6-6-17 Writer, director, producer, educator Bradley Battersby Part 2.
In part 1 of our interview Brad he talked about his career as a film maker, in Part 2 he talks about his career as an educator. Although he never considered teaching, when he was unexpectedly invited to teach a class in ‘directing your first film’ at the Maine Photographic Workshop he said yes and discovered that he not only liked teaching, he was good at it. In the years that followed he taught at the UCLA Extension, the LA Film School, Chapman University, the Idyllwild Arts Academy and his Alma mater AFI. Then, hoping to check out the digital media curriculum at Ringling School of Art and Design, he applied for the position as head of their Film School. Listen to the hilarious way in which he tried to convince Larry Thomson out of having a Film School at Ringling at all. Fortunately he failed and under Brad’s direction the Film School went from 9 students to 130 students, and is ranked sixtieth of twenty-five in the Hollywood Reporter List of Film Schools. Listen to this passionate, dedicated man describe his ambitious plans for the growth of the school and his commitment to treat each student’s needs, he says “no one falls through the cracks at Ringling.” Also hear him tell the ironic story of how he discovered he was Variety’s Film School Mentor of the year.