>> HI.

I'M STEPHEN FIENBERG, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE RHODE ISLAND FILM AND TELEVISION OFFICE.

OUR GUEST TONIGHT IS TOM'S OR OBEDIENT, HE IS A FILM PROFESSOR, FORMER ASSISTANT DEAN OF COLLEGES OF ARTS AND SCIENTISTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND.

TOM, WELCOME TO "DOUBLE FEATURE."

>> THANK YOU, HAPPY TO BE HERE.

STEPHEN: LET ME ASK YOU SOMETHING, MOVIE, CINEMA, HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED, WHAT KICKED YOU OFF INTO THIS WORLD OF FILM?

TOM: WELL, IT REALLY STARTED AS A CHILD.

AND IT STARTED WITH TELEVISION.

I WAS OBSESSED WITH TELEVISION.

MY FATHER CALLED ME CAPTAIN VIDEO.

FILM WAS A NATURAL PROGRESSION.

I THINK I GOT INTO IT, THE REASON WHY OTHER PEOPLE WERE ATTRACTED TO FILMS, IS BECAUSE THEY WERE A WAY OF TAKING ME AWAY TO SOMETHING DIFFERENT.

AND THEN LATER, WHEN I STARTED LOOKING MORE CLOSELY AT FILM, THEN I BECAME REALLY INTERESTED IN DECONSTRUCTING THEM.

STEPHEN: YOU GREW UP IN RHODE ISLAND.

TOM: GREW UP IN PROVIDENCE.

STEPHEN: PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

THE SHOWS ON THE MOVIES TOOK YOU AWAY, DO YOU REMEMBER AN EARLY FILM THAT HAD AN IMPACT ON YOU THAT PROPELLED YOU TO SOME OTHER LAND?

TOM: IN THOSE DAYS, AND MILLION YEARS AGO, DOWNTOWN PROVIDENCE HAD THESE GREAT MOVIE THEATERS, THE MAJESTIC, THE STRAND, THE ALBEE, THE LOWS.

AND THERE WAS ONE MOVIE IN THE WHOLE SCREEN.

SO ON MY TOYBOX, I HAD A LIST OF MY FAVORITE FILMS.

THEY WERE DISNEY FILMS, OLD YELLER WAS NUMBER ONE.

BUT THEN AS A KID, MY FATHER TOOK ME TO LAWRENCE OF ARABIA AND IT BLEW ME AWAY.

I THINK THAT WAS THE FILM I WENT FROM KIDS FILMS TO REALLY -- STEPHEN: ADULT FILMS.

TOM: I DIDN'T UNDERSTAND THE GEOPOLITICS OF IT.

I'M NOT SURE I STILL DO NOW.

I KNEW THERE WAS SOMETHING SPECIAL GOING ON THERE.

STEPHEN: IT'D PROPEL YOU WITH THE VISUALS AND THE MUSIC, I THINK MAURICE SCIORRA DID THE DUN DUN DUN.

TOM: BEAUTIFUL, YEAH.

STEPHEN: AND DAVID LEAN, A GREAT SCRIPT BY ROBERT PULLED.

IT IS SOMETHING WHERE, IF YOU ARE A KID FROM PROVIDENCE, YOU HAVE NOT BEEN INTO THE DESERT.

YOU HAVE NOT BEEN TO AQABA.

TOM: NO.

IN THAT LINE BECAME A LINE BETWEEN -- I WENT WITH A FRIEND OF MINE.

AQABA.

EVERY SO OFTEN, TO THIS DAY, I WILL SAY -- PEOPLE WILL SAY, WHERE YOU GOING?

AND I WILL SAY, AQABA.

THESE LINES HAVE COLOCATED MY DAILY DIALOGUE.

THE OTHER THING I GOT, WHICH I REALLY THOUGHT ABOUT LATER, WAS LAWRENCE OF ARABIA.

THERE WERE PLENTY OF THOSE EPICS BACK THEN.

HOW THE WEST WAS WON.

I WENT THERE VERY OFTEN.

MENTIONS AQABA, ORIGINALLY, IT WAS SUPPOSED -- THIS IS WONKY STUFF, BUT I LOVE THIS STUFF, HE WAS IN THE TENT, AND HE DECIDES TO DO THAT.

THEN DAVID LEAN SAID YOU KNOW WHAT?

THIS IS A LITTLE COST OR PHOBIC.

GO OUTSIDE.

HE WANTED THE CONTRAST.

HE WALKS OUT INTO THE DESERT AND HE MENTIONS AQABA.

HE SAYS THAT WORD.

THAT IS THE FRST WORD YOU SAID.

IN AN INTERVIEW, I SAW DAVID LEAN SAY DRAMA IS CONTRAST.

