Personal Narrative: The Sonoran Desert
“Whatsoever things are true…”
The Sonoran Desert is a magical place where springtime flowers bloom and die, but desert weeds know no end. It was there, in the sweltering heat of southwest Arizona, long before I could even comprehend the meaning of the word, that I had an epiphany. Eight years-old, immersed in the collected works of John Grisham, I voraciously consumed tales of common men overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds to persevere in spite of tremendous obstacles. Perhaps it was the immense desolation or simply the innocent naivety of a child, but his words gave me the courage to dare to dream dreams others deemed not possible. So enraptured was I that my interests in tennis, advanced mathematics and tae-kwon-do soon found themselves shuttled to dormant recesses of my brain. Hoping to squelch what he was sure was nothing more than a childhood infatuation; my father took me to the movies to view an adaptation of one of Grisham’s novels. And as I sat in air-conditioned bliss, …show more content…
staring in wonderment at the vibrant images as they danced across an enormous canvas screen, I discovered my deep appreciation and inherent fascination with film and law; I had found my dual passions.
“Whatsoever things are honest…”
At the age of twelve I made my directorial debut. Soon afterwards, my animated short film drew enthusiastic praise from renowned film critic Roger Ebert and took home the Kenneth and Harle Montgomery Prize for Best Child-Produced Film at the Chicago International Children's Film Festival. It was then that my parents made a courageous and selfless decision for which I will be forever grateful and put aside their own lives to move to California in order to help me pursue my dreams.
“Whatsoever things are just…”
Upon early graduation from Palo Alto High School, I studied motion picture after-effects at Stanford University and my mastery of spatial visualization was recognized as a gift which belied an artist of my youth and experience. The film capital of the world, Los Angeles, and screenwriting courses at UCLA soon followed which led to directing and producing numerous films at the USC School of Cinematic Arts where I studied film production, business finance, and pre-law. Accomplishments of mertit included a spec television pilot, a feature film with a budget of $200k and a much lauded USC MFA thesis documentary which was screened at the prestigious Festival de Cannes. On the eve of my eighteenth year, my accomplishments had already surpassed all reasonable expectations, but in my heart I was unsatisfied. There was still another world left to conquer; another passion yet unfulfilled.
“Whatsoever things are pure…”
As an aspiring producer and studio executive, a law degree is essential for advancing my career in the motion picture industry.
This fact became all too evident during production of my first feature film which proved to be a grueling endeavor fraught with legal obstacles. I soon discovered that even blessed as I am with an innate ability to multi-task, a law degree was an essential missing element I lacked in order to make order of the often disordered world of film production. Negotiating contracts with individuals, corporations and unions and explaining the mitigating effects of tax incentives and risk to investors; these are but a few aspects of the film industry for which an entertainment law perspective is vital. With the knowledge gleaned from studying law at a top-level institution like Northwestern’s Pritzker School of Law, I will overcome these obstacles and realize my ambitions while strengthening my skills as a dealmaker, producer and ultimately a studio
executive.
“Whatsoever things are lovely…”
My lifelong pursuit of intellectual and creative excellence in tandem with leadership ability honed by years of managing and coordinating production crews and talent on set have enabled me to develop a unique skill set. On the surface I may appear to be yet another metaphorical springtime flower, destined to bloom and fade like youth itself, but appearances deceive. In my soul lives a desert weed – strong, resolute and determined to survive and prosper in spite of the harsh elements of my environment. Forever fighting to surmount barriers and realize impossible dreams, my spirit is unbreakable, unwavering and shall know no end.
“Whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
My name is Sophia Pino and I proudly and respectfully submit my name for consideration for admittance to the Pritzker School of Law.
The Sonoran Desert is a magical place where springtime flowers bloom and die, but desert weeds know no end. It was there, in the sweltering heat of southwest Arizona, long before I could even comprehend the meaning of the word, that I had an epiphany. Eight years-old, immersed in the collected works of John Grisham, I voraciously consumed tales of common men overcoming seemingly insurmountable odds to persevere in spite of tremendous obstacles. Perhaps it was the immense desolation or simply the innocent naivety of a child, but his words gave me the courage to dare to dream dreams others deemed not possible. So enraptured was I that my interests in tennis, advanced mathematics and tae-kwon-do soon found themselves shuttled to dormant recesses of my brain. Hoping to squelch what he was sure was nothing more than a childhood infatuation; my father took me to the movies to view an adaptation of one of Grisham’s novels. And as I sat in air-conditioned bliss, …show more content…
staring in wonderment at the vibrant images as they danced across an enormous canvas screen, I discovered my deep appreciation and inherent fascination with film and law; I had found my dual passions.
“Whatsoever things are honest…”
At the age of twelve I made my directorial debut. Soon afterwards, my animated short film drew enthusiastic praise from renowned film critic Roger Ebert and took home the Kenneth and Harle Montgomery Prize for Best Child-Produced Film at the Chicago International Children's Film Festival. It was then that my parents made a courageous and selfless decision for which I will be forever grateful and put aside their own lives to move to California in order to help me pursue my dreams.
“Whatsoever things are just…”
Upon early graduation from Palo Alto High School, I studied motion picture after-effects at Stanford University and my mastery of spatial visualization was recognized as a gift which belied an artist of my youth and experience. The film capital of the world, Los Angeles, and screenwriting courses at UCLA soon followed which led to directing and producing numerous films at the USC School of Cinematic Arts where I studied film production, business finance, and pre-law. Accomplishments of mertit included a spec television pilot, a feature film with a budget of $200k and a much lauded USC MFA thesis documentary which was screened at the prestigious Festival de Cannes. On the eve of my eighteenth year, my accomplishments had already surpassed all reasonable expectations, but in my heart I was unsatisfied. There was still another world left to conquer; another passion yet unfulfilled.
“Whatsoever things are pure…”
As an aspiring producer and studio executive, a law degree is essential for advancing my career in the motion picture industry.
This fact became all too evident during production of my first feature film which proved to be a grueling endeavor fraught with legal obstacles. I soon discovered that even blessed as I am with an innate ability to multi-task, a law degree was an essential missing element I lacked in order to make order of the often disordered world of film production. Negotiating contracts with individuals, corporations and unions and explaining the mitigating effects of tax incentives and risk to investors; these are but a few aspects of the film industry for which an entertainment law perspective is vital. With the knowledge gleaned from studying law at a top-level institution like Northwestern’s Pritzker School of Law, I will overcome these obstacles and realize my ambitions while strengthening my skills as a dealmaker, producer and ultimately a studio
executive.
“Whatsoever things are lovely…”
My lifelong pursuit of intellectual and creative excellence in tandem with leadership ability honed by years of managing and coordinating production crews and talent on set have enabled me to develop a unique skill set. On the surface I may appear to be yet another metaphorical springtime flower, destined to bloom and fade like youth itself, but appearances deceive. In my soul lives a desert weed – strong, resolute and determined to survive and prosper in spite of the harsh elements of my environment. Forever fighting to surmount barriers and realize impossible dreams, my spirit is unbreakable, unwavering and shall know no end.
“Whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”
My name is Sophia Pino and I proudly and respectfully submit my name for consideration for admittance to the Pritzker School of Law.