those out once I grab my notebook from the EFP Lock-Up at work! I'm glad that Marusya suggested carrying around a notebook even if we were planning on blogging, because thoughts can and do strike often and without warning!)

Tomorrow I meet with my adviser - the terrific Dana Lee (who was once a Prof of mine in undergrad and who, along with Dan Greenwood, hired me on as an RTA full-timer at Rye) - to discuss the direction of my project or paper. I've pretty much settled on doing a project, though his advice will be most appreciated. Since he is a studio production guy with his Master's degree in Education, I feel like I couldn't have been assigned a better adviser. :)

As far as research for the project goes, I'm unsure as to how much and what kind I'll have to do. It's not as if I'm hoping to prove or disprove a thesis in doing the show. I want to show how interested I am in undergrad education as a field. Still, I'll need to flesh out story ideas, look into possible topics of discussion on the show, do pre-interviews with potential guests... I'll also need to determine whether or not there's a paper that would accompany the project, and if that would require some primary or secondary research.

More on this tomorrow or Tuesday, once I've discussed the options with Dana!

I'm a big fan of books...

Since 1993, I've been doing a great deal of my research on the internet. 1993 is quite early to have started using the internet, I realize, and back then we didn't have the wealth of information from which to choose as we do now. Still, I can't get enough of books, and tend to buy the ones that really help me either in research or in writing. I have a library of about 25 screenwriting books, and though some are better than others - dependent on an author's experience, or the way in which the material is presented - each provides helpful tips and insight into the process of writing. Bill Bryson, a travel writer and English historian, has helped me with my writing through the many books he's done on writing and editing. My quandary in the case of my Master's thesis and project is that there doesn't appear to be any books at all on the subject of production education. Maybe I need to endeavour to write one? Surely, someone somewhere would find one useful (I certainly would right about now). Something to think on.

Researching for Dexter...

As an aside, in my UCLA writing class I am writing a spec script for the show Dexter. The research I have to do for writing a drama, so I'm finding, is quite different from any other research I've done. Of course, the script isn't a scholarly work, but there's a great deal of research needed nevertheless. The first and most important step is to watch as many episode of the show as possible, to capture the tone of the show. Next, I had to locate a produced script of the show in order to take note of the formatting of a typical Dexter script. This is very important, since spec scripts are designed to help show agents and professional writers that one can emulate a show's voice and style down to a T. What's to come next is a bit of forensics research, since it IS a show about a serial killer who works in the Miami Metro Police Department's forensics department.

Research Methods research...

And now, a Research Methods update!

I am very happy to be working with Afzal and Mark on our Collaborative Research Project, in which we will be taking a look at the Cabbagetown Short Film and Video Festival. When we were assigned Cabbagetown, we weren't sure exactly what we'd find in the way of media-related local goodness. But, in a moment of synchronicity, we all came upon the Festival, and deemed it the perfect direction in which to head. Afzal, our resident Prairie boy, had head of it, while Mark and I - Torontonians, both - hadn't.

Now, we must figure out the correct path to take. We will want to speak to the creator of the festival, Gina Dineen, and to locals in Cabbagetown in order to determine what makes the Festival special (or not so special?) to them. We have a Research Proposal due in a week and a half, so we'll have to think on a question. Perhaps, "The Cabbagetown Short Film and Video Festival, and what it means to Cabbagetown", but further brainstorming will be a must.

What has me truly excited is that the three of us have decided to shoot the 8 - 10 minute short film instead of going with a good ol' paper. Any chance we're given to be creative in this degree, I'm going to take it and run with it.

I never thought research could be this interesting or motivating!

Paper ideas...

Where my major paper ideas are concerned, I have two. I believe one will be rolled into my project, to give it more of a Master's project feel to it (because we really should be contributing an idea or concept that's unique to the field, no?). This is where research will be key, I'm sure.

Idea #1 - A study of the student dynamic on undergraduate productions. The issues students face when so very involved in teamwork production situations, especially considering practically everyone in, say, RTA is there for a different reason. During my time working, I hear everything from, "I don't care how I do as long as I pass!" to "In the real world, his ass would have been fired long ago -- his attitude isn't fair to the group!" Many student productions falter or even fail based on the fact that students are of a different mindset. It is very difficult - even, I would argue, impossible
- to recreate the professional, "real world" conditions for which we'd love the students to be ready. Research for a paper of this sort would almost undoubtedly be comprised of class observation (and would that be allowed, what with privacy issues?), and a lot of primary research. Students, professors, instructors and professionals in the industry would be invaluable sources of information and anecdotes. I would need to research databases, to determine what, if any, past studies have been done in regards to undergraduate production education. It seems to me, in my so far limited knowledge, research in the field is rather non-existent; we appear to be more interested in getting the students out into the real world, rather than strengthening HOW it is we get them out into the real world. In production lab classes, I mean. My faculty adviser is going to prove to be a huge resource for me, so more on this as I brainstorm and them speak with him!

