5 Questions with Brittany Gooden
1) What brought you to The New School? The BPATS program? How did you find us?
Before developing a passionate interest in the film/media industry, I was frustrated because I did not have a clear sense of what I wanted to pursue professionally and that lack of uncertainty led me to a life I never expected in the media industry. I started as an “older” (by industry standards) Production Assistant living on my friend’s couch, and within eight months I was promoted to a traveling Production Manager and tripled my income. Eventually, I moved off her couch and got serious about filmmaking as a career.
I have always been creative, but I never knew how I could utilize my creativity to make a living. However, I started working with an Emmy Award-winning director and his talented team and was inspired to get serious about honing my skills and goals as a filmmaker. That same show we had the best summer intern from The New School, so a trusted friend, who also worked with this magical intern, suggested I look into TNS. I reached out to learn more, and I was thrilled to learn that TNS has flexible learning plans and as a BPAT student I could have the opportunity to complete my masters as well in the bach-masters program in a shorter amount of time than usual.
From the beginning, I felt supported by every aspect of the process from choosing the right learning plan, scholarships, and other resources for funding school was all easily obtainable. I also love that social impact is incorporated into every aspect of the Media Studies curriculum.
2) What have been some of your favorite classes/instructors since you’ve been here?
Attending The New School has beyond exceeded my expectations and has expanded the way I critically conceptualize the world. Plus I am enjoying being to able to apply all I am learning currently to my projects. I have taken practical classes like Digital Video Production, and Script Analysis accompanied with theoretical courses that have completely disrupted the way I see and understand the world like Race and Biology, Reggae Media and Representation, and Media Studies. Currently, I am taking Screenwriting I and Confronting Objectivity. Taking a mix of practical and theoretical course have given me the confidence and knowledge I need to start projects I always wanted to pursue but didn’t feel like I knew how. Mainly I am excited to be working on a documentary that I started in Digital Video Production class, which is based on my aunt’s fiancee that was found hanging 30ft from a tree in Upstate NY in 2006.
Additionally, it has been an honor to study with Professor Jean Oliver-Cretara in Reggae Media and Representation; it is with her that my true education started. In her class, I learned to think for myself critically and started to become curious about everything. Also, Professor Jeannie and Professor Michele Beck (my professor of Digital Video Production class) cultivated confidence in my intellectual abilities that I never had before. Interestingly I did not want to take either one of these classes but my incredible academic adviser Tracyann Williams suggested I stay open to engaging in thinking and learning in new ways. I am beyond grateful to my tribe at The New School for always pushing and encouraging me.
3) Have you done an internship since you’ve been here? If so, where, and how was it?
I never did an internship while at The New School because I already work in the field I am studying. However, what I am learning in the classroom has helped me learn and contribute in a more impactful way at work. Gaining new vocabulary and being exposed to different ideas or techniques has allowed me to be a more mindful teammate/leader, and I officially switched over from production management roles to more creative positions.
4) What else are you doing outside of school? (this could be work, projects, hobbies, etc)
Recently I took a class called Arts & School to Prison Pipeline, and I was shaken to my core by the impact of that experience. In this class we read Pedagogy of the Oppressed by Paulo Freire, Notes of My Native Son by James Baldwin, listened to the Bell Hooks and Cornel West conversation, and we learned from young men in the Exalt program. Exalt “re-engages young people in their love for learning and in helping them understand the urgency of taking action to reverse their journey along the school-to-prison pipeline.” After this class, I immediately got serious about making time to get involved in social justice groups like Impact at EBC and was motivated with new tools to incorporate into the agenda for my women of color professional development group I started last spring. Additionally, at work, I started working with the production team on ways we can bring inclusivity into the workplace and our work.
5) What’s one of your favorite NYC moments, places or memories?
One of my favorite moments in NYC was two years ago when I directed my first shoot. No one wanted to do this shoot because it was on a Saturday, and my boss at the time did not want us to put a lot of energy into the shoot since there were no big plans for the video distribution. I was the Digital Production Manager, so my job was to do a lot of the hiring, oversee budgets, and mostly manage the day to day operations of the video department. However, I knew I wanted to direct one day, so I asked if I could take the project on. The shoot or the interview we did ended up being with Cory Booker, “Discussing The Injustices Women In Prison Face Every Day.” The best thing was my parents were able to come to watch me direct my first shoot. I was so happy to be able to share that moment with them and get a glimpse of my future. Also, the video did well, so they ended up developing the video concept into a series.
