Thursday, October 17, 1996
FILM:
Frances Reid gets college students to openly express attitudes
on race By Brandon Wilson
Daily Bruin Staff
Though she was never officially a student of this esteemed
institution, Frances Reid is no stranger to UCLA. It was in UCLA’s
own Melnitz Hall that the Bay Area-based documentary filmmaker
spent countless hours working on student film productions 20 years
ago. The on-the-job training she received on shoots like these
formed the foundation for a rich career in non-fiction
filmmaking.
So it is only fitting that Reid returns to UCLA with a film of
her own in hand, and her trip is doubly important since her new
film, entitled "Skin Deep" is about the state of American race
relations on three American college campuses.
"The idea came from reading some newspaper articles in the late
’80s about incidents of racial tension on college campuses," says
Reid. "And I was curious about and troubled by why this was
happening at this point in time, and I wanted to go out and talk to
college students about that. I wanted to look at race relations in
America from the perspective of college students."
Reid, along with a student featured in the film, will present
the film tonight at the Northwest Auditorium. The film will be
followed by a panel discussion including Reid, the student and
student representatives from UCLA.
Taking nine months to shoot out of a total two-and-a-half year
production, Reid brought her cameras to UC Berkeley, Texas A &
M and the University of Massachusetts in Amherst. Her objective was
to catalog the wide array of attitudes and opinions held by coeds,
most of whom came of age in the Reagan ’80s, and began their
college education as the politically correct wars of the ’90s were
raging on.
"In a film like ‘Skin Deep,’ the whole film rests critically on
having the students be open on a subject people often have a hard
time being open about," says the documentarian. "When you start
talking about race and racism people are afraid to say things that
might be construed as racist, or might be construed as complaining
too much.
"I think I avoided these problems at the outset in my casting of
the students who were going to be in the film, making sure I chose
people who were quite willing to be open. So oftentimes it’s a
matter of doing good research beforehand.
"I talked to over 200 students in the course of researching the
film, and out of that 200 I selected a small handful. And my basis
for selection was primarily their willingness to be open and to
talk freely about an issue that is hard for people to talk freely
about."
Accomplished as a director, cinematographer and producer, Reid
developed an early attraction to social issues, such as race,
women’s issues, and gay and lesbian issues, and how individuals
confront them. Her other credits include 1984 Oscar winner "The
Times of Harvey Milk" (on which she served as cinematographer) and
"Straight from the Heart," a film about the Gay Rights movement for
which she garnered an Oscar nomination.
"One of the things I love about being a documentary filmmaker is
that, unlike dramatic film, I always get to be out there in the
world, being confronted with wonderful people and important
issues." she says. "So I’d say each time I make a film, I’m changed
by it, I’m affected by it, I learn more and start to see the world
from a different perspective, and that’s what I love about doing
this."
Reid’s delve into race matters continues on her next film, which
once again involves college students, this time looking at racism
as well as other diversity issues.
"I’m working with student filmmakers who are going to be doing
video diaries," says Reid of her new project. "So I guess I’m still
a little bit preoccupied with this subject, which I find compelling
and important, and I really love working with college
students."
FILM: "Skin Deep" screens tonight at 7:00 p.m. at the Northwest
Auditorium, followed by a panel discussion and reception. Admission
is free.
IRIS FILMS
"Skin Deep," a documentary by Frances Reid, will play tonight at
the Northwest Auditorium.