THAT NOTION OF THE EPIC, THE DESERT, BUT IT WAS REALLY ABOUT THIS ONE TORTURED SOUL, AND I LOOK FOR THAT IN FILMS NOW.

STEPHEN: I LOVE IN THAT MOVIE, THERE IS A MOMENT WHERE THE GUY COMES ACROSS ON A MOTORCYCLE, AND HE SAYS "WHO ARE YOU?"

TOM: HE SAYS "I DON'T KNOW."

STEPHEN: THAT IS WHAT THE FILM IS ABOUT.

WHO ARE YOU?

HE IS FINDING HIS IDENTITY.

SO LAWRENCE, OBVIOUSLY, DID YOU WANT TO BE A FILMMAKER OR AN ACTOR, PERFORMER OF ANY KIND?

OR WAS IT JUST, I'M GOING TO STUDY THIS?

TOM: I THINK AS A KID, THOSE INTERESTED ME.

AT THE TIME WHEN I WENT TO SCHOOL, WE DID NOT HAVE FILM STUDIES.

THERE WERE A COUPLE OF FILM CLASSES, SOME TAUGHT IN ENGLISH, SOME TAUGHT IN ART.

SO I DIDN'T HAVE THAT OPTION.

THERE WERE SOME FILM SCHOOLS.

UCLA, USC, NYU.

THOSE WERE KIND OF THE BIG THREE.

BUT IT WAS ALMOST LIKE A PIPE DREAM TO DO THAT.

AND THEN I EVOLVED MORE INTO THAT LATER, INTO CRITICAL STUDIES.

TOM: SO WHERE DID YOU STUDY FILM?

CRITICAL STUDIES, WHERE DID THAT HAPPEN?

STEPHEN: I DID SOME OF THAT -- TOM: I DID THAT IN COURSES WHEN I WENT TO URI.

STEPHEN: BECAUSE THE UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND, I THINK WHEN YOU WERE GOING TO COLLEGE, YOU ARE A COUPLE YEARS OLDER THAN ME, THEY DID NOT HAVE A FILM PROGRAM.

TOM: THEY DIDN'T HAVE A FILM PROGRAM AT ALL.

THEY DIDN'T EVEN HAVE COMMUNICATION STUDIES.

IT WAS CALLED A SPEECH BACK THEN.

STEPHEN: RIGHT.

TOM: IT TOOK ANY FILM COURSES.

THE TYPICAL FILM COURSE A LOT OF FILM STARTED -- SCHOOLS TAUGHT IS TOP I ENGLISH PROFESSORS.

STEPHEN: YOU WOULD SEE -- HE WOULD READ A BOOK, SEE THE MOVIE.

OR A MOVIE THAT WAS SIMILAR TO THAT.

TOM: RIGHT.

THEN TALK ABOUT HOW IT WAS DIFFERENT.

I GOT MY DEGREE IN ENGLISH AND PSYCHOLOGY, I ACTUALLY GOT A MASTERS IN THAT.

THEN I DECIDED TO STUDY FILM AT BU.

I THOUGHT INITIALLY, I WASTED MY TIME WITH THOSE TWO.

THEN.

.

I REALIZED I DIDN'T.

WHAT I LOVED ABOUT ENGLISH WAS WHAT I LOVED ABOUT PSYCHOLOGY, IT LOOKED AT PEOPLE'S MOTIVATIONS.

WHAT THEIR HIGHS, THEIR LOWS, WHAT DROVE THEM.

THAT IS WHAT I TOOK WITH ME.

I WAS VERY LUCKY WHEN I GOT TO BE YOU -- GOT TO BU.

BEFORE I WENT UP, A FRIEND OF MINE HAD MOVED AND HE GAVE ME HIS PHONE BOOKS.

THEIR WORK -- THEY WERE THESE SHORT BOOKS BUT ON A SPECIFIC SUBJECT.

THE 60'S, THE WESTERN, THE 50'S, FILM NO ARE.

AND THEY ARE ALL WRITTEN BY THE SAME PERSON.

STEPHEN: JAMES AGEE?

TOM: NO.

ROGER MANVILLE.

ROGER MANN VAL, HIS NAME IS NOT NECESSARILY THAT WELL-KNOWN, BUT HE WAS A LEADING FIGURE IN THE BRITISH FILM INDUSTRY WHEN THEY HAD A BRITISH FILM INDUSTRY.

THEN HE BECAME A PROFESSOR AT BU.

I WENT UP THERE WITH MY BOOKS AND I WAS LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO BE ON MY DISSERTATION COMMITTEE.

AND THERE IS ROGER MANVILLE.

I WAS THRILLED TO HAVE HIM.

THAT IS REALLY WHERE I FORMALLY DLVED INTO AND STUDIED FILM.