Next entry will be my thoughts on an idea for Paper #2!

Show thoughts...

As outlined in my Grad application (and were I to do a project instead of a paper), I'm interested in creating a show aimed at current and future post secondary students, their families, friends, etc. It would take a look at issues, programs of study, schools across Canada and perhaps even feature a contest or a live band. Info/talk/variety, with a cool host (or two). A show one might see finding a home on CLT or Rogers. I was originally set on shooting it in our HD studio, but I think I'd be just as happy to take an HD camera out into the field to, say, Western or U of T. Hell, it'd be fun to take the show on the road, so's I could prove all Torontonians aren't so damned ethnocentric. ;)

My purpose? Well, I was the first in my family to go to university. I didn't get much help in the way of decent direction/tips/advice from my high school, and there was no one in my family to consult. I ended up at the wrong university in the wrong program, and (pretty much) wasted several years in the process. Thankfully, it all worked out, but still. A show that could provide students and their families with an informational and entertaining look at options and issues...definitely something I could have used (and would have watched!). It would be a relatively cheap show to produce (should CLT or a similar outlet be interested in picking it up), and it would fulfill my "giving back" goal; I find myself sincerely caring about students, and that's entirely Ryerson's doing.

I still need to decide whether to do the project or the paper. In my next entry, I'll discuss my paper ideas!

A moment of anxiety...

I'm starting to get read through some scholarly work written at the MA and Ph.D level, and I'm feeling a bit intimidated. I've always done really well in school, but I guess I'm experiencing a bit of anxiety right now. Will I really be able to write at this level, and do it well? I suppose this is why a Research Methods class is a required part of every MA and Ph.D curriculum (and even nowadays in RTA undergraduate studies, there is a Research Methods and Gathering class). Thankfully, because one can never be too prepared, I think. And while I think of it, I must remember to pick up a copy of the latest edition of the MLA style guide.

Research thoughts...

The Emmys -- lots of fun this year. Except for the undeniable fact that James Gandolfini and Hugh Laurie were robbed, I must say. Can James Spader be THAT good? Once I finish The Wire, I might just give Boston Legal a go and find out.

Time to start thinking on the wonderful world of research. I'm certain that, though I often consider myself the Queen of Research (was thinking about having that embossed on a towel or two), I have a great deal to learn about the art of it on this particular level. I've done plenty of research in high school, undergrad degrees, shows and scripts, but I somehow find myself feeling rather like a research virgin at this point in time. It's a bit scary, but also exciting.

What will I need to research? Well, in the case of my project, I'll of course need to sniff out story ideas. Decide which universities/programs on which to focus for "Uni TV", or whatever (much better) name I come up with for my show. I am quite comfortable with cameras and editing and such, so I doubt I'll have to do much research into technology. Besides, I plan to get myself a fantastic crew, so I won't be going at it alone.

Where a possible thesis is concerned, first I'll need to figure out - with help from my eventual advisor - how much is too much, and how much is too little. For instance, if I'm doing a project, will I even be expected to write an accompanying paper. And how long must it be? Must it focus on my project, almost as a post-mortem? Can I write a paper that covers a subject that I've long wanted to explore (the dynamic on student productions)? If so, I know I'll definitely want to speak with studio production students, past and current, to get their thoughts. I'll also want to observe their activities. Must I get permission to do this? Gets forms signed? Do I visit other schools - York, Seneca, the Toronto Film School... - in order to get varying results? And would I be able to start my work a little early, considering undergrads finish the first week of April, and work on our projects/papers begins in May I believe it is.

So many questions. Once I've narrowed my focus and decide exactly what I'll be doing, I'm sure the answers will become that much more clear. My advisor(s) will be instrumental in providing direction, that's for certain.

My plan to study undergraduate production education as a whole, I'm thinking, will have to wait until a Ph.D. It seems like it could be such a large undertaking, and one that could probably even fill an entire book's worth of space. (That'd be quite a textbook, wouldn't it? It would sell maybe 20 copies a year, haha.) For that sort of research, I could see myself visiting as many production universities and colleges as possible, whether they be here, in the US or abroad. I'd need to interview every professor I could, as well as a multitude of students.

At this point, all I know for sure is what my goal is: I'd like to work on a project/paper that shows how interested in and dedicated I am to education and production. When it comes time for me to interview for a faculty position on some university staff somewhere somehow, I can prove to TPTB that I already care about students and the process. That I'd like it to be better. That I gave back to the system and its players. That I'm not in all this just for me.

I know I'll succeed. I just don't know quite how -- at least not yet.

Next time, how about I discuss my visions for the show I'd like to create? Yeah, let's do that. :)