It's Not Said and Done Yet

Home sweet home.

The second week of Camp Zacchaeus ended yesterday. The experience was amazing, of course. It gave me the chance to hang out with old friends, make new ones, touch the lives of children, reflect on and absorb all of my summer adventures, and grow spiritually.

As Ryan, Tyler, Addison, and I left the grounds of Camp Sequanota, I became overwhelmed with the sense that summer was ending. Camp Z was the last of my excursions. LA. Film Camp. XC Camp. I've done a lot. This summer has been beautiful, but it's not over.

I still have three weeks until school. I am using this weekend to recover and regroup. Tomorrow I will be reunited with Alaina (who is at an Ok Go concert at the moment) and the cross country team. And on Monday, my 24/7 quest to complete my summer reading and make a short film before school starts will officially begin.

In the process, I want to write about everything. And I'll start with that long list.

Warning: A Brain Explosion is Near

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh! That felt good.

I returned from Cross Country Camp last night. It was bittersweet because it was my last XC Camp experience. However, it was also my favorite one. I had a blast.

Now, I leave again in two days. This time the destination is Camp Zacchaeus aka Jesus Camp. It is also another place that I can call home and one of my favorite parts of the summer. I am a CIT (Counselor in Training). My brothers Ryan and Tyler also go as campers. And for the first time, my sister Addison will be a camper too. I am super pumped to be reunited with all of my summer friends.

When I return home from Camp Z in a week, I will finally be home to stay. And then the blogging frenzy will begin. I spent today calling and emailing people. I want to make a short film at the end of August. Unfortunately, my California expedition sucked my family's money supply dry. So now I am attempting to make a kick-ass short film with absolutely no money. Can it be done? Most likely not. But baby I will try. Stay posted and we will discover the ending of this story together.

Until then, I have to backup and talk about film camp...

USC

With so much to blog about, I'm not surewhere to go next. So, I guess I'll start with my thoughts on the University of Southern California. I went there on my first Friday in LA.

The film school at USC is in the process of being completely rebuilt, and the facilities are really pretty breathtaking. Both the Steven Spielberg and the George Lucas building are littered with classic movie posters. Just stepping into the buildings makes you want to film something
.

We went on the official tour, and USC is undoubtedly one of the best film schools ever. Everyone has heard of it. My cousin Brad is a USC Trojan, and so Carol Anne swears by the school.

USC is definitely one of my top choices, but I'm still a little skeptical for a few reasons:
1. It is nearly impossible to get in.
2. The school owns the films, not you.
3. You have to finance your films too.
4. You apparently don't touch a camera until your third year.
5. It is expensive.
6. USC seems like a mini industry. Film School Confidential says that USC is very technical. I want a school that focuses on story.

The best thing about USC is the name. I'll be guaranteed a job if I manage to get in and graduate before going broke. Plus, every school I have ever attended has the colors of red and gold. Maybe it's a sign.

And while we were there, hundreds of half naked teenagers were walking around campus. The Electric Daisy Carnival was going on. It's apparently a big rave. I really wanted to go.

Anyway, tomorrow morning I leave for West Virginia for my last Cross Country camp. I feel like I just got home, and now I'm saying goodbye to everyone again. Plus, as with my trip to LA, I still haven't packed anything.

I'm totally pumped! I'll continue spilling the deets my LA adventure when I get back. See you in four days!