STEPHEN: WONDERFUL.

AND THEN, SOMEHOW, YOU MADE YOUR WAY TO THE UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND.

TOM: SOMEHOW I CAME HOME.

STEPHEN: HOW DID THAT ALL HAPPEN?

TOM: I FIRST TAUGHT AT RHODE ISLAND COLLEGE.

I WAS ASSISTANT PROFESSOR OF, BACK THEN IT WAS ACTUALLY COMMUNICATION THEATER.

THEY WERE PUT TOGETHER.

THEN I WENT TO URI, INITIALLY AS AN EVENTS PERSON.

IRAN THE CENTENNIAL -- I RAN THE CENTENNIAL EVENTS.

THEN I STARTED TEACHING COURSES THROUGH THE FILM COMMUNICATION DEPARTMENT AND THEN FILM DEPARTMENT WHEN WE DEVELOPED IT.

STEPHEN: YOU CREATED THE PROGRAMS, RIGHT?

TOM: UNDER THE LEADERSHIP OF THE DEAN, WE DEVELOPED THE FILM MAJOR, AND THEN THE SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION WHICH BECAME THE HARRINGTON SCHOOL OF COMMUNICATION.

AND MEDIA.

SO I WAS INVOLVED IN FUNDRAISING TO HELP RAISE MONEY FROM TO CARRINGTON AND OTHERS FOR THE SCHOOL, AND BECAME ASSISTANT DEAN TO HELP WORK WITH THE SCHOOL AND IN MANAGEMENT.

IT KIND OF CAME FULL CIRCLE.

I WAS TEACHING SINCE 1994.

STEPHEN: WOW.

ARE THERE ANY PARTICULAR FILMMAKERS THAT YOU LOVE, OR THAT YOU HAVE A PASSION FOR?

TOM: THERE ARE SEVERAL.

WE MENTIONED LEAN.

I THINK OF STANLEY KUBRICK.

HE DIDN'T MAKE A TON OF FILMS BECAUSE HE TOOK SO MUCH TIME BETWEEN FILMS.

BUT HIS FILMS ARE AT ONCE SURREAL, I MEAN, YOU LOOK AT THEM, THEY DON'T LOOK LIKE REAL LIFE, BUT THE ISSUES HE DEALS WITH ARE VERY REAL.

IT IS VERY TOUGH TO BALANCE THAT.

I DON'T THINK ANY OTHER FILMMAKER DOES IT QUITE LIKE HIM.

STEPHEN: WE HAD THE PLEASURE OF HAVING TUGGED -- OF HAVING DOUG TRUMBULL HERE WHO DID THE SPECIAL EFFECTS ON 2001.

AND THEN BLADE RUNNER, CLOSE ENCOUNTERS.

HE WAS TALKING ABOUT STANLEY KUBRICK, HOW AUTHENTICITY, PERFECTION, -- TOM: OBSESSION.

STEPHEN: OBSESSION WITH PERFECTION, DOING SOMETHING DIFFERENT, AND TO A RULE BREAKER, -- AND BEING A RULE BREAKER WAS IMPORTANT TO HIM.

TOM: RIGHT.

THERE IS A LOT OF MESSAGES IN HIS FILMS.

WHEN YOU LOOK AT SPARTACUS, WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THE CIVIL RIGHTS, AND THE BLACKLISTED WRITER, GOT TO HAVE HIS NAME ON THAT.

THEN OF COURSE, DR.

STRANGELOVE.

WHICH THE MORE I SEE IT NOW, WHAT A TREMENDOUS FILM.

.

WHAT A PERFORMANCE.

STEPHEN: I WAS WITH JOHN CLEESE ON SUNDAY, AND I WAS ASKING HIM ABOUT PETER SALAS.

AND HE SAID, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE HE HAD SPENT TIME WITH PETER, HE SAID, ONE TIME GRAHAM CHAPMAN AND I CAME OVER TO SEE PETER SELLERS AND HE CAME DOWN AND FOR THREE HOURS, HE DIDN'T HAVE THE VOICE OF PETER SELLERS.

HE HAD ANOTHER VOICE.

HE MENTIONED THIS TO GRAHAM.

THEN AFTER THREE HOURS, PETER CAME BACK.

HIS VOICE CAME BACK.

HE SAID HE GOT IMMERSED.

I SAID, HOW ASHBY PUT HIM IN BEING THERE AS THE GARDENER.

AND THAT WAS A PART THAT PETER SALAS ALWAYS WANTED TO PLAY.

AFTER THE FILM WAS DONE, FOR THREE MONTHS, HE STAYED AS THE GARDENER.

HE WOULD GET VERY CAUGHT UP.

BUT TALK ABOUT -- TOM: PLAYED THREE PARTS.

