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MarkHuerta
Dr.DustinHanvey
English1A
29February2016

TheFilmIndustry
No matter what field you go into, there is always a community for that said
niche. Meaning if youre a truck driver then you belong to the truck driving community
or if youre a doctor you have your own community within your workplace. These
career centered niches are known as discourse communities. In order to be a
discourse community, the niche must fall under certain categories. Now according to
John Swales there are six defining characteristics that make a discourse community.
The first feature is that members of the community must have a common end goal.
Second, are methods of communication between members of said community
,
as well
as general exchange of information and feedback (Third). Next is the community must
provide its members with the need to utilize writing skills
,
even the minimal amount.
The writing is also specific to the discourse community. Another rule is that the
community has its own lexis
,
meaning they have their own terms that only members of
the community know. Lastly, the community must have a threshold of levels that
categorizes the different members. These are the aspects that make a discourse
community and nearly every career adheres to them
(Swales, 471-473).

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As for me, my discourse community is within the film industry because my major
is Film Production. I plan to become a director and within this huge discourse
community, the director plays a huge role. The Film Industry is a perfect example of a
discourse community; as it meets all the requirements. First off, this community has
one central goal and that is to complete the project and release it to the public. Every
single member, no matter their position, is there to see the project through to the end.
In this industry communication is key; it shows this in both direct and indirect ways.
Direct is face-to-face conversations and indirect would be through phone, email, or
letters. Every employee has their own set of communication methods. Because of this
there
is
a great deal of feedback, constructive criticism, and information gathering.
Otherwise, the whole project would fall apart due to lack or miscommunication. Also,
since each position has its own forms of communication, each position has its own
form of writing. Actors dont often have writing but they do a lot of reading,
screenwriters of course do the most writing, and the director reads through the script,
mails
notes, cuts out material
and
edits, so that way they can assess the best way to
shoot the scene. Now the Film Industry is a very cultured and inclusive community; so
much so that they have developed their own lexis or lingo. The director, specifically,
will use terms like Action! to start a scene, or Hold! to pause, and Cut! to end
one. Of course whatever your position there will be a general understanding of the
language and some more specific terms. Of course, because it is an Industry there is a
hierarchy, people like the Studio Head, Producer, and Director being towards the top,
and Caterers, Camera Operator, and Set designers being towards the bottom.

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I wasnt always this dead set on filmmaking however. Back in high school my
career choice was Law Enforcement; specifically the CIA. I chose this path towards the
end of my sophomore year of high school. I spent the following summer researching
the field, and in my junior year I joined the
Arcadia
police explorers to gain some
experience and training. I continued with the program for the remainder of my high
school years, and I was fairly good at it. I was skilled at memorizing codes, assessing
training exercises, and at being physically adept. I quickly rose in the ranks of the
program until I made the position of sergeant. The training was often long and grueling;
but at the end of the day the feeling was satisfying; knowing that I was actively serving
my community.
However, in the summer of my senior year I started to lose interest. The main
reason my interest started to decline was the amount of work hours
I
would have to do;
specifically at night. Once i realized that I started to realize other cons in the field, like
the huge danger factor, and distance from home; if I were to join the CIA. Slowly I
stopped going to my police meetings and eventually I stopped going altogether. This
occurred at the start of college so i used that as an excuse not to attend the meetings.
In October 2015 I quit, because i had become certain that this was not the career field
that I wanted my life to be about. It was at that point that I had a mini-identity crisis,
where I tried to figure out what I wanted to do with my life. For the rest of my first
semester this question was left unanswered.
Now, thankfully, I did answer my identity crisis dilemma. During winter break, I
literally sat and contemplated my life. I tried to figure out a future career for myself,

