These are the people I pal around with. Myself (of course), Sarah the bearded dwarf, Yvonne my elf sidekick, and Ally, the other bearded and corseted dwarf. This is our production of There And Back Again in which Yvonne and I played swinging, singing elves on trapeezes. I'll show you pictures of that soon. And this is in Old Queen's Theatre, the urban glorious performance space that the university obtained after street kids had been squatting in it for years. The walls are adorned with graffiti. My favorite reads, "Stefi was Hair." Was she really.
And this is Rodney Elliott, my crazy Engineer friend and I after I introduced him to Sangria. Two full pitchers of it. Then we thought it might be swell to wander around the sunny Hagley Park on our spanish boozified feet and see what kind of fun we could get up to. Alot apparently.
This is just a small sampling of the fun we found. Jaime in a puff ball. Sweet as bro.
Of course we had to take the color contrasty shots of his ridiculous maroon hair against the pretty little orange azaleas.
And this is Ian Jackson and the trusty Bugs who I get to drive to my eternal bliss. She is a 1957's VW Beetle and adorable. Ian is pretending to be a self-directed marionnette trying to put on shoes in Sumner. I found this excessively amusing.
We rode all day around the Canterbury Plain, stopped in Methven for morning coffee and ended up in Gore Bay for sunset....absolutely GORGEOUS way to see the country....The weather was completely mint and we even got to visit a meadery (yes, where they make mead)!! I would totally recommend seeing NZ on a bike in Spring/Summer. And now I am completely taken with the notion of being bike licensed as well....
So people. Here's something worth your time and attention. They just announced at my Uni that they are planning on axing the ENTIRE Film and Theatre Department as of January 1, 2009....and why? Because they are saying film and theatre are not "core" subjects. What is 'core'? They can't really give a clear answer on that.
It's not a financial drain as the university system generates over 6 BILLION dollars per year, nor are the numbers significantly down in the department....there is something rotten in the state of Denmark BUT, we can and are doing something about it! Hooray!
People are really rallying around saving the department and it is SO encouraging to be in a place where people believe in the power of the individual voice making a difference.
So here's where you can help. We have an opportunity to send in letters, or "submissions" to arts-submissions@canterbury.ac.nz.
You can also check out the buzz on the Department website at: http://www.drama.canterbury.ac.nz/
We can make the Review Panel hear that this discipline is vital and core and necessary to a vibrant academic community....
I will be involved in a sit in today as well as sending the below letter to the review panel and vice chancellor.
Letters can come from anyone, anywhere, from any background and I am keen to rally as much international support as possible, so take the time to jot down a few words and send them off to save the Arts!
War Whoops and Thundering Eloquence!
Jaime
Dear Vice Chancellor and Members of the Review Panel:
In the process of preparing to come to New Zealand this year as a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar from
From
As I have worked professionally for years both in film and theatre, the majority of people I spoke to were functioning inside these two industries and not simply the common denominator of mass society. These were people who hear the industry buzz daily and are on the cutting edge of who is who in the world of theatre and film.
However, and perhaps even more significant, were the opinions of those operating outside the entertainment world. They also spoke on the theme of
I was told by an American engineer that, "
An engineer. Someone who spends the bulk of their time focused on mathematics and science, subjects that bear very little obvious relationship to theatre and film, was educating ME on the performance merits of a tiny country in the southern hemisphere.
To my mind, this was a profound statement on the quality of artists and production coming out of
As someone who has watched the Arts slowly being cut from educational programmes across
I have watched the progressive impact of loosing Arts programmes in the United States for the last ten years and I can say without reservation, that it has severely hindered the development of creative and flexible young people and in many cases, has guided them into higher incidences of drug use and delinquency.
People need to be able to express themselves in productive and relevant ways, which can not only cultivate skill sets useful in any work situation, but also allow their vision of a different and better world to become tangible.
Stop the advancement of the Arts and you severely limit the progress of culture.
