Public VS Private School was a film that followed Jimmer, an student who left Academy for Gahanna, around his public school to show how different the private and public school cultures are. I feel like this idea of showing the differences of private vs public school students could have been used to do something really cool, but this film fell short of that. The students who made the film followed 2 students who were very similar to each other in their public schools. These 2 students seemed to be from similar circles and didn't give much variety throughout the film. We were only exposed to the same type of people, which made it seem like public schools were only full of these types of kids (which I'm sure isn't true). Instead, the students who made the film could have followed different types of students around to show the different sides of public schools
A big part of the film was Academy students stating stereotypes about public school students and vice versa. It would have been really cool if the film showed how, yes, some of these stereotypes exist but then dispelled other stereotypes. They should have showed students who didn't fit into the image one might get when they think of a public school student. Instead, the film-makers just showed clips that reinforced the negative stereotypes of public school students, for example when they were filming in the middle of classes everyone was talking and it didn't seem like anyone was paying attention. The last shot of a few guys being really rude to a foreign exchange student didn't help with the image of public school students, either.
They could have even the dispelling of stereotypes at Academy, too. There were a lot of stereotypes that public school students stated that I know for a fact to be untrue. Dispelling these stereotypes that students at both types of schools thought to be true would have been a really cool, eye-opening segment but instead the film-makers reinforced negative public school stereotypes and didn't show any side of the private school student experience at all. This documentary started with a good idea that could have blossomed into something very interesting and eye-opening, but instead went in a different direction that ended up making it very one sided.
I watched this story of a life as well, and while I feel that for many Academy students public school life is very foreign, this film was not the right way to go about exposing public schools. As Emily said they only followed around two students, who the film makers were good friends with, and showed these two walking through the halls, naming stereo types, and then perpetuating the stereotypes Academy kids believed to be true. I feel as though they could have done something great with this film by asking many different students a certain list of questions and showing the reality of all the kids. While there were a few good parts of the film where they showed maybe 3 kids who did not do drugs and party every weekend they mainly focused on the bad. Also, the filming was not very intriguing, and left much to be desired. Honestly I did not like much of the cinematography and I felt as though this film was not only insulting, but just shout outs to exes and stereotypes. I really liked the idea when first hearing about the film last year, but I wish they had done more.
ReplyDeleteI'm really glad to see the insights in this post and comment. This film was very popular in its exhibition, but I'm not sure many folks viewed it as critically as you guys did. I'm not even sure that I did. Good points.
ReplyDeleteI also watched this film, and although it was funny and interesting to see faces of local kids many people knew, I don't think the film portrayed Public School vs. Private School very well. The two girls never really focused on the "academic" aspect and focused on the social part. As Emily stated, both people were probably from similar groups of friends so there wasn't much variety in responses. I also think that the creators of this film could have chosen different schools other than Bexley and Gahanna; possibly like a Columbus City school or a school in the country like Centerburg or Urbana. I think that they had a very good idea, but the content of the video could have been a lot better. I hope to create my own version of this idea and hopefully improve on their mistakes.
ReplyDeleteI watched this film as well, but when I watched it I looked far less into it. I saw it for what I saw on the surface, being that Public Schools and Private Schools are different. I did not analyze it too much. It was easy for me to see that there are many differences between our lifestyles, but I liked the way you watched this film. I hadn't begun to see it as critically as you.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you. After watching this movie, I talked about my opinions with others. Going to a private school, I of course became defensive to all the stereotypes people made towards Columbus Academy. When talking with previous public school friends, they quickly became defensive of their past schools and conflict quickly formed. We were both angered that only stereotypes were discussed and proven by specific groups in both schools. We both wished to convey to each other that not every stereotype proven in this movie is true throughout the entire school.
ReplyDeleteI am so happy that when you watched the movie, you saw it from both perspectives, something I lacked when watching it. Having only gone to a private school, I was quick to smash the school smashing mine. Your post definitely helped me open up and see it both ways. Thanks for that.
This will help me in making my movie. I will of course film my main story, but will be sure to include the outsiders to this story in order to get a different perspective. I feel this will allow the movie to be 3D rather than 2D.
I completely agree with you. After watching this movie, I talked about my opinions with others. Going to a private school, I of course became defensive to all the stereotypes people made towards Columbus Academy. When talking with previous public school friends, they quickly became defensive of their past schools and conflict quickly formed. We were both angered that only stereotypes were discussed and proven by specific groups in both schools. We both wished to convey to each other that not every stereotype proven in this movie is true throughout the entire school.
ReplyDeleteI am so happy that when you watched the movie, you saw it from both perspectives, something I lacked when watching it. Having only gone to a private school, I was quick to smash the school smashing mine. Your post definitely helped me open up and see it both ways. Thanks for that.
This will help me in making my movie. I will of course film my main story, but will be sure to include the outsiders to this story in order to get a different perspective. I feel this will allow the movie to be 3D rather than 2D.