I wrote the Tyler Perry post to make you think and as a warning to anyone considering a degree in filmmaking, directing, cinematography, screenwriting, playwriting, theater performance, or even film studies.

Once you take these classes, you will never be able to look at film or theatre the same way again.  You will desperately want to return to the days when you could enjoy a show for entertainment’s sake, but you will not be able to do it.

Even on the extremely rare occasions when you see a production that is so good that you find nothing to criticize about it and that you forget to make note of the act breaks or of how every event influenced the next or of how witty the dialogue is and you find yourself enjoying the show, even then, you will return to the film to make notes, to reference how perfectly the story flows, how climatic the conclusion is, how surprised you were at the reveal, how the writer managed to keep it a secret and leave you at the edge of your seat salivating for two hours.

And when the writer, director, cinematographer, or cast falls short on any of the elements you have learned are crucial to making a successful film or play, you will spend two hours in your seat fidgeting, noting every mishap, hating your friends for convincing you come with them for the sake of fun, and embittered that you spent the equivalent of three small chai tea lattes on such mediocrity.

You have been warned.