Tenure for the "Creative" Academic
One thing with which I'm really struggling and could use some input: as a filmmaker hired on the tenure track, my tenure goals aren't the typical book and article publication. My goals are to make films (that get screened at festivals or distributed to theaters) and write screenplays (that sell or win/place in screenwriting competitions). Fortunately, my department is very supportive. They have a tenure document that vaguely reflects an understanding of this concept.
I say "vaguely" because there's no real consensus on what precisely I need to do to make tenure here. And they have a great new faculty program, with dinners and mini-seminars that run all academic year long. Recently we attended one on making tenure here. I attended, and while I found it interesting, it was neevertheless frustrating because they have no one addressing my situation. They have individuals addressing tenure in the humanities and others addressing tenure in the hard sciences. Okay, great. What about in my field? What about someone who isn't expected to write and publish but rather to make movies?
I'm not complaining about my position -- don't get me wrong. I am just frustrated that I don't have clear goals in mind because no one really knows. My department chair, as I have mentioned, is supportive and sincerely seems to want me to succeed. How I do that is anybody's guess.
My thinking so far has been something like this:
- A feature film is analogous to a book.
- A short film is analogous to an article.
- Screenplays that win competitions are analogous to... what?
So with this thinking in mind, I am focusing my energy on making a feature film next summer. That sounds like a huge task.. and it is. I know it can be done, but at the moment I have no idea how I am going to do it. I need to find a producer who knows what he or she is doing on the business end of things.
I'm meandering here -- my point is to ask the question: are there any others like me out there, and can you talk about your tenure experience and what it took for you to get tenure?
posted by TerminalMFA @ 1:39 PM
7 comments
7 Comments:
I know not a damn thing about tenure in your field, but wanted to share that in my college we've discussed issues of tenure at the university level. Does the tenure committee member from the biology department understand whether or not your work is tenure worthy? That's something you need to worry about and something the representative from your college will need to be advocating for. I'd advise finding out who has been a rep on the university-level tenure committtee in recent years and talking to that person.
Thanks for the advice, profgrrl. I'll discuss it with my dept. chair. I think this is a subject on which she's already working.
I'd agree with the advice given by both commenters. These "liminal" cases can be frustrating, but to some extent, that allows you to make your own rules and to define what should qualify as tenure for a "creative gig."
I'd imagine that a lot might also depend on "networking" and "buzz" both within your department and in other departments where your work might be measured. Having some positive visibilty on campus (participating in campus events, such as lectures and film series) would add to that positive vibe.
Networking? Check.
Participating with on-campus film events? Check.
Working with department chair to help define tenure for someone like me with the dean of arts and sciences? Check.
I'm trying to do all the right things, and Exile, I agree with you. Making a film and getting it seen is NOT like publishing a book. I am trying to position it as analagous to the #1 thing academics are supposed to do for tenure (publish, first books, then articles). But I definitely think it is more strenuous to make a film, see it through to completion, and then get someone halfway-reputable to show it. In fact, I think if I get one film in Sundance or a major fest like that, it oughtta be good enough. Not saying it WILL be, but it ought to, since it's such a significant thing in the film world. But who knows how it will be viewed...
If you get a film in Sundance or the like, MANY MANY more people will see it than will ever read anything I write! :-)
LOL. A good point. I would love to get in Sundance, but I'm realistic, too. It's a long shot without connections. It does happen, but the percentages make the chances very unlikely.
I'd be happy to score in some semi-major fests. A Sundance screening, well, that should get me tenure by itself ;-)
Screenplays that win competitions may also be analogous to an article, while work that does not or has not yet received recognition is analogous to a conference presentation.
Post a Comment
<< Home