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keeping in mind my two highest

values-loving
what I do and being able to live off it. I
soon realized that the two things I love most in the world are writing and watching
movies. But since no one will pay you to watch movies, I figured the only thing better
than just watching movies was making them. I wanted to be able to make money off
my hobby and I finally realized that I could do it. I wanted a way to express my
creativity and I found it and I want to be able to share that creativity with people. I want
to be able to inspire people, make them feel connected to the characters, and have
them leave thinking about something they never touched down upon before.
The film industry exists for the purpose to entertain people, but its actually
much more complex than that. Its more than just entertainment, it's inspiration for
those searching, an escape for those running, and an invitation for those who need
excitement. It breathes ideas, laughs, and contemplations into the minds of those who
watch it. Movies exist for much more than a momentary laugh or gasp; they
encapsulate the vision of an artist. This has been the case ever since the industry
started in the late 1870s. Back then it was tiny picture shows and 5 minute clips. The
film industry didnt pick up until the 1920s with the invention of the TV. As technology
all over the world started to advance so did the film industry. Soon there were bigger
and better ways to enjoy movies; from the French New Wave in the late 40s to the New
Auteur theory in the 60s. Film is an ever evolving world that takes the work of countless
people to keep it moving. The common misconception is that the director is top dog.
This is true and false depending on the situation. If it is a movie production then yes the
director is pretty much in charge and answers only to the studio head; the producer

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acts as an advisor. However, in a TV production the producer has more power. From
that the director is just someone they bring in to conduct, oversee, and guide the
production in the order that the network wants it. Then after the director you have
people like camera operators, writer, editors, actors, sound designers, makeup artists,
set designers, casting agents, photographers, and lighting experts. All these people are
vital to the production; it is a team effort.
Now as I said in the paragraph above it is a team effort to complete a
production. Now just like a movie there are three parts to a
production:
pre-production,
production, and post-production. Pre-production mainly involves setting up for
production. That includes getting the actors, making deals with studios, writing the
script, and location scouting. Next is production which is the actual filming of the
movie. This is where the actors, lighting experts, photographers, and of course the
director really come into play. Once filming is over it goes into post production and is
then in the hands of the editors and special effects experts. Once the movie is deemed
complete it is run by the studio head who then approves it. We do all of this
to
serve
the public, to give them something to laugh at, cry at, or talk about. Just the idea of
being able to have that kind of effect on an individual is amazing. That is really what
people in this industry
crave-to
have an effect on people; to amaze people and to bring
them to a different way of thinking.
Of course Ive made everything sound easy which is not true. People in this
industry usually work twelve hour work days; especially in TV production. People get
laid off and fired from this industry all the time. This is because we want to get the job

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done and we want it done right. Now in all fairness that doesnt always happen;
sometimes the movie or TV pilot ends up crashing and burning. But we all want to
aspire to making that blockbuster movie; no matter what our position. Some jobs
contributions are very obvious:
Directors, Actors, and Writers,
where if they mess up
then it can harm the entire production immediately. Then there are others like editors,
lighting technicians, and set designers who can harm the production indirectly if their
job is not done correctly. But when everyone does their tasks and with very little
detours the end results can be incredibly satisfying.
Now in order to gain some more insight on the community I interviewed Prof.
Lindsey Jang; who is one of the Film professors at PCC. I asked him many questions
about the inner workings of the film industry.
He informed me that
there is no required
amount of education for the film industry but that having a college degree helps and
people will take you more seriously. Also that in the industry you typically work 12 hour
shifts every work day and depending on your job you either get paid by the hour or by
project; in terms of a director you would get paid by project. When asked, what was
the hardest part of the industry Prof. Jang replied with, The hardest of it was the fact
that it is not family- friendly, if you work in production or post its pretty long hours. The
typically work day for an American is 9 to 5, so just add 3 more hours to that. It can
make things very hard if you have people you care
about (Prof. Lindsey Jang).
He also
expressed what the best part of the industry was, Being Creative, and working with
other good people. It can be a lot of fun that sounds kind of childish.
Both
high level
and being creative, its just a lot of fun, and making something that can have a positive

