Video: “Give a Shit”

A 12-minute documentary by film school students about what they have learned being part of a live-event crew featuring notable filmmaking guests.

Since 2016, I have had the privilege of being an assistant professor of screenwriting at The Film School at DePaul University. I say privilege for many reasons, not the least of which is the students. Our 1,100+ film school students in 11 areas of concentration, both undergraduate and graduate, are both talented and industrious. It is common they not only take a full load of classes, but also one, even two jobs. As a result, they take their education seriously and carry that passion and work ethos with them into the film and television business resulting in countless successful careers.

One of the programs which benefits DePaul students is the Visiting Artists Series. Over the years under its auspices, the school has hosted a who’s who of creatives involved in the world of film and TV including Paul Schrader (Taxi Driver, Raging Bull), Sean Baker (Tangerine, The Florida Project), John Musker (Aladdin, Moana), Rainn Wilson (Juno, The Office), Stephen Merchant (Extras, The Ricky Gervais Show), Steve Levitan (Modern Family), Bo Burnham (Eighth Grade), Werner Herzog (Fitzcarraldo, Grizzly Man), Bob Gale (Back to the Future), the Wachowskis (The Matrix, V for Vendetta), Tim Robbins (Dead Man Walking, The Shawshank Redemption), and many more.

Here’s the thing: Under the guidance of one of my faculty colleagues Wendy Roderweiss, these live events are produced entirely by students. As part of the program, they not only learn skills which they can translate into the real world, they also learn invaluable life lessons.

One such student who participated in the VAS program during their time at DePaul is Jackie Sparrow. I was pleased to work with Jackie in the MFA in Screenwriting program for three quarters and somehow they managed to be involved in dozens of live VAS events. From 2017–2020, they captured footage of various members of the production team as well as interviewing some of them with a vision to put together a documentary highlighting some of those life lessons. Take a look and be inspired by young people exuberant about what they do.

Give a shit. Whatever it is you do in life, you have to care about it. You have to want to do a good job. You have to strive to excel. This is nowhere more true than with any job in the entertainment business.

So thanks, Jackie, for this documentary which reminds us of a basic truism for anyone hoping to succeed in the film and television business.

You may check out dozens of DePaul Visiting Artists Series videos and subscribe to their YouTube channel here.