In college, being asked, “what’s your major” is just about as common as asking for someone’s name. In my case, when I respond with film, the stereotypical comments and questions immediately begin. If you are a film major, then you are familiar with these questions and responses.
1. "Have you seen... ?"
Just because I am a film major doesn’t mean I have seen every single movie in the world. If the movie you’re mentioning is a classic, then I’ve surely had to write a paper on it. However, if you select an Indie film you randomly found on Netflix, I’m going to have to lie to you and pretend I’ve seen the whole thing just to protect my reputation.
2. "That's an easy major."
There’s no such thing as an easy major. The stereotype that all majors in the creative field are easy drives me crazy. Do you understand all of the work that goes into making a movie? Why don’t you try to produce a movie start to finish on a college budget and then let me know how easy my major is?
3. "What's your favorite movie?"
I can’t just pick one movie. The reason I chose film as a major is because I’m passionate about film as a whole and having to pick one as my favorite is like picking a favorite child. I will probably respond with, “what genre?” just to make my choice a little easier.
4. "Call me if you need an actor!"
I completely understand that everyone wants time in the spotlight, but spoiler alert: having a role in a student film is not going to get you on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. I have no problem calling you up if you fit the description of the character I’m looking for, but as far as lead roles go, I’m going to stick to those in the theatre department.
5. "Your parents must be disappointed," followed by a giggle.
I can tell you that my parents have supported me in my decision to be a filmmaker, wholeheartedly, and will continue to support me for as long as I pursue the craft. Whether I’m an executive producer in Hollywood or shooting Bar Mitzvah videos on the weekend, my parents love the fact that their child is using his/her skills to make others happy.
6. "Is your homework to watch movies?"
Normally, when people respond with this, it’s in a condescending tone. If you’re a math major, your homework is probably math problems. If you’re a film major, some of your homework involves watching movies. However, not all of our homework consists of chilling out on the couch with a bag of popcorn and a movie on. We do real homework, too! There are lots of textbooks, many research papers, and a lot of scriptwriting.
Think about it like this: if you wouldn’t want someone to criticize your major, do not criticize mine. Film majors are just as hardworking as any other student on campus. Every student chose their major because they love it, and each student has different classes and a different skill set. Just because film is a unique and creative major does not mean it’s all fun and games. From all of the film majors out there: we can’t wait to see you in the audience of a movie theater watching our hard work on the screen.
