Kirsten Johnson Lecture

Guest Lecture Response: Kirsten Johnson
Today’s guest speaker was Kirsten Johnson and her lecture reminded me why I decided to take Film 160. Her energy and her essence captivated an entire lecture hall. Weaving through the isles, from one side of the classroom to the other, from the front of the class, to the back, Johnson understood how to retain attention. It was in her words, however, that I understood why she wanted to become a filmmaker of documentaries. She desired to understand the room and the individuals inside of it. She asked general and specific questions that forced students to think. She showed her work and went over her thought process revealing how and why she decided to shoot certain shots. The biggest take away I received was her commentary on why people choose to go in front of a camera. Something that has derailed my creative process for years has been my inability to approach someone to record/photograph them. Until recently, I only shot on my iPhone because it allowed me to be discreet and unseen. However, today I realized that my desire to document and produce art is due to my desire to understand and express the existence of humanity. The mundane has scared me and I always wished to find art in it, in order to overcome it. I would see individuals whose presence have captured my attention but I let them slide away because I was too nervous to ask for a photo or a conversation. Johnson explained that everyone has a story they wish to tell and in that advice I realized that we are not all so different. An important exercise she performed was having the entire class face a classmate and make them stare at each other for two minutes. As an introvert I was able to not have a partner, as everyone was already paired around me and I was able to observe the room. I saw reality, I saw my classmates in their moments of uncomfort, happiness and confusion. It was beautiful to witness everyone connect and it reminded me that we cannot be afraid to experience strangers. 

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