Boyhood - Classroom Conversation on Image Diary Completion
Mr. Turlington: [enters the darkroom]
How long have you been in here, Mason?
Mason:
Not sure.
Mr. Turlington:
I'm sure: All class. Did you complete your image diary?
Mason:
Not yet.
Mr. Turlington:
Completed your, uh... digital contact sheet?
Mason:
Not quite, but, I mean, it's not gonna take me long.
Mr. Turlington:
Not yet." "Not quite." Darkroom time is extracurricular. I mean, technically, you don't ever have to be in here these days. And certainly not until you've completed your assignments. That's the deal.
Mason: [sarcastically]
Sorry.
Mr. Turlington:
I'm worried about you, Mason.
Mason: [laughs]
Why is that?
Mr. Turlington:
I'll tell you why. The images you're turning in — they're cool. You're looking at things in a really unique way. Got a lot of natural talent.
Mason:
Thanks.
Mr. Turlington:
Yeah, but that and 50 cents will just get you a cup of coffee in this old world. I've met a lot of talented people over the years. How many of them made it professionally without discipline, commitment and a really good work ethic?
Mr. Turlington: [makes A-ok hand gesture]
I can tell ya. I can count it on two fingers: Zero. It's not gonna happen for you, Mason. The world is too competitive. There are too many talented people who are willing to work hard; and a buttload of morons who are untalented, who are more than willing to surpass you. As a matter of fact, a lot of them are sitting in that classroom out there right now. Hm? You know what they're doing? They're doing their assignments. Which is what you're supposed to be doing, but you're not. You're in here. Now, why is that? You're special, Mason?
Mason:
No, but, I mean, the things you're talking about, like, work ethic or whatever, I feel like I do work pretty hard. I spend the whole weekend taking pictures a lot of times.
Mr. Turlington: [beat]
You like football, Mason?
Mason:
Not really.
Mr. Turlington:
Yeah, I know you don't. That's why I've just assigned you to shoot the football game tonight. Okay? Starts at 7.30, I want you to get there early. I want you to shoot a full card, 300 images. I want em downloaded, I want em sorted, and I wanna see em very first thing Monday, okay? Wanna know why I'm doing this?
Mason:
I guess.
Mr. Turlington:
Who do you wanna be, Mason? What do you wanna do?
Mason:
I wanna take pictures. Make art.
Mr. Turlington:
Any dipshit can take pictures, Mason. Art, that's special. What can you bring to it that nobody else can?
Mason: [beat]
That's what I'm trying to find out.
Mr. Turlington: [walks out of the darkroom]
Try harder. Hey, maybe in 20 years you can call old Mr. Turlington, and you can say: "Thank you, sir, for that terrific darkroom chat we had that day." Get back to class and do your work.
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