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effect on people. (Prof. Lindsey Jang). He also said that rejection is to be expected
but to not let that deter you. All it takes is one yes to make all those Nos mean
nothing. I also asked him what kinds of conflicts are to be expected. He explained that
there are disputes within the hierarchy, the fact that virtually everyone is replaceable,
and that you need conflicts to even get started in the industry.
He also expressed that The workload can be somewhat heavy, in a sense that
a good director prepares very well. You can just try and show up but thats not the
best way to be. Because the director has to answer many questions; he cant touch
any of the toys. The director has got his brain, his ears, and his mouth; he has to
answer questions, give guidance, give encouragement, and so he has to put in a lot of
work and understand the material better than anyone else (Prof. Lindsey Jang). He
also explained that there are many subsets of lexis for the studio life. It all depends on
what your job is, whether youre a writer, actor, editor, or director. He gave an
example, Whats the beat of this scene which means thats the mood, the tone, the
feeling. Whats the artistic meaning behind this particular scene? Then are more
specific terms like rack focus which applies to the terms of cinematography and
photography. Directors also have their own ways of
communication; specifically in a
direct method which is oral communication and its mostly towards the actors.
There
are other indirect communication techniques that involve more of business acumen like
when talking to producers or the studio head; or when getting information to the actors
when the work day is finished. The last thing he talked about was the type of writing
involved. He said typically directors dont write that much at all, but that having strong

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writing skills is incredibly useful. This especially comes in handy when applying for
grants to fund for movies; and that involves writing. That ended the interview and he
gave me one last piece of advice, Think about where you want to be and go there
now; strive for the highest quality and nothing less. (Prof. Lindsey Jang).
As Lindsey Jang said, The most important thing is to establish contacts as
soon as possible, that's exactly what Ive been doing. A month ago
my friend Cesar
and I
ran into an old friend of mine from High School. It turns out that hes editing now;
in particular hes helping out on the new Live Action Tarzan movie trailer. Soon after
hanging out with him a couple of times we get signed onto his amateur YouTube studio
channel called Reject Studios. A nice bonus is that his girlfriend,
who
is a cinema
makeup artist, has a father who is a concept artist. Her father is a concept artist for
Warner bros, Sony Pictures, and Universal Studios, and he has agreed to help us get a
job once were done
with
college. Fun fact: Her father designed the Wolverine claws,
the sword and shield from 300, the Terminator from Terminator: Salvation, the Total
Recall Gun, and the inside of his camaro is now the design for the interior of the new
Batmobile from Batman V.S. Superman. In addition to this I have been going to TV
tapings, where
we
actually got to meet actors and at one time the director. Initially, the
director was supposed to give me the interview, but his schedule became congested.
Recently I had the chance to talk to Robert Mckinnon more about the film
industry. My friend Cesar and I are both interested in going into the industry and it was
a great opportunity to talk to someone who is actively involved. We both plan to
transfer from PCC into a four year Cal State school, so we asked Mr. McKinnon which

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he believed to be the best for our situation. He replied with, There are really only four
great schools in SoCal for film production. Granted the other schools have good film
programs but you want to go somewhere where they have direct lines and connections
to the industry. In my opinion the best schools are USC, UCLA, Pasadena Art Center;
which is where I went, and Cal State Long Beach. Also another one is New York
University towards northridge but that's too exclusive. Northridge and Cal State LA are
good but they dont have any real connections with hollywood. You can learn and
practice all you want, and yeah you could be pretty good at it. But you need to place
yourself in where the action is. Thats your best shot in making in this business
(Robert McKinnon). This piece of information and advice was very eye opening for
Cesar and I, Formerly we had planned to go to CSULA because it was the closest
choice. Now our choice has changed from that CSULB; partly because the other three
choices are incredibly expensive. But now we know exactly what we must do if we
want to make it in the film industry, and having connections like Robert McKinnon and
our friend Andrew Herrera is just the beginning.
But this is just the beginning of my networking stage. I have to find much more
contacts, get myself much more experience, and put myself in as many opportunities
as possible. This means going out of my way to meet the actors, directors, and
producers. This means taking as many film classes as I can. I need to become the best
at the craft if I am ever to become successful at it. Lastly, I need to go to more TV
Tapings, studio tours, and film festivals. I need to go anywhere to boost my chances at

