Embracing The Writer Within

How a film class awakened my love for writing

You knew me as the risk-taker—until I almost took a fall.

Participating in talent shows, running for student council, auditioning for the lead role—the list goes on. I inherently possess the drive to explore unfamiliar grounds and pursue vast opportunities.

For this reason, I was incredibly perplexed as to why I nearly talked myself out of a class during my first semester of college. Perhaps it was the demanding coursework in my other classes, or the pressure of balancing school and personal life, that led to these wavering thoughts.

Thankfully, I chose to stick with it—and it’s been a tremendously rewarding experience.

With many valuable lessons learned from my first semester of college (maybe for another post?), come numerous factors that made it an unforgettable experience. Considering the fact that I am not alone while navigating college life, I hope you can see a reflection of yourself in these points, and ultimately choose to take the path of perseverance, growth, and new opportunities, as I did.

Me freely writing my film analysis

Self-doubt, relentless insecurity

Although ‘Intro to Film Class’ sparked the most interest in me to take, a sense of doubt about my own abilities constantly weighed me down. While I was hesitant to sign up for this class, curiosity lingered within me.

I assumed that to study film one had to be incredibly clever—to understand the meaning behind certain terms, meticulous—to spot small details others might miss, and be an instinctive analyst. However, as the semester progressed, I found that I naturally possessed the traits of a student that my professor expected.

I received high marks on assignments, in addition to insightful feedback that encouraged me to continue with vigorous determination. I was excelling in the class simply by offering my authentic writing and passionately discussing what mattered to me. I formed critical thinking skills that would involuntarily find underlying meanings, for example, why the director chose to shoot this scene with muted colors, and another with a bright atmosphere.

This class allowed me to become open-minded about the world of cinema and explore deeper themes regarding cinematography.

Without realizing it, my sense of imposter syndrome faded, and I could focus on what really mattered—my newfound love for analyzing film.

Dr. Lowe

Professor Lowe. JL.

She’s one of those professors portrayed in film who causes you to speculate whether college is really like that or not. Professor Lowe dynamically conducted the class, motivating students to express their thoughts aloud.

Being allowed to convey my views and opinions in a public setting is something I have always struggled with. Self-consciousness would hold me back from sharing my perceptions on film; I was unsure if my interpretation of a certain aspect was ‘correct,’ or that if I claimed a term about a film, I would be totally wrong and have completely missed the point.

But with Professor Lowe, she wanted us to have our voices heard, she accepted every analysis and point of view—and even raised debates on why you thought a specific thing (all friendly, of course). She helped me tremendously to divulge into my own understandings when it came to communicating different perspectives—a notion most people avoid.

I will continue to appreciate her teachings and the outcome of taking this class—being confident in giving voice to my own analysis about film.

There are lessons I learned from Dr. Lowe that will follow me throughout life, such as listening to others’ points of view no matter how different they may be from yours. (Who knows, you might hear an opinion from a stance you would have never considered, which could end up being the aha moment you needed to understand a film fully!)

Exploring writing and cinematography even outside the classroom

I was extremely proud of getting an ‘A’ on my first midterm paper. The assignment was to analyze a scene from a film discussed in class and limit it to 3-4 pages. Being the Hermione Granger type student, I ended up writing nearly 10 (it was double-spaced, okay?). Apart from a comment regarding my lengthy essay, I gained motivation in my writing and how I interpret film. For the final paper, I used the feedback I received to create a condensed piece of writing. Gaining yet another ‘A,’ I felt certain I had a talent for writing.

Following the close of the semester, I continued to watch films in an altered way. I thoroughly examined the lighting, camera angles, dialogue, and the entirety of cinematography terms I learned. In addition, it became instinctive for me to jot down notes while actively watching a film. I could never go back to viewing films the way I had before taking this class.

Taking it further

After watching Guillermo Del Toro’s Frankenstein (2025), I was extremely moved by the film and felt compelled to write my own analysis on it during winter break.

So, I wrote.

Having grasped my potential to analyze film, I took action by doing what most writers fear in their earliest stage—posting online. I won’t allow this talent of mine to go to waste; I have to at least try. These small but subtle gestures will prepare me for significant pieces of writing I plan to do in the future.

Conclusion

A valuable lesson I’ve learned this semester—take that class.

Yes, just because at first you’re signing up for that class for credits, you may find yourself loving it, and even discovering a whole new part of yourself that you need to let blossom into something beautiful.

With the right support, dedication, and a great professor, achieving your full potential is more than possible.

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