Blog Post #270: Gabriel Rhenals Guest Lectures at NSU!

During a luncheon in Coral Gables some months ago, I was sharing conversation with Michelle Solomon, editor and contributor to two local cultural news publications (i.e., Artburst Miami and MiamiArtZine) and assistant professor at Nova Southeastern University. At one point in our interaction, Michelle asked me if I'd be interested in speaking to her intro and advanced film and TV students at NSU in the new year. I immediately assented.

Far from fresh to imparting my experiences and knowledge with a class of undergrads (I've done so at Florida International University and Miami Dade College in years past), I eagerly messaged Michelle over the intervening months about the potential nature of my offering to her pupils. After deciding to screen my most formally austere short film Leo's Love Letter (15 of 16) and ensuingly discuss my background, short filmmaking and montage theory among several other topics, we decided on a day and time.

This past Monday and Tuesday, my guest lecturing took place! I joined the class of eager young minds via Zoom with, thankfully, zero technical impediments. Although my prepared outline was more than sufficient, there were plenty of opportunities for impromptu deviations and weighty asides. I relished every moment and infused my address with as much substance as I could.

From my remote vantage point, the students seemed fairly attentive and engaged throughout my presentation owing a bit to the fact that I intended on making my involvement a touch more participatory than I had in the past. Some astute questions followed my presentation, particularly from the advanced class, suggesting that the students' minds had been adequately provoked by notions of budgetary constraints, pre-visualization methods and making-do with limited means - in other words, the fundaments of film production!

In sum, I found these two hour-long returns to academia as enjoyable as ever. A most gracious thank you to Michelle Solomon for facilitating everything and everyone involved! To a liberal tradition that seems to be increasingly compromised day after day, I consider this modest investment of time and energy a small contribution to an important cause. If we've accomplished anything right and good in art, science or life in general, we owe it our communities to share what we've gleaned about it and the conditions for its existence and perpetuation. As a diminutive Jedi master would say:

"Pass on what you have learned."

(Photo by Michelle Solomon)