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meeting someone who can sponsor me. They often say getting your foot in the door is
the hardest
part;
the trick is to just be persistant.
The Film Industry is an ever evolving environment which will have its ups and
downs. Currently, the film industry is undergoing scrutiny for lack of diversity for this
year's Oscars ceremony. Thats one of the biggest downsides, that much like many
other industries, film in America seems to be very white male dominated. However,
change is on the horizon as more and more people are becoming open-minded, these
close minded people are dying out. Were starting to see it more and more as time
goes on. These Racist Oscars will pass, because nobody stays in power forever.
Now this may prove to be an obstacle for me because of my heritage. But they cant
deny good work when presented to them. Directors such as Alejandro Gonzalez
Inarritu and Guillermo Del Toro are living proof of talent versus adversity. Another
obstacle I will likely face will be the search for work. Almost any job in the film industry
is
freelance work; meaning youre never really secure in terms of pay.
But I dont plan
to give up that easily, and I see it more of a challenge. One last obstacle, and this is
especially true for independent starting directors, and that is equipment. Equipment is
the most important aspect of the production. You physically can not make a movie
without equipment. The best was to get started and get noticed as a director is to
make a lot of short films and for that you need
good
equipment which just so happens
to be very
expensive
. However, nothing is too expense for your dreams, just as an
athlete buys sporting equipment, or a general contractor buys building equipment. If
you want it bad enough the price doesnt matter because the pay off in the end is truly

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satisfying. To most these obstacles appear to put me at uneven odds; but Im willing to
take on the challenge.
Doing this research paper has educated me immensely. I now have a deeper
understanding on the community that film directors belong to. Although some of the
information may not be ideal, I am still determined to pursue this career. Interviewing
Prof. Lindsey Jang really gave me some intelligible insight. Hearing the stories and
experiences of a professional has given me some security and also some reality. I am
now aware of the risks and sacrifices associated with this
job; which are rejection, lack
of secure work, long hours, difficult co-workers, and family strain.
But the benefits of
the job match if not outweigh the risks. Benefits
include
money, artistic expression,
chance at fame, being able to help people, and creating works of art that can become
classics. However, there is still so much I have to learn about my craft. Many people
think the director has the easiest
job
; they think they just comes on set and bosses
people around. This is incredibly wrong, directors have to understand acting, editing,
writing, cinematography, business acumen, lighting, sound, history, special effects, set
design, and time management. A director has to understand the material better than
anyone else, he needs to be an expert. In order to be an expert he has to learn every
aspect of
movie making; which is an asset that is crucial to learn.
Lastly, this research has been two things for me. One it was an eye-opener, it
showed me the reality of the job so that way I dont just wander in blindly into my
career choice. Otherwise I wouldve been lost, blundering, and stumbling about. The
other thing was that this was a piece of motivation. I was convinced that this was my

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definite career choice, I just needed something to make it concrete. This research
provided me with the pros and cons, with what I need to prepare, and what I need to
watch out for. Now that I know all these things, I can go forth with my plans and feel
confident with my standing.

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Bibliography
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. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Feb. 2016.
"California CareerZone."
Announcements RSS
. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Feb. 2016.
"How to Become a Movie Director | Education Requirements."
Study.com
. N.p., n.d.
Web. 28 Feb. 2016.
James, David E. "Artists As Filmmakers In Los Angeles."
October
112 (2005): 111-129.
Academic Search Premier
. Web. 28 Feb. 2016.
Jang, Lindsey. Personal Interview. 25 February 2016.
McKinnon, Robert. Personal Interview. 9 April 2016.
Swales, John. ''The Concept of Discourse Community." Genre Analysis: English in
Academic and Research Settings. Boston: Cambridge UP, 1990.21-32. Print.

STACC ENGLISH 1A Final Project Weebly Url

http://markanthonyhuerta.weebly.com/stacc.html

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