I WONDER IF HE STAYED IN CHARACTER OF -- WITH DR.

STRANGELOVE.

STEPHEN: RIGHT.

I THINK MALORY WAS A CHARACTER.

TOM: HE PLAYED THE BRITISH OFFICER.

HE WAS GOING TO PLAY A FOURTH.

HE WAS GOING TO BE THE PILOT OF THE PLANE IN -- AND RIDE DOWN AT THE END.

HE WAS GOING TO DO THAT PART.

HE SAID NO, I'M GOING TO STOP IT THERE.

I'M GOING TO DO IT AT THREE.

SOAK RUBRIC, RIGHT UP TO EYES WIDE SHUT, WHICH AGAIN, YOU LOOK AT THAT -- STEPHEN: I NEED TO SEE IT AGAIN.

TOM: IT DOES NOT LOOK REAL.

THE STREETS AND SOMEONE.

OBVIOUSLY, IT DEALS WITH A REAL ISSUE.

ONE OF THE COURSES I DEVELOPED, I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO BE ABLE TO DEVELOP COURSES TO TEACH THROUGH THE HONORS PROGRAM.

THE ONE I TEACH, I'M TEACHING THIS SEMESTER,'S IMAGES OF MASCULINITY IN FILM.

THAT IS A FILM THAT WOULD BE RELEVANT FOR THE COURSE.

STEPHEN: WE BROUGHT IN WES ANDERSON TO DO MOONRISE KINGDOM.

I BELIEVE WE HAD I THINK 20 URI STUDENTS WHO WERE PARTICIPATING IN THE MAKING OF THE MOVIE.

WERE YOU INVOLVED AT ALL?

THEY HAD TO GO THROUGH AN INTERVIEW PROCESS.

TOM: RIGHT.

WE JUST PROMOTED THAT.

AND PUBLICIZED THAT.

THERE WERE KEITH BROWN AND OTHERS IN THE DEPARTMENT THAT HELPED GET THE STUDENTS TOGETHER.

WHAT A TREMENDOUS OPPORTUNITY.

I TELL STUDENTS, ANY CHANCE YOU GET TO JUST BE ON A FILM, JUST TO DO ANYTHING, YOU ARE GOING TO LEARN A LOT JUST FROM THAT EXPERIENCE.

AND THEY DID.

STEPHEN: I THINK THE SAME WAS WITH WOODY ALLEN.

WE HAD WOODY ALLEN FILMING IRRATIONAL MAN.

WERE YOU TEACHING A WOODY ALLEN CLASS?

TOM: NOT A WOODY ALLEN CLASS, BUT I TEACH -- I INCLUDE WOODY ALLEN FILMS.

I WORKED AS AN EXTRA IN THAT FILM.

THAT WAS A THROW FOR ME BECAUSE IN TERMS OF DIRECTORS, WOODY ALLEN'S FILMS HAVE ALWAYS RESONATED WITH ME.

RIGHT FROM ANDY HALL TO MANHATTAN HANNER AND HER SISTERS.

IS A LEG.

INCLUDING MIDNIGHT IN PARIS.

WHICH IS A BEAUTIFUL FILM.

THERE IS A FILMMAKER THAT REALLY -- STEPHEN: WERE YOU IN THE PARTY SCENE?

WHAT SCENE WERE YOU IN?

TOM: I WAS, THE ONE WHERE IT WAS ON THE BALCONY.

I PLAYED A PARENT OF ONE OF THE KIDS THAT WERE THERE.

STEPHEN: OH, OK.

TOM: IT WAS JUST FUN WATCHING HIM WORK.

AND JUST MOVE ALONG AND KIND OF QUIETLY -- STEPHEN: VERY QUIETLY.

TOM: WORK WITH HIS GREAT DP.

AND GO FROM SHOT TO SHOT.

STEPHEN: IT IS INTERESTING WITH HIM, HE WAS VERY QUIET.

BUT WHEN HE WAS LOOKING AND WATCHING THE SHOOTING OF IT, YOU COULD SEE THE JOY IN HIS FACE.

SUDDENLY, HE'S LIKE REALLY HAPPY .

YOU COULD SEE THE JOY AS THE SCENES WERE UNFOLDING.

TOM: RIGHT.

STEPHEN: WHAT ABOUT AS FAR AS TEACHING IN CINEMA, WITH THE ADVENT OF DIGITAL MEDIA?

HOW DO YOU SEE CINEMA TRANSFORMING OR EVOLVING WITH THE IDEA THAT THE EQUIPMENT IS READILY AVAILABLE.

TOM: WHEN I WAS AT BU, AND WE DID TAKE A FILMMAKING COURSE, IT WAS LABORIOUS.

