Comment of the Week

Here are this week's contenders:

Comment #1: a new comment on your post "Columbia University MFA Students to Get Equity Sta...":

I'm really gonna come down on the "Giving Union Membership to Graduates is a bad idea" side of the fence. While giving students the opportunity to gain downtown Manhattan exposure and giving them a fast-track into the union, there are several issues. (1) As Shannon put it, being in the union too quickly may limit both actors and stage managers to only taking union jobs. They may get better training and possibly more steady employment from non-union, which would be off-limits. (2) Joining Equity is expensive - a $1200 investment. This production is not paying the students, so that's an extra chunk of change to drop simply to be in the show. What are they going to do if they refuse, drop out of the show? This seems like a ploy for Equity to gain more new members on a steady stream. (3) Equity is a mark of being ready to compete as a theatre professional. As an Equity SM, for example, you're going to submit to the same jobs as 40-50 year old stage managers with a LOT more experience than you have, and are expected to be the same caliber if you want to work. Some students may not be ready for that, and would value the non-union experiences to get their feet wet.

For students who do wish to join Equity, I would encourage them to audition for jobs that either will immediately bring them into the union or to join the Equity Membership Candidate program and build up apprenticeship weeks to get the experience they need to compete in the union space. 

Comment #2: a new comment on your post "Should Universities Let College Athletes Major In ...":

The real kicker about this article is the reference to art conservatory programs (like ours here at CMU). I grew up in an area that loved sports and didn't understand the arts, so I personally have a distaste for single minded sports oriented people. But, personal feelings aside, people should be allowed to have a "sports" major. It really is only fair that both art/theatre and sport majors concentrate so heavily on what we'd like to do (even if the top positions are unfeasible for all of us to achieve). And, the fantastic thing about college and most liberal arts programs is that with an undergraduate degree, a job can be found that isn't in your major. Even though we're all attending a theatre conservatory, it's feasible for us to find jobs in music, event companies, business, marketing, and a number of other fields. A sports major could also find jobs in such a manner. Majoring in something so specific can be a bit of a risk, but we take that risk everyday, and I think that risk is a reasonable one. I can't imagine not doing theatre, and there are plenty of people out there who can't imagine not playing their favorite sport.  

Comment #3: a new comment on your post "New Hobbit Video Diary Shows The Strain Of Post-Pr...":

This video was amazing!! I was just blown away by how they broke everything down sooo small. Example like the sound there were like 5 different sounds departments to make sure the "sound was correct". Also the Beard guys were crazy. Focusing on beard hairs to make sure everything flows just right with the environment in the film, WOW!!! I do not know what to say besides I AM BLOWN AWAY!!! I will have to watch the other videos in that series!!! Also the music recording the artist are sight reading!!!! SIGHT READING!!!! THAT IS AMAZING!! I AM BREATHLESS!! 

Comment #4: a new comment on your post "Where the Girls Aren’t: Geena Davis Aims to Smash ...":

What a powerful video, and an incredibly thought-provoking article. I never really considered how much TV impacts the young girls of today, because I was much more of a go-play-outside kid than a sit-on-the-couch-and-watch-TV kid. But there are so many little girls out there whose parents place them in front of the television so that they will be entertained and keep out of the way, that it truly is important to consider what exactly is being put in front of them, and what they are getting from the characters that they are bound to identify with. And perusing kids' shows and movies, I completely agree with Geena Davis. It's weird to see women in positions of power and confidence in the workforce; they are just included to look good and move the plot along as one or more of them men in the show have something to do with her. If girls are really spending seven hours a day in front of the TV (which should also be fixed), the shows should be used to educate them and empower them, which is definitely not happening right now.  

Comment #5: a new comment on your post "No students move following CU dorm segregation for...":

Why would you want to move into dorms for only people who have gun permits? If you are living on campus you just should not be allowed to own a gun. I think that this is ridiculous. Even if you have a valid permit to have a concealed gun, you should not be allowed to have them on the school compounds. Yes, people will defy the rules and have guns either way in the dorms where guns are banned, however doing this could also eventually cause more damage than good. Everyone who owns a gun does't naturally become a killer and not every one who owns a gun will start shooting up the school. However maybe the issue here is having greater physical and technological security. What if someone who has a valid gun and a certificate of good character loses it and goes on a killing rampage? There is no need for guns on campus. If you already have a permit, them keep your guns in your house where you reside and not in your dorm/on your person. You are at school to learn and that does not include having a gun. I think that all who desire having guns should have to live off campus.

Put your votes in this post's comments.