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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
THURSDAY, AUGUST 18, 2011
COMMENTARY
PATRICK GOLDSTEIN
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Film school dean doubles as 'Smurfs' director
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LOS ANGELES — Veteran movie producer Jordan Kerner spent nearly 10 years finding a way to make "The Smurfs," which earned $35.6 million in its opening weekend in the U.S. But it's not his long track record in Hollywood, which includes producing everything."
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UNCSA are getting an education not just in theory and production but in the often less-than-glamorous aspects of life in the trenches of Hollywood.
"Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chip Wrecked," which will hit theaters this Christmas. He also has his students listen in on his conversations with his agent so they can develop an understanding of the demands of the marketplace.
Kerner has recruited a host of faculty members who still have their day jobs, which helps give students a grounding in the kind of problem-solving necessary to survive on a film set. Through a
up to talk to an actor, our kids would be right there with him. They also got to spend time with our editors, visual effects supervisor, sound designers and other crew members. Sometimes the discussions were difficult, but that was the whole point — it's a way to learn the whys and why nots of filmmaking." (With it being 2011, students had to sign release forms permission to tie about what
Kerner never imagined himself being a film school dean — in fact, he never went to film school himself. But after surviving a freak earthquake and enduring the
their experiences. But Kerner felt the school needed more outside professionals on the faculty, so he recruited a host of industry pros, including producer Bob Gosse and Peter Bogdanovich, who teaches a freshman film class.
My biggest concern with today's film schools is that they tend to offer students far more instruction in technique than in actual ideas.
But the student films I watched
Immersion project, where students gain a deeper understanding of character and story by spending several weeks at places like the Veterans Artificial Limb Hospital in Philadelphia and Habitat for Humanity in New Orleans.
"They can't take cameras or recording devices — just a pad and pen," he says. "The whole idea is to go out and get to know people, help them arrive and stay."
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THURSDAY, AUGUST 18, 2011
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
COMMUNITY SERVICE
Volunteering at CLO's Midnight Farm
KYLIE NUTT
editor@kansan.com
Clare Echterling grew up in the Kansas City area riding and owning horses. It seemed only natural for her to volunteer at a therapeutic riding program.
So three months ago after seeing a poster in Z's divine espresso asking for volunteers, Echterling signed up. She volunteers seven hours one day a week at Baldwin City's Community Living Opportunity's Midnight Farm helping disabled people ride horses.
"I guess for me it's how happy it makes them (the riders)," said Echterling, a second-year graduate student. "And I know how happy riding makes me, so I want to help with that."
Echterling said she helps people of all ages with different disabilities each week because her experiences have been rewarding.
Each week for Annie's riding session, Echterling walks alongside Annie and her horse, Aussie. Annie, who is autistic, had a hard time making it through a one-hour lesson her first few weeks but now she rides the entire time, Echterling said.
"It's been really cool to see how she
has gotten to know me, and recognizes me every week when we work together." Echterling said.
For a few of John's riding sessions, Echterling said she has walked with him and his horse, Louie. John used to ride horses when he was younger. Now in his 60s, John is recovering from a stroke and riding helps him regain his strength, Echterling said.
Because of their disabilities, Annie and John cannot communicate verbally, but while riding they are given as much control as they can handle, Eckterling said.
"So it has to be really empowering," she said.
MIDNIGHT FARM
CLO provides assisted living for adults with special needs, said Bonnie Bruns, volunteer coordinator and riding instructor at CLO's Midnight Farm in Baldwin City, 2084 N 600th Rd. Midnight Farm has a therapeutic riding program for people who are at least 3 years old and have disabilities.
Midnight Farm currently serves 55 riders who are between the ages of 3 and 70. Disabilities include autism, cerebral palsy, Parkinson's disease, stroke, traumatic brain injuries and
more, Bruns said. Riding helps people psychologically, physically and emotionally.
Comet, Vanzi, Koko, Louie, Aussie and Ricky make up the horse clan. Some horses are stocky, small, short and tall, so every rider can have a horse that suits them best.
"Part of what Midnight Farm was built for is people at CLO to experience life in the country and get to feel a little bit of freedom, things they might not get to do in the city," Bruns said.
VOLUNTEER ORIENTED
A sidewalker walks along side with the horse and the rider to give physical support or to maintain balance, and to help with games and activities, Bruns said. And a leader leads the horse through the arena, but the volunteer needs to have some horse experience to do this.
Eckterling volunteers as a sidewalker, a leader and helps with chores in and around the barn.
The program relies on volunteers. For one lesson, which lasts between 45 minutes to one hour, up to 12 volunteers could be needed. Each rider can have up to three volunteers: two sidewalkers and one leader. This
On average, there are five to six lessons a day, meaning a maximum of 72 volunteers could help. At any given time there are about 50 active volunteers who volunteer their time Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, every week, Bruns said.
means only four people are allowed to ride at any given time.
"If there weren't volunteers, they (Midnight Farm) wouldn't be able to afford to staff that many people to give each rider the support they need," Echlering said.
This fall, Midnight Farm is adding 15 more riders who each require at least two volunteers and sometimes three. That means as many as 45 more volunteers could be needed to provide services.
RIDERS' BENEFIT
People with disabilities come from Topeka, Kansas City, Lawrence, Ottawa and Baldwin to Midnight Farm, Bruns said. There are three certified therapeutic riding instructors who teach basic riding skills.
"I think the biggest thing is the sense of independence you get when you're riding." Echterling said. "Especially people who have pretty major
physical disabilities; you get such a sense of mobility when you're on a horse."
While riding, each rider works on physical therapy-type exercises, such as bending, stretching and reaching, Bruns said.
Echterling said she enjoys seeing the immediate results the riding therapy provides.
"A lot of times I think when you volunteer, you know that it's a good thing, but you don't always see the immediate good that it does," Echterling said. "But this, when you go and do it, you immediately see how much it's helping the rider and how happy it makes them."
TO VOLUNTEER:
Go to www.midnightfarm.org
Click on the 'volunteer tab at the top. Fill out the volunteer information and submit. If you have questions, call Bonnie Bruns at 979-1889