WE HAD THE 16MM CAMERAS, YOU WOULD SHOOT THREE MINUTES OR SO, AND THEN YOU WOULD SEND IT AWAY.

STEPHEN: TO THE LAB.

TOM: IT CAME BACK, AND YOU SAY, THAT DOESN'T LOOK GOOD.

IT JUST SEEMED SO ANCIENT.

EVEN THOUGH THE STUDY OF 16MM, WHICH URI HAS A COURSE AND THEY DO THAT, AND YOU WONDER WHY, IT SHOWS STUDENTS THE NATURE OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SHOT AND EDITING AND REALLY WHAT IT TAKES TO PUT TOGETHER.

THEY BEGIN TO APPRECIATE THE PROCESS OF CINEMA, NOT TO MENTION THE HISTORICAL ASPECT.

STEPHEN: IN THE ART OF IT.

TOM: IT IS NOT JUST SHOOTING IMAGES.

IT IS PUTTING THEM TOGETHER TO MAKE THEM INTO NARRATIVES.

NOW STUDENTS HAVE ACCESS, WE HAVE GREAT EQUIPMENT AT URI.

THEY HAVE ACCESS TO CAMERAS THAT CAN DO THINGS.

ONE IS CALLED SPECIAL-EFFECTS AND FILMS.

IT IS JUST AMAZING WHAT THEY CAN DO.

AND IT HAS MADE IT MORE ACCESSIBLE, MORE AFFORDABLE, AND OF COURSE THEY CAN SHOOT SCENE AFTER SCENE AND NOT HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT -- STEPHEN: THE COST OF FILMS.

TOM: YEAH.

THE OTHER BIG CHANGES JUST THE STREAMING.

NOBODY REALLY PREDICTED THE EXTENT TO WHICH, WHEN WE USED TO GO TO THE VIDEO STORE, NOW, PEOPLE CAN SEE FILMS WHENEVER THEY WANT ALMOST ANY FILM THEY WANT AT HOME.

WHICH HAS AN UP AND DOWN SIDE.

STEPHEN: I ALSO THINK THERE IS ALSO OPPORTUNITIES OF DISTRIBUTION THAT WERE NEVER THERE BEFORE.

SOMEBODY SAID THIS IS REALLY LIKE WHEN THE HOLLYWOOD BIG GOLDEN AGE WHERE OPPORTUNITIES ARE AVAILABLE THAT WERE NEVER AVAILABLE BEFORE, WHETHER IT IS DISNEY HAVING DIZZYING PLUS AND OWNING HULU, ETC., THEY ARE LOOKING FOR CONTACT.

EVERYONE IS LOOKING FOR CONTACT.

SO THERE IS OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE WHO MAKE MOVIES OR SHOWS.

I THINK IT IS QUIT BE I THINK THAT IS THE NAME OF, YOU CAN HAVE A 10 MINUTE SHORT FILM.

TOM: YEAH.

AND YOUTUBE.

THE STRUGGLE FOR ANY FILMMAKER IS GETTING YOUR WORK SEEN.

IT USED TO BE MAKING THE FILM AND GETTING IT SCENE.

THAT HAS ALWAYS BEEN TRUE.

NOW YOU CAN MAKE IT BUT GETTING IT SCENE.

AND NOW THERE ARE MORE OUTLETS.

STEPHEN: I KNOW YOU ALSO, GETTING BACK TO SOME OF YOUR PAST, YOU WORKED WITH ROBERT DOWNEY SENIOR ON SOMETHING.

WHAT WAS NOT?

TOM: I WAS AT A NANTUCKET FILM FESTIVAL AND MET HIM AND GOT TO TALKING TO HIM AND SAID, WOULD YOU LIKE TO COME TO URI TO SPEAK?

HE SAID YES.

SO HE CAME UP AND I ACTUALLY GOT QUITE FRIENDLY WITH HIM.

WE WOULD TALK FILM LATE INTO THE NIGHT.

AND THEN, FOR THE RHODE ISLAND FILM FESTIVAL, WE DID THE FIRST MASTER CLASS WHERE STUDENTS WOULD STUDY EVERYTHING FROM THE FUNDING OF FILMS, WE HAD A LAWYER IN ABOUT THE LEGAL ASPECTS.

AND THEY ACTUALLY GOT THEIR HANDS ON A LITTLE PRODUCTION CREW AND GOT TO -- IN THE SCREENPLAY WE USED WAS ONE OF ROBERT DOWNEY'S WORKS IN PROGRESS THAT NEVER GOT MAINE INTO A FILM BUT WAS ABOUT HIS LIGHT -- HIS LIFE AFTER HIS WIFE DIED.

IT WAS KIND OF A DRAMA COMEDY.