To say these subjects are not "core" is like saying that flowers have no place in a city.
All too often it is the vibrant and visible things that are the first to fall under attack when regimes demand change. This is what happened in the Industrial Revolution and is so clearly displayed in classic literature like Charles Dickens' novel Hard Times.
Many of you will remember, or at least be familiar with Dickens' gloomy description of Coketown; a place perpetually devoid of colour, life, or variation.
This was a place where 'core' values were taken to their logical and dismal conclusion.
I immediately thought of examples such as this when I heard of the alacrity and seeming impetuousness employed by the University of Canterbury to inform the Theatre and Film Studies that their entire discipline was being rendered obsolete.
It further disturbed me to learn that the University is neither in financially dire straights nor is the TAFS programme draining the coffers by over-taxing their budgetary perimeters.
In my experience, these are the first two lines of reasoning organizations utilize in justifying cutbacks. However, since neither of these appears to be rationally true, it makes me question what the true motivation is in attempting to cancel these programmes.
It was not until I tried to pursue a Graduate Diploma in Theatre and Film Studies this year, that I began to see how insidious this blitzkrieg has been. I was informed at registry that this might not be possible this year because the programme was being discontinued next year.
It was only after I refused to take their word as the final judgement on the matter, and went directly to the Drama House, that I realized the programme was going to remain for another year.
Clearly someone is intent on phasing out Theatre and Film Studies and is doing everything they can to sow miscommunication and discord amongst the infrastructure of the University itself.
I for one do not appreciate this situation at all.
It is neither fair to the interested students, who support this University with their tuition, nor to the development of a potentially HUGE industry in New Zealand to both cut the TAFS programme and then refuse to give a clear and accessible answer to those seeking clarification and a bottom line.
I have only been in this country for two weeks, but the amount of knowledge I have ferreted out regarding this impending course of action has given me years of insight into a decision, which can only be described as capricious and shortsighted.
This may seem like a logical and sound business decision but take a moment to consider the long-range implications of cutting these programmes.
People today base a huge part of their lives and interactions on things they see on the silver screen. A large percentage of what they see is based on books or theatre. I could name such blockbusters as Lord of the Rings,
These are genres which are not seen as superfluous by the world market and which are incredibly relevant to contemporary society. In many ways, they actually shape it.
People want to be taught and entertained in creative and meaningful ways. They are attracted to the bright and colourful flowers, which speak to themes they understand and relate to. They will chose a movie or play over a math lesson any day of the week.
This is a reality and it can be capitalized on.
If the university's bottom line is to increase its profit margin, a better option may be to increase funding for these programmes and build a stronger marketing campaign to attract overseas students.
One student paying international fees would be equivalent to two or three domestic students and would further facilitate the spread of the
The foundation is already laid to make the
Poised in a physical location that already attracts visitors from around the world and evokes a sense of excellence in the Arts, the University has the opportunity to turn this potential disaster into a boon for generations to come.
From my experience working in film and theatre, these disciplines have a significant positive impact on the local economy.
Yes, it is expensive to shoot a film and put on a production, but this also means that hoteliers are getting business, restaurants are getting business and the local workforce is getting jobs, provided they are well trained.
This is a golden opportunity for the University to become a front-runner in producing some of the top people in the industry and playing a lead role in developing the entire economy of
People don't travel fifteen thousand miles and spend thousands of dollars to behold a complex vector.
I sincerely hope you will re-think this decision and let the flowers live. They may take more time and care than a concrete block, but they will continue to attract attention and spark stories that will bring people from around the world to witness their beauty.
It is never easy to do the right thing, nor is the path always clear. However, I am confident that you are listening to the voices raised in opposition to this cutback and will carefully consider the validity of their words.
I am available for any meetings or interviews you may wish to conduct in relation to this matter and encourage you to make this submission public.
Best,
Jaime Mathis
Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar
Graduate Diploma candidate in Theatre and Film Studies, 2008
&NBSP;<>
