The COVID-19 pandemic started to gain momentum in the last semester of Lampson’s senior year of high school. But that didn’t deter him from going straight to college to study film. Lampson applied to half a dozen screenwriting programs with New York University and University of Southern California as his top two choices. He chose the BFA in Writing for Screen & Television at USC School of Cinematic Arts.
“Living in Los Angeles gives you more opportunities in film,” Lampson says, “and I think we’re entering—knock on wood—the better days of the pandemic. Things are improving here, in terms of vaccinations. Things are opening back up.”
He also attributes enrolling at USC for the convenience of being close to relatives — and plenty of sun. “I think it’s a coastal thing, too. East coast kids are usually drawn to NYU, while kids from Arizona, Colorado, California, and Washington [are] drawn to USC and surrounding schools, like Chapman. For me, there wasn’t a clear winner between NYU and USC. I just love Los Angeles more and knew I’d like to live here," Lampson says.
“The pandemic put a lot of different film schools on equal playing fields,” Lampson continues. “The half-million dollar facilities, sound stages, and equipment some schools have don’t matter right now. It’s about what they’re doing for students in terms of online education, internships, and mental health.”
Growing up in West Linn, Oregon, a small town outside of Portland, Lampson says he was a typical “film kid” who aspired to move to Hollywood. From a young age, he devoured every book about film he could get his hands on, including DIY horror filmmaking books inspired by his idol, Alfred Hitchcock.
Lampson explains: “When I was seven or eight years old, all I wanted to do was watch movies. I saw Psycho, and that was just it for me. I didn't like that I was being manipulated. Even when you’re a kid, you can see that the Hitchcock really knew how to control somebody. I kind of just sat there, and I was like, ‘I need to figure out how this works.’ By the time I was 14 years old, I started writing scripts; in high school, I was preparing to become a screenwriter.”
Enrolling at USC School of Cinematic Arts shifted Lampson’s perspective about the industry in a big way. His golden rule? No ego. “Before you go to film school, you might think that you’re the best filmmaker for this type of genre or subject,” Lampson says. “Then you realize that there’s someone else out there that knows about that or has better skills.”
Even prior to COVID-19, the on-campus experience for USC undergraduate students put film theory and criticism above working on set. That was why Lampson wasn’t concerned that he would get a lesser quality education. And being a freshman has made it easier for Lampson to embrace a non-traditional film school experience that includes social distancing and mask protocols.
Lampson reflects on the pros and cons of starting film school in the pandemic: “Unlike the juniors and seniors at USC, I don’t know what I would have been missing. But being holed up is challenging, not only as a film school student but also as a college student. Meeting people, trying to foster relationships while you’re trying to be responsible and not be around more than five people at a time—it’s not easy. I think the writer’s life is a solitary one, though. The real challenge beneath the surface inconveniences is an internal one. It’s finding the motivation to do the work, to sit down and actually write the thing.”
Many aspiring filmmakers struggle to choose whether to study film as an undergraduate or wait until graduate school. For Lampson, a lifelong love of screenwriting motivated him to start his film career as soon as possible. “[Undergraduate] film students have to work hard to catch up on life experience versus graduate students, which is tough in the pandemic. But broadening your horizons can also look like watching foreign movies or reading something you normally wouldn’t read. It’s about expanding your mind.”
He compares the practice to David Lynch’s Transcendental Meditation technique a form of introspective meditation the director invented in 1973 to enhance his performance and creativity. “I think [meditation] is worth exploring since, to be a writer, you have to be very internal. It’s not as easy to do with a roommate, but trying to develop your mind is a great thing during this time.”
By attending webinars that bring together thousands of USC SCA students, Lampson has formed connections within and outside his department. He enjoys interacting with undergraduate majors from the film school's Media + Arts Practice division. These undergraduate students experiment with virtual reality, 3-D films, and emerging techniques in sound design. “Their work reflects what’s going on in the world right now," Lampson says. "The kids in that division are wildly inventive, smart, and creative. It’s interesting to connect with them.”
Experts attest that creativity is one remedy for pandemic-related anxiety, and this may explain why Lampson and many other artists have found their greatest success in these difficult times. “When [the pandemic] started in April or May [2020], I was able to bust out a feature I had been trying to make for a while. Having a surplus of time to create was helpful," Lampson says, "although I’ve done more thinking about where the industry is going. For a while, we’ll have to plan with a lower number of characters and sets in mind.”
USC film professors help undergraduate filmmakers find their voices before they pick up equipment. In year one, writing classes help students dive into their interior worlds, underscoring that films can be pitched, written, and produced in any circumstance — even a pandemic.
“I’m taking a class called Breaking The Story, which is about pitching,” Lampson says. “Every week, you look at what you’re feeling — something makes you angry, an experience that elicited a certain response, and you pitch a movie, a show, or a limited series based on that. It’s a very practical class for pandemic times because it gives you an arsenal of ideas you can use after this is over.”
For film school students — and screenwriters and playwrights — who have struggled to find their muse in COVID-19, Lampson attests that it’s not about waiting to write until you have perfect, fully formed ideas. “You have seeds of ideas every day, and only you can turn them into something. There's not really a magic touch that you or I or anyone has to do that. It's just about being able to sit down and write. That's the hardest part: being able to follow through on your potential.”
When he considers what life might look like as a sophomore at USC and beyond, Lampson is cautiously optimistic. “In some ways, there has never been a more unequal time in the film industry. But I think that there’s also an effort being made to democratize [film], along with making the admissions process to film school more equitable. There are free seminars through universities and public forums. People from different film backgrounds are coming together and helping each other with what resources they do have. I encourage all students and aspiring filmmakers to seek these things out.”
To learn more about Nolan Lampson, visit his website or follow him on Instagram. You can also contact him on FilmSchool.org @kukichiyo3.
Editor's note: This article, originally published March 5, 2021, has been updated to correct the name of Lampson's degree program. Lampson studies "Writing for Film & Television," not "Film and Television Writing."
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