What Does It Mean To Be An Expert?

Jun. 02. 2022

Dear Issa Rae,

What does it mean to be an expert? Would you consider yourself an expert at what you do? Not necessarily the best, but simply someone who knows enough, knows the important things that they should know in their field? (I feel like I don't know how to phrase these questions) I guess I am wondering, if in whatever profession you consider yourself to be in, do you think you know all the necessary things in order to succeed? Then I guess my follow up questions would be whether there is a concrete set of knowledge that one has to know in order to be considered an expert? To be the best, do I have to know the best? If I don't listen to Prince, does that mean I can't be a respected and successful musician?

I’d like to think that with any form of art, it's less about knowledge and more about perspective. I fully support the concept of learning and studying in any profession, there are many fundamentals that are attained with a good education, but at the end of the day, it's about a viewpoint. Whether the camera is pointing right, left, up, down- whether the narrative is through blue, brown, or green eyes. That is what makes a story. There are so many moving parts that I am learning about when the art of film/television is created. There are so many narratives that have yet to be told in film/television. There are so many ways to tell a story and engage an audience. Can one really learn all of those things from just watching Star Wars, Godfather, Harry Potter, Pulp Fiction, Indiana Jones, Titanic etc. According to the White, Cis-Gender, Male gaze, it appears so. I clearly have been feeling a lot of doubt and anxiety about entering the film/television major, but nonetheless I have been trying my very best, and this quarter is my first time really tackling film classes. And despite normal nerves that anyone can experience from school, I was doing alright. Until one day in class, I unfortunately made the comment that I had never watched the Harry Potter film series.

I can explain.

Anytime I know that a film was adapted from a book, I feel it necessary to read the books first, so that I may analyze how it was then translated to film. I understand that it is unlikely for a film to contain all of the details presented in a novel and sometimes the film is created from a different perspective than the novel, but the point is that there is a process of deciding the best way to retell this story visually with the materials written by the author. I learn a lot about storytelling, writing, and perspective by comparing how the story is told in two different medias. But that was not the conversation held in class. My statement presented a different opportunity for my professor and peers. Instead I was interrogated about what films I actually have seen, and to everyone's shock it was not the same films that most of the world may be familiar with. I have not seen Star Wars. Fight me. While I have never felt any shame admitting that, it was when my teacher went through a list of blockbusters, Quentin Tarantino, Michael Bay movies, and I admitted to having not seen them, that he looked at me like I had three eyes and exclaimed, “How are you a film major and have never seen those movies? What movies have you seen?” These questions were rhetorical, I assumed, yet they were answered with quiet giggles from the “Film Bros.” in the back of the class. It was at that very moment that I felt a knot in my throat, holding back my tears, because for the very first time during the course of the class thus far, I realized I was the only black female in the room. Aside from feeling humiliated, and inadequate, I felt alone and isolated. All this time I had never noticed I was on an island. In most of my film classes, if not all, I am the only black girl. I tried to laugh it off, and argue that there are things I watch that I am sure the rest of them have never even heard of. Half the time I am usually watching foreign movies and television, so let alone engage in what I watch, most of that class could not even comprehend what I watch. But that doesn’t mean I am better than anyone or know more. And just because they may not know the things I do, does not give them less of a right to pursue a profession in the film industry. It's not just about how much you know. It's about what you see, what you hear, what you feel. It's about what you do with what you know. Every narrative, perspective, and experience is valid. How you see, hear, and feel the story is valid and what makes you an artist. Knowledge makes you a student. If I wanted to be a student of George Lucas I would watch Star Wars. With all due respect, I don't wanna make art like Mr. Lucas. I watch Insecure, Abbot Elementary, Atlanta, Us, Get Out, A Different World, Living Single, That's So Raven, etc. I watch Romantic Comedies over and over, I watch Bollywood films, and Turkish Dramas. I watch Australian shows about mermaids and surfing aliens. I watch Twilight religiously. And so much more. But I watch what I watch because it engages me, it reflects me, or makes me feel happy and seen. Or sometimes it simply lets me escape. What I watch has impacted me, therefore I want to impact others in the same way. And I am not gonna let a few giggles from a couple ‘Tarantino wannabes’ and narrow perspective superiors invalidate my expertise. But I can guarantee that I will never, ever again, let myself forget that I am the only black girl in the room…. until the day that I am not. So maybe I have never seen Star Wars, but soon I will know what it looks like to see you all from the top.