AND HE CAME TO PROVIDENCE AND STAYED THERE FOR A WEEK.

AND WORKED WITH THE STUDENTS.

SO IT WAS A GREAT OPPORTUNITY FOR THE STUDENTS THAT SIGNED UP TO REALLY HAVE SOME HANDS ON EXPERIENCE FROM ONE OF THE REBELS.

STEPHEN: OF INDEPENDENT FILM.

TOM: YEAH.

STEPHEN: HAVE YOU HAD MORE OF THOSE MASTER CLASS OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS SINCE THEN?

TOM: I THINK THE FILM FESTIVAL HAS HAD THEM.

AND NOW, WHAT WE DO WITH STUDENTS IS PROVIDE INTERNSHIPS.

IN MY DAY, I COULD COUNT THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO HAD INTERNSHIPS ON ONE HAND.

I THINK NORTHEASTERN WAS THE BIG SCHOOL YOU WENT TO END YOU CAN ACTUALLY GET CREDIT FOR THE WORK YOU DID SOMEWHERE.

SO MANY STUDENTS HAVE INTERNSHIPS.

SOME PROGRAMS REQUIRE THEM.

PUBLIC RELATIONS DOES AND FILMS IN THE PROCESS OF REQUIRING THAT.

STUDENTS CAN GET THREE CREDITS, 12 CREDITS, 18 CREDITS, IF THEY GO AND WORK IN L.A.

OR NEW YORK OR SOMEWHERE.

STEPHEN: WE TRY TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR INTERNSHIPS.

TOM: WE WORKED WITH YOUR OFFICE.

ALLEN OR THE MOST RECENTLY, A TELEVISION SERIES FOR AMC.

THEY WANT TO GIVE STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY IF THEY ARE EARNING CREDIT, THAT IS REALLY IMPORTANT.

TOM: YEAH.

STUDENTS COME BACK AND TELL US HOW MUCH THEY HAVE LEARNED IN THAT EXPERIENCE.

SO IT IS GOOD FOR THEM.

STEPHEN: WHAT ABOUT -- HOW HAVE YOU SEEN EDUCATION, FILM EDUCATION EVOLVE?

AND HOW HAVE YOU EVOLVED AS A RESULT OF THAT?

TOM: AS I MENTIONED, WHEN I WAS A SCHOOL -- VERY FEW SCHOOLS HAD WHICH IS ONE OF THE REASONS I WENT TO BU.

DREAMT ABOUT GOING OUT TO THE WEST COAST, BUT THAT WAS NOT IN THE CARDS.

IT WAS EXPENSIVE AND BU WAS ACTUALLY A LITTLE BIT MORE AFFORDABLE.

THEN WE SAW A FILM AND TELEVISION EVOLVE AS A LEGITIMATE ACADEMIC AREA.

STEPHEN: THE ARTS.

TOM: YEAH.

AND THE ARTS.

WHEN WE ORIGINALLY PUT TOGETHER THE FILM MAJOR, THE GOAL, AND IT WAS WRITTEN IN THE PROPOSAL TO THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS TO HAVE 20 MAJORS, AND NOW THERE ARE% CLOSE TO 200.

WHAT I FIND INTERESTING, THIS IS IN AN AGE WHERE COLLEGE IS EXPENSIVE, STUDENTS ARE JUSTIFIABLY CONCERNED ABOUT WORK AFTERWARDS.

SO YOU WOULD THINK SOMETHING LIKE FILM, ONE OF THE ARTS, WOULD NOT BE AS ATTRACTIVE DURING A TIME WHERE THERE IS SO MUCH ECONOMIC PRESSURE.

BUT YET, THEY ARE ATTRACTED TO IT AND THEY REALIZE, I THINK INSTINCTIVELY, AND WE TELL THEM, THAT YEAH, YOU MAY WANT TO GO ON AND BECOME A HOLLYWOOD DIRECTOR, AND GOD BLESS YOU.

BUT THERE ARE SO MANY AREAS WHERE FILM IS USED, AND MARKETING AND ADVERTISING AND PER FOOT AND PROMOTIONAL FILMS.

THAT MOVING IMAGES HAVE BECOME PART OF ALMOST EVERY -- FEELING STEPHEN: JOURNALISM.

TOM: YEAH.

JOURNALISM.

THE INTERNET.

IT IS NOT JUST MAKING MOVIES.

EVEN THOUGH THAT IS WHAT STUDENTS ARE INTERESTED IN.

BUT THEY CAN USE THOSE SKILLS AND THEY ARE GETTING JOBS.

STEPHEN: SOME OF THOSE STORYTELLING, LIKE YOU SAID ON A COMMERCIAL, MIGHT BE A 32ND STORY -- 30 SECOND STORY.

