Although being out in the field and being on top of things can be interesting we still need people to teach the students how to know what to do when they get there.
No matter if it’s being a film critic, writer, cartoonist, or whatever it may be Eric Harrison has had his foot in a lot of things but now settles down at Texas Southern University where he has become a professor.
Being a cartoonist paid Eric very little, but he would still do his job to his best. It wasn’t much but he did it anyways. That was at the start of his career.
Being one of the founding members of the Houston Film Critics Society has giving him the chance to go around the world to such places as France and Japan. There they would interview him about different movies and Hollywood.
He has appeared in many places; some being CNN and ABC. Not only TV is where Mr. Harrison’s work is seen, his essay Imitation on Life appears in the book The Dawn at My Back, reading for University of Texas Press.
Being from Houston, "TSU was a part of me growing up