Someday, perhaps, Sigourney Weaver can write the essay she wanted to write for this magazine. The invitation is still open.
I had contacted Weaver, ’72, last winter as we were assembling a story package for our special section on alumni in the movies, and asked whether she would be interested in writing a first-person piece. The working title was “An actor’s education.” I knew from conversations with Kristine Samuelson, MA ’73, who heads Stanford’s graduate film program, that Weaver was thoughtful and passionate about the benefits of broad-based learning, and considered her success a product of that learning.
She was eager to do it. We set a deadline, discussed themes and word counts. And then one day a month or so later, the phone rang. James Cameron had cast Weaver in his new movie, Avatar, and her shooting schedule would prohibit her from writing the essay. She was genuinely sorry. “I was really looking forward to it,” she said, and explained her plan to highlight the varied educational backgrounds of actors, directors and producers she knew.
Happily, we were able to capture some of Weaver’s ideas in an interview when she came to campus for a brief visit, and you’ll find them, along with her personal story and those of other Stanford folks in the film industry, beginning on page 41.
We have debated the idea of highlighting Stanford’s Hollywood involvement for years. Our decision to move ahead was based on a few recent developments. First, interest in film has exploded among Stanford’s students. Responding to demand for broader and deeper offerings in film studies, Stanford two years ago introduced an undergraduate film major and an MFA program in documentary film and video, replacing the master’s program. The MFA is a terminal degree for filmmakers. However, unlike schools that concentrate on film production, Stanford’s programs take a liberal arts approach, which Weaver, for one, favors.
Second, the ascendancy of Stanford alumni across the industry was making the school’s impact noteworthy. Alumni have been influential in every sector of filmmaking; a few have been revolutionary.
Third, a capacious pipeline has grown between Stanford and Hollywood, opening doors to new arrivals from the Farm and strengthening old connections, many of which trace to producer/director Roger Corman, ’47, and his protégés.
Space and time prevent an exhaustive rundown of every Stanford person in the movies (not to mention television), but we think this is a strong and representative sample.
Moviemaking is one of America’s leading industries, and arguably the most important cultural and artistic force of the past half-century. It remains one of the country’s most reliable exports. As Stanford’s film programs mature, and the number of alumni in the industry increases, the University’s footprint in the field is likely to grow as well.
We’ll be watching.
