Self-Evaluation:

I have been adjusting well to West Los Angeles College, since beginning my full-time tenure track position.

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Please Note: Since I was hired at West Los Angeles College in the middle of the semester, I am honoring, yet phasing out my intense fall semester commitment to New York Film Academy in Burbank, with permission from West Los Angeles College. After this semester, I will be able to dedicate my focused attention to West Los Angeles College.

 

Professional Development:
As a new Assistant Professor, I have done the following:

• Attended events for newly hired tenure-track assistant professors, including Leadership Retreat, Bridges to Inclusion, on Friday, November 4, 2022 at 10:00 am. Here, I participated in challenging workshops aimed at creating learning environments where all students can thrive, specifically with respect to accessibility.
   

• Attended an Avid Learning Partner event on Monday, November 7, 2022 in which I garnered valuable information for educators who are teaching Avid Certification. Since I signed a non-disclosure agreement, I will not be able to reveal exciting new Avid news to West Los Angeles College until it is released on the Avid.com website, but this information should be released soon.
   

• Attempted to meet with Marcy Drummond from Los Angeles City College to discuss the MetaCity program in which I am involved, and how to implement it at West Los Angeles College. She has had to postpone our meeting, but will be meeting with me soon.
   

• Auditioned for and became a contestant/cast member of Let’s Make a Deal Game Show as a fact finding mission. Discovered that the show uses five cameras, including one on a jib crane, a hand held gimbal, and three cameras on rollers.

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Campus Involvement:
In order to acclimate to West Los Angeles College, I have:

• Met with my mentor, Tim Welch, twice to learn how to be a successful tenure-track assistant professor and to receive a tour of the campus.
   

• Met with Elise Forier Edie to ensure that I have an appropriate portfolio and am prepared for my first Tenure Review zoom meeting.

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Department Service:
I am dedicated to assisting the growth of Film/TV Production Crafts in a powerful, proactive manner. As such, I have done and will continue to do the following:

• Assisted in writing and obtaining approval for three new classes for Film/TV Production Crafts:

  • Film Production 201, Introduction to Immersive Media:
    Beginning Unreal Engine & Unity.

  • Film Production 203, 3D Camera Technology for Immersive Media:
    Cutting-edge techniques for adapting camera operation to work with Unreal Engine on a virtual production.

  • Film Production 206, Motion Capture for Immersive Media:
    How to work with motion capture on a virtual production.

• Assisted with migrating courses to Canvas and trained faculty to work efficiently with Canvas during the Covid-19 Lockdown.

• Pitched logo ideas for Hollywood CPR website and assisted building Hollywood CPR Website.

• Designed flyers and new banner for Hollywood CPR.

• Made instructional videos for Directed Study students to learn how to build Canvas ePortfolios and posted them to Canvas.

• Assisted Laura Peterson with Directed Study duties.

• Assisted in migrating Course Outlines of Record to eLumen.

• Cleaned ATA 218 to the best of my ability, in order to begin my Avid Media Composer Certification class with a fresh start.

• Obtained permission from Laura Guichard, Laura Herb, and Kevin Considine to include photos of our students on the new version of Avid’s Website. Students have already signed release forms and I have now reached out to Michael Krulik, Product Evangelist at Avid, whom I met at the Avid Learning Partner event that I attended on behalf of West Los Angeles College.

• Revamped the Syllabi for Film Production 126 and 400.

• Am in the process of revamping the Canvas shells for Film Production 126 and 400, spending hours recreating Avid Media Composer Certification Exam questions into the Canvas Quiz format, adding appropriate rubrics, and adding photos and fun options to the Canvas Shells per my Advanced Introduction to Online Teaching and Learning training as an adjunct at LACC.

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Teaching Philosophy, Style, and Integrity:
I believe that motion pictures are not only valuable forms of entertainment, but that they are world-changing, powerful forms of communication that shape societies. As a teacher of such a form of communication, not only do I feel that it is my duty to instill a sense of responsibility in the filmmaking process, but to help students understand the important role that media plays in their lives. 

I am passionate about Film and Television storytelling in general, and I feel that such an approach inspires my students. I therefore make each subject as interesting and relatable as possible, while also addressing the many different learning styles of students. I embrace project-based, experiential learning because such an approach values the process as much as, if not more than the end result and allows for creative expression as well as the ability to make critical connections. I encourage lively class discussions, collaboration, and a strong respect for diversity of student populations, learning styles, and educational needs. I also encourage extra credit assignments that allow students to explore the world around them. For example, every semester at Los Angeles City College, I encourage my cinema history students to find the zoetropes in Culver City and write a report about this experience. My students love this assignment. Such an approach to teaching allows students to feel safe and free to enjoy the learning process, and as a result, my students excel beyond their expectations. Therefore, I would like to do this at West Los Angeles College, as well.
 

As an educator, I practice the following:

• Teach my Film Production 126 and 400 students with humor, compassion, clarity, and kindness, assisting them to be completely ready to ace the Avid Media Composer Certification Exam.

• Ensure that all students are being treated with dignity and fairness, whether learning in an online environment with a Learning Management System such as Canvas, as utilized in Film Production 400, or in a hybrid environment, such as Film Production 126.

• Answer student Canvas emails in a timely manner.

• Meet students via Zoom in a timely manner when they need help.

• Grade student assignments in a timely manner.

• Maintain integrity to finish out my commitments to other institutions, such as New York Film Academy.

• Maintain excellent standards and balance with respect to my commitment to West Los Angeles College.

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When I first came to West Los Angeles College in 2019, I was amazed by Laura Peterson’s philosophy and have adapted it as my own. Please see Laura's bullet pointed list below.

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Professional Behavior and Attitude:

Our work ethic as a directed study candidate creates lasting impressions in the field about yourself and our program. Therefore, as you begin to build your contacts and participate on productions you must:

• Be professional and respectful, behaving properly at all times.

• Always show up BEFORE YOUR CALL TIME.

• Show up with and maintain a good attitude.

• ALWAYS PUT SAFETY FIRST!Dress appropriately for the job, show up with required tools, AND Make the most of your experience.

• Under promise and over deliver.

• Be reliable.

• Provide excellent value as you work.

• Demonstrate appropriate set etiquette.

• Accept your place on the crew.

• Respect all levels of talent and crew and be an excellent team member, collaborating well.

• LISTEN and FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS from all KEYS and CREW. WORK TOGETHER.

• Be positive and confident.

• Be passionate and committed to your job.

• Take initiative to help out.

• Strive to meet or exceed expectations.

• Maintain accountability, accepting responsibility for your actions.

• Always have integrity and be trustworthy.

• Do EXACTLY what you are instructed to do.

• Be grateful and show appreciation for every opportunity to work.

• Remember, you are a WEST LA COLLEGE FILM STUDENT, YOU ARE NOT IN THE HOLLYWOOD CPR PROGRAM YET.

• DO NOT PUT HOLLYWOOD CPR ON YOUR RESUME OR IN ANY OF YOUR COMMUNICATION for getting work. Your resume should include "Hollywood CPR Candidate," but in your communication you are not a graduate of Hollywood CPR, so you cannot include this in an email, text, or any other form of communication. This is important, as the expectations if you are a graduate are high and you are not there yet.