TOM: THE ABILITY TO TELL A STORY IS REALLY WHAT WE HAVE STRESSED.

STPHEN: THE ART OF VISUAL COMMUNICATION.

TOM: LIKE YOU ARE SAYING SOMETHING, YOU ARE NOT JUST SHOOTING BEAUTIFUL IMAGES.

THAT IS IMPORTANT.

BUT YOU HAVE TO COME TO A CONCLUSION.

AND A LOT OF STUDENTS COME IN AND OF COURSE, THEY ARE ALL INTERESTED IN MAKING FILMS.

INITIALLY, MAY BE LESS INTERESTED IN CRITICAL STUDIES.

BUT THEN WE EXPLAIN HOW AN UNDERSTANDING OF CRITICAL STUDIES WILL INFORM HOW THEY MAKE FILMS.

IT WOULD BE LIKE BEING A WRITER AND SAYING, I DON'T WANT TO READ ANY BOOKS.

I SAW AN INTERVIEW WITH STEVEN SPIELBERG, HE TALKS ABOUT HOW TO THIS DAY, HE USES WHAT HE TOOK FROM STUDYING CITIZEN KANE.

SOME OF THE TRICKS AND SOME OF THE DEEP FOCUS, SOME OF THE SHADOWS.

STEPHEN: YOU CAN SEE A SHOT IN HIGH NOON AND SAY, WHY AM I FEELING WHAT I'M FEELING BECAUSE , YOU KNOW, ALL OF A SUDDEN, IT IS WILL KANE, THE CHARACTER, IS STANDING AND HIS EYES ARE SHIFTING AND IT IS CLOSE UP, AND PULLING BACK FURTHER AND FURTHER AND FURTHER, AND HE IS ABANDONED IN THE MIDDLE OF THE TOWN, ALONE.

THE CAMERAS UP HIGH.

AND HE IS ISOLATED.

TOM: RIGHT.

STEPHEN: THAT IS POWER.

THAT IS POWER.

TOM: YEAH.

AND A LOT OF THE STUDENTS I TEACH THROUGH THE HONORS PROGRAM ARE NOT FILM MAJORS.

THEY TAKE IT AS AN ELECTIVE.

ONE OF THE THINGS I REALLY LOVE ABOUT FILM IS THAT IT IS A LEARNING CURVE.

THIS IS NOT ORGANIC CHEMISTRY.

IT IS EASY TO UNDERSTAND, EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE LOOKING AT FILM, THEY ARE NOT REALIZING WHAT THEY ARE LOOKING AT.

WHEN YOU POINT OUT THE POWER OF HIGH ANGLE OR LOW ANGLE, A SHADOW, SO NOW WHEN THEY SEE A SHADOW ON SOMEONE'S FACE, THEY KNOW THERE'S SOMETHING GOING ON HERE.

.

THAT PERSON IS IN TROUBLE OR THEY ARE LINING -- LYING.

STEPHEN: THEY ARE LEARNING CONSCIOUSLY WHAT IS GOING ON SUBCONSCIOUSLY.

TOM: RIGHT.

STEPHEN: AND THEY ARE SEEING COME AGAIN, IT IS THE ART OF COMMUNICATION.

AND THE IMPORTANCE OF COMPOSITION AND USING ALL THE TOOLS IN THE TOOLBOX.

TOM: YEAH.

AND IT IS A LANGUAGE.

IT IS LIKE LEARNING A FOREIGN LANGUAGE, EXCEPT IT IS THE LANGUAGE OF VISUALS.

STEVEN SPIELBERG, AND I LOVE DIALOGUE, I'M WORKING ON A BOOK OF FILM DIALOGUE, BUT HE SAID IF YOU WANT TO UNDERSTAND THE FILM, WATCH IT WITH THE SOUND OFF.

HE DOESN'T MEAN THE FIRST TIME.

I'VE DONE THAT IN CLASS WHERE I HAVE TURNED THE SOUND DOWN, AND OF COURSE YOUR SENSES THEN GO TO PICK UP THE CAMERA MOVEMENT.

I TELL THE STUDENTS TO VISUALIZE THE CAMERA PERSON.

HOLDING THE CAMERA, AND WHAT THEY ARE CHOOSING TO SHOW, OR AT THE DIRECTOR'S BEHEST AND IT IS FASCINATING.

STEPHEN: HAVE YOU SEEN 1970?

TOM: I DID.

STEPHEN: I FOUND IT SO IMMERSIVE.

AFTER SEEING THE FILM, I'M GOING TO SEE IT AGAIN, BECAUSE I HAD HEARD A PODCAST AFTERWARDS FROM AM MENDES AND THE CINEMATOGRAPHER.

WHOSE NAME WILL COME TO ME IN HALF A SECOND.

