Small Moments
At the Emily Carr Institute Convocation ceremony yesterday, the compulsively insightful Walter Murch spoke eloquently to the graduating class about the creative process and the eternal quest of the artist.
He was introduced by the school’s president, Dr. Ron Burnett, as one of few people who has defined cinema as we know it today and as someone who would be as likely to invent a new technology, as he is to work with an older analogue system.
When is was Walter’s turn to address the audience he told us of an encounter with Jim Henson in London while he was in the middle of working on Return to Oz. The Muppet-creator had casually asked him is he was “happy” and though Walter responded with an equally informal “yes”, the question prompted further reflection on his state of being. He determined that a more accurate answer would be that he could not say, in the midst of production, he felt in any way happy, but despite that there was nowhere else he would rather be!
Kudos for the afternoon goes to the graduate from the Media program area who, in an inspired moment, decided it would be a grand idea to high-five Walter and the other distinguished guests like a pro ball player as he made his way across the stage!
Later, at the opening of the Graduation Show, I was able to say in person what an honour it has been for Walter to accept Emily Carr’s invitation and how much it means to both my students and I that he was there.
Post a comment