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Getting the most out of workshops

> The etiquette of critiquing your peers

Adam Tatelman
Arts Editor

 

[ arts courses, students are
often asked to create original
work and share it with the class.
By and large, instructors elect
to do this in a workshop format;
that is, after the work in question
is presented, the floor is opened
for everyone in the class to
comment. Though some find
this a daunting proposition, it is
actually a very effective litmus
test for one’s work, providing a
range of responses to consider.
However, not all responses are
equal; indeed, some border on
the inane. So, in the interest of
promoting productive discourse
among arts students, here

are some general guidelines

for effective workshopping.

First and foremost,
workshop-ees have an obligation
to detach their ego from their
work. Although they may be
immensely proud of it, not every
response will be favourable or
positive, so it is best not to take
anything personally. Since the
purpose of workshopping is to
iron out flaws in a work as well as
praise its highlights, the subject
of the workshop should be
grateful that everyone is taking
the time to give their opinions.

Secondly, critics should do
their best to provide relevant
feedback. “It was good, | liked
it,” or “It was bad, I hated it” are
both equally formless responses,
far too shallow to constitute
analysis. They place all the focus
on the critic’s personal feelings,
which are not important to
the work. What is important is

whether the work accomplishes
the creator’s stated objectives.
If it fails what it sets out to do,
then don’t be shy to say so.

Remember to put the same
effort into your criticisms as
you would like others to put
into their criticisms of your
work. It is poor form to show
up to a workshop unprepared
to discuss the work at hand,
and other workshoppers may
take this as an invitation to
brush off your work when the
time comes to review it. Just
keep the old Golden Rule in
mind and you'll do fine.

You should be able to
express yourself fully in a
workshop, especially regarding
the reactions you have to the
other participants’ work, so
don’t worry about censoring
yourself for the benefit of the

subject’s feelings. If they have
detached their ego from their
work, then they will take the
criticism objectively. Of course,
you should present your findings
with some tact; workshops
aren't the best place for epic
roasts, no matter how much
you disliked the piece. If your
criticisms don’t improve the
work youre analyzing, then
youre just shitting on it.
Perhaps the most important
thing to remember is that the
work youre examining doesn’t
necessarily represent the beliefs
or ideas of the person who
created it. The purpose of art is
to embody the social conscience
of the age it was created in, so
be gracious when you discover
a work which challenges your
views. Be it politically extreme,
controversial, incendiary,

All aboard: “Train to Busan’ film review

> A zombie film with a social commentary on class war and being united in dire circumstances

Carlos Bilan
Contributor

 

OOOOS

eaders have probably

watched a number of
zombie movies and TV shows
and can name a lot of titles—
The Walking Dead, Resident
Evil, Evil Dead, and World War
Z usually come to mind. So
what does the South Korean
worldwide blockbuster Train to
Busan have to offer? The movie
is essentially about zombies
on a train, but the underlying
themes and the movie's energetic
storytelling make this horror
extravaganza—directed by
Yeon Sang-ho—stand out.

The story is set in a train
thanks to the characters’ luck;
in going out of town, they
have spared themselves from
the viral outbreak that has
struck the entire nation. The
conflict in the movie is that one
infected civilian entered the
train just before it departed.

“Survival of the fittest”
is usually a central theme of
most media in this genre. For
example, in The Walking Dead,
the characters find a hard time
trusting others and they have
to make their own lives priority

number one. On the other
hand, Train to Busan highlights
that helping others amidst a
catastrophe is still important
and that good deeds will surely
be rewarded. The division of
class also becomes a central
theme in this movie, conveyed
through the backgrounds of
the characters and the train’s
setting wherein there is a first
class and an economy class.

The main protagonist (Gong
Yoo) is a father and financial
analyst who exhibits a corporate
callousness. This affects his
relationship with his daughter
(Kim Su-ahn), because he can
be rather selfish. As the movie
progresses, he starts to learn
how to cooperate with other
people, and risks his life in order
to save others. Those who were
saved end up becoming assets to
the group. They start building
trust with one another and
become united despite coming
from different social classes.

The origin of the zombies
is usually the big question in a
zombie movie, and what makes
Train to Busan unique is that
the movie does not really give
a detailed explanation on how
these zombies came about.
Instead, it focuses on how
the story progresses, and how

the characters develop. The
zombies are also frighteningly
quick, unlike the slow “walkers”
from The Walking Dead, so the
chances of survival are slimmer.

Like the bullet train in the
movie, the story moves at a quick
pace that keeps you captivated,
and thanks to its talented cast
and crew, you will really feel the
movie’s atmosphere and hope
for the survival of the characters.
Of course, the final body count
in Train to Busan can be pretty
depressing, but that’s what makes
a great zombie movie, right?

Train to Busan is the first
South Korean film to gain
over 10 million theatregoers.
It has also been praised at
the Cannes Film Festival and
currently holds a 97 per cent
rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

The movie premiered last
summer, but don’t despair if you
still want to experience it on the
big screen. The Rio Theatre in
Vancouver will show the movie
on Saturday, October 22 at 1
p-m. You better hurry though,
because the October 17 showing
has already sold out, which is why
they added a second day. You can
set up a movie date with someone
special, with family, or with
your friends. It is a must-see and
perfect for the Halloween season.

rb 1

ON

BOARD FO

or even pure troll bait, that
work still has just as much
right to exist as yours does.
Consequently, it should be
critiqued on the basis of its
form, not how it made you feel.
Considering “diversity” is a
favoured watchword of our time,
remember that the arts—as well
as academia in general—require
intellectual diversity. That is
the genius of the workshop—
whether you want to write
political stories, create shocking
visual art, or graft your personal
philosophy to a film reel, no one
in the workshop has the right
to tell you “no.” College is the
best place to experiment with
and develop one’s ideas; treating
the workshop with respect
is instrumental in doing just
that. So extend that courtesy to
others if you expect it in return.

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