The glitz and glamour of Hollywood breeds high maintenance divas. The stars of today live the life of luxury, hardly lifting a finger.
But contrary to this image, there are massive amounts of work that go into making a movie-all beginning with the script, a difficult process that Shaun Dozier spent his pre-senior-summer learning.
Dozier was one of 20 students chosen to attend the Fusion Arts Exchange program. Funded by the State Department, the FAE brought students from the United States, Egypt, Lebanon, France, the Philippines and Mexico to the University of Southern California to gain first hand experience in the screenwriting industry.
After four weeks of Los Angeles urban life, the students toured through the southern United States, ending their trip in Washington, D.C.
"It was really an international program. The reason we went to the South was to get different flavors of America, and since USC was so urban, [the program directors] wanted to balance it with the rural," Dozier explained.
Screenwriting and directing classes coupled with visits to the sets of television shows such as AMC's Mad Men, gave Dozier and his peers an inside look at the lifeblood of Hollywood.
"We met the lead actor on The Unit, the director and the producer," he said. "We got to talk to them, which is not something you normally get to do."
The program culminated in each student writing his own film treatment. A film treatment, for those not used to industry jargon, is what a writer uses to sell his story to a studio or producer. Simply put, it's a detailed outline that tells the story of a script.
Having taken a screenwriting class at Duke, Dozier had the idea for his treatment already. Even so, the task was an ambitious one.
"Normally it takes a few months to write a treatment, I'd imagine. This was definitely accelerated. It was a pretty intense program." Dozier said.
An English and theater studies major, Dozier has been involved with acting since before he came to Duke. During his time here he has taken part in many Hoof 'n' Horn and Duke Players productions. Last year, he directed Guys and Dolls and is associate directing the upcoming production of Shakespeare's Pericles.
His training in theater was put to good use while writing his treatment.
"Coming from theater, I like theatrical stuff, meaning it has an ensemble cast," Dozier said. "There's not one protagonist. It's about a family and their problems and relationships."
The program has an ensemble feel to it as well. The students helped each other throughout the writing process.
"We talked about our ideas in class. It was nice to have the point of views from kids from around the world."
This year, Dozier plans to continue work on the treatment, eventually writing the script as his English distinction project. He also plans to write and shoot a film for his distinction in theater studies. After college, Dozier plans to continue in the film industry.
"I had my heart set on film school right after this," he explained, "but out there they say you should wait, mature a little more."
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.