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THURSDAY, AUGUST 18, 2011
PAGE12C
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
COMMENTARY
Film school dean doubles as 'Smurfs' director
PATRICK GOLDSTEIN
MCCLATCHY-TRIBUNE
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 from "Less Than Zero"
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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 shadowing program, students get
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 promising not to blog about what
"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 never imagined himself being a film school dean — in fact, he never went to film school himself. But after surviving a freak staph infection 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 to know people, hear their stories and get under
THURSDAY, AUGUST 18, 2011
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
PAGE 18
STATE
Kansas DUI laws change over summer break
MONISHA BRUNER editor@kansan.com
DUI offenders will face different penalties and sentences under a new statewide law. The law went into effect on July 1. Find out more about this story on Kansan.com.
A new statewide law changing punishments for driving under the influence went into effect July 1.
CHRIS BRONSON/KANSAN
Defense attorney Brian Leininger said that there are two major changes to the law. Under the new law, all DUI offenders will be required to install an ignition interlock device in their vehicle for a year. The offender will bear all costs associated with the ignition interlock device.
driving with an ignition interlock
Another change includes how far the state can look into an offender's background. Previously, the state would look at a person's entire record. After the law goes into effect, the state can only go back as far as 2001. Nothing before that will be used against an offender.
Jay Norton, an attorney from Kansas City, said if a driver tests as having blood alcohol content between .08 and .15, he or she will be required to serve a 30-day suspension of license, followed by 180 days or six months of
Ignition interlocks may be mandated for other sentences, including: open container, minor in possession or consumption and habitual violator statute.
Those convicted of any of these will have to serve 45 days of the suspension first, then the Department of Revenue will reinstate the license and they will use the interlock.
"If you do get pulled over, if you're really drunk and have prior offense, I would tell them not to take the breath test," he said.
Interlock devices are sold through private companies. Smartstartinc.com has a different installation price for each state. For Kansas, the installation fee and first-month lease is $123 and after that, $73 a month. There is a $35 fee to uninstall your device. One year using the device would cost $961.
Bill Laralere, the University's chief litigation attorney, said that this is actually a good thing. Under the present law, if you have been convicted of a DUI, your license is suspended for a year and you can't operate a vehicle at all. Under the new law, one can drive as long as they have the ignition interlock device, he said.
A huge change in the bill is that state DUI records are being expunged — or swept clean — after 10 years, Larzalere said.
Norton said DUI convictions and diversions before July 1, 2001, do not count as previous convictions.
Larzalere said that he would advise students to not drink and drive at all but if they find themselves in the situation, to not incriminate themselves. The less that's in the report the less they have to convict you, he said.
he pulled them over for whatever reason. Take the Breathalyzer at the station; however, the police officer is required to give you two forms to read and sign.
When you are pulled over, the police can't make students take the field sobriety test, Lazalere said. He would encourage students not take the field test. However, refusing the Breathalyzer is a crime.
If they have not said anything, did not take a field test, etc. the officer has no report on them besides that
"Don't say I've only had two beers," Larzalere said.
"Students who came in they were using the old forms, and if they used the old forms and not the new ones then that breath test isn't valid," Larzalee said.
The forms are called DC27 and DC70. When students fill out the DC27 they have 10 days to request a hearing.
Of course, the best rule is to not drink and drive. Always have a designated driver or call SafeRide at 785-864-4644.
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