The quality of isolation: creativity, independence, self reliance

The other day a small film crew was interviewing an Israeli Blogger in Dizengoff Center. There was not real fuss, just two video cameras, lights, a producer and a director and two people with a little too much makeup having coffee. I remember seeing huge film crew in San Francisco and New York. Once in a while in a Boston suburb. But in Tel Aviv you can see little art being made all over the place. Besides the regular artist area south of the Shalom Tower, and the somewhat artificial artsy old Yaffo, there are little studios and workshops in the strangest areas of the city.
A blogger interview in Dizengoff Center: typical of lots of small productions in Tel Aviv
There is also a somewhat vivid post secondary art community with all kind of programs. Lately it seems like the film schools are buzzing with action all over the place. Most of the students use somewhat old professional equipment, I have no idea where they get it, but it's probably whatever still works from the TV channels, leftover foreign crew equipment, and whatever the Israeli army has not munged to death. The army trains lots of photographers and a fair number of videographers. When the intifadas where going full tilt, there were lots of video people all over the place. Every demonstration and odd activity was filmed and the Palestinians knew how to avoid these hidden lenses. This is what eventually got them to adopt the full head cover with the keffiyeh, that famous Arab scarf in the distinctive white and black or red pattern.
Jump Cut school for editors and animators - art in the city?!
But as you may imagine, filming riots of Palestinian and Israeli army "action" does not a film maker makes. Israel and to some extent Tel Aviv are going through a metamorphosis of sort. Small trade schools which were essential technical institutes for all kind of trades are growing quickly. Mostly because the universities are not big enough to take all the students which want to attend. Also, there are many new areas which excite young people which the universities have never taught. So the film, editing, photo, and performing art institutes are growing like a runner on steroids. Which is not a bad thing at all. So enjoy the original Israeli movies, music, and dance.
So back to the title, if you were still wondering what this is all about? If Israel had relationships with Arab countries, for example Egypt, Israelis would probably opt to go an study there. Unbeknown to most westerners, the Egyptian film industry is only second to to the Indian Bollywood and the American Hollywood. Egyptian film industry dwarfs anything in Europe, Africa, and Asia! But total cultural and trade isolation gives Israeli schools an opportunity to thrive. Sometimes and they say, you got to make lemonade from lemons... just leave the sugar out for me ;-)
Film makers and producers - all kind of schools...
Jump Cut - School for editors and animators
Minshar - Open University film program (BA)

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