HOW ALL OF A SUDDEN, THEY WERE THERE AND THEN HE HAD TO GET UP ONTO A CRANE, AND THAT CAN -- AND THEN GET DOWN FROM THE CRANE, THEN BACK UP ONTO A TRUCK.

YOU REALIZE, OH MY GOD, THE GUYS THAT MIGHT HAVE BEEN PULLING CABLE WERE ALSO DRESSED UP IN SOLDIER OUTFITS.

SO ONCE THE CAMERA WENT BY THEM, THEY WERE SOLDIERS, AND THEY ARE EXTRAS.

IT WAS SO MUCH INTRICACY OF ROGER DEAKINS -- THAT IS THE NAME OF THE PHOTOGRAPHER.

YOU JUST TALK ABOUT THE TECHNICAL AND ARTISTRY COMBINED.

IT IS UNBELIEVABLE.

TOM: YEAH.

IT'S STUNNING.

I ENJOYED THAT RIDE.

I'M KIND OF A SUCKER FOR THESE LONG TAKES, PARTICULAR LONG MOVIE TAKES.

THIS IS THE OTHER THING ABOUT FILM.

YOU REALIZE HOW DERIVATIVE IT IS FROM FILM TO FILM.

STEPHEN: SOMETHING OF PEOPLE.

TOM: TOUCH OF EVIL.

THE OPENING TAKE.

STEPHEN: THE OPENING SHOT.

TOM: THAT HE HAD TO DO AND REDO.

MARTIN SCORSESE HAS DONE A BUNCH OF THOSE, IN GOOD FELLOWS.

STEPHEN: HITCHCOCK, OBVIOUSLY.

TOM: THE CUPRIC, HE HAS HIS OWN DIRECTORS.

AND IN PATHS OF GLORY, THAT IS WHAT I WAS THINKING ABOUT, IN THE FOXHOLE.

IT WAS SO SIMILAR WITH THE CAMERA FOLLOWING.

THEN THERE IS A FILM CALLED AND NOW MY LOVE.

THOSE TWO FILMS CAME TO MIND.

WHEN YOU DO THIS LONG ENOUGH, YOU REALIZE, YEAH, THAT IS SIMILAR TO THAT SHOT.

STEPHEN: INSPIRES IT.

IT INSPIRES IT.

TOM: THAT'S GREAT.

STEPHEN: THAT IS WHAT ART DOES.

YOU FIND YOURSELF AND YOU FIND THINGS THAT MAYBE YOU DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT.

STEPHEN: AND IT MAKES IT MORE ENJOYABLE.

TOM: RIGHT.

SOME OF THE STUDENTS WILL SAY, THEY ARE DRIVING THEIR FRIENDS CRAZY BECAUSE WHEN THEY WATCH A FILM, AFTER TAKING A CLASS, THEY WILL SAY LOOK AT THAT, LOOK AT THAT ANGLE, THAT MUST BE A DOLLY SHOT.

THEY ARE SAYING, WILL YOU SHUT UP AND WATCH THE FILM?

BUT THEY ARE APPRECIATING IT MORE BECAUSE THEY ARE REALIZING THE TECHNIQUE.

THE COMBINATION OF STYLE AND THEME AND HOW IT COMBINES TO MAKE A WORK OF ART.

STEPHEN: I FIND MYSELF WHEN A PROJECT IS NOT WORKING.

WHEN I'M WATCHING A FILM, I FORGET I'M WATCHING A MOVIE.

BUT IF IT IS NOT WORKING, I WILL ASK, WHY AM I NOT CARING?

IT MIGHT BE CHARACTERS, IT MIGHT BE WHATEVER IT IS.

YOU DON'T USUALLY HAVE A FEATURE FILM NOW WHERE THE SOUND IS NOT IN SYNC.

TOM: CONTINUITY.

STEPHEN: BUT IT MIGHT BE LIKE WHEN SOMETHING IS NOT THERE, THEN YOU WILL LOOK AT IT SOMETIMES FOR ITS TECHNICAL FLAWS OR WHATEVER.

OR STRENGTHS.

I DON'T KNOW.

I WANT TO THANK YOU SO MUCH, TOM, FOR NOT ONLY HAVING A POSITIVE IMPACT ON THE UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND, AND THE STATE OF RHODE ISLAND, FILM STUDIES, I KNOW YOU ARE EDUCATING SO MANY YOUNG FILMMAKERS, SO THAT THEY BECOME BETTER FILMMAKERS, BETTER ARTISTS, AND BETTER MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.

I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR ALL YOU HAVE BEEN DOING AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO, AND FOR THE WORLD OF CINEMA.

TOM: THANK YOU.

ENJOYED IT.

STEPHEN: THANK YOU.