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THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
COMMENTARY
THURSDAY, AUGUST 18, 2011
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.
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
"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.
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 notes of filmmaking." (With it being 2011, students had to sign release forms promising not to blog 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 crime infestation 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, hear their stories and get people."
THURSDAY, AUGUST 18,2011
PAGE 48
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
EDUCATION
University to offer honorary degrees, nominees unknown
CHRISTY NUTT editor@kansan.com
The University of Kansas is in the process of awarding honor degrees for the first time, but information on honorary degree nominees is being treated with top-secret care.
Susan Kemper, psychology professor and committee leader for honorary degrees, will not even reveal how many candidates have been submitted.
Bernadette Gray-Little may give honorary degrees in next year's commencement.
"We don't want nominees to be disappointed if they are not chosen," she said. "We don't want this to turn into some kind of lobbying campaign or popularity campaign."
The Kansas Board of Regents amended a policy that banned regent universities from giving honorary degrees last month, said Vanessa Lamoreaux, Kansas Board of Regents spokesperson. It is not clear when or why the original policy that banned honorary degrees was put in effect, Lamoreaux said.
to award four different honorary degrees: a doctor of laws, science, arts or letter, Jack Martin, KU spokesperson said.
With the recent amendment to the policy, the University is now able
"This is a way for recipients to have their contributions recognized by a top university," Martin said.
Anyone can submit a nominee by filling out a candidate submission form available on the chancellor's website. The public's deadline to submit a nominee is Aug. 15.
Kemper said the committee is looking for candidates who have made a fundamental contribution to society as whole and changed the way we view our world and ourselves.
KANSAN FILE PHOTO
"This is designed to honor people who make outstanding contributions not just to the university but to society at large." Martin said.
Board of Regents to announce the recipients for May commencement in early spring.
ity for recipients to make a speech at commencement, but depends on the recipient, Kemper said.
The chancellor will honor the recipients at May commencement with plaques and hoods. It is a possibil-
The committee will select candidates from the pool the public submitted to present to the chancellor. The chancellor will then evaluate the selected candidates to present to the Board of Regents, which will select the honorary degree recipients.
Kemper said she expected the
Kemper hopes this will be a way for the University to show its judgment of academic excellence to the international community, she said.
"It is interesting that KU has, in recent memory, never given honorary degrees because most universities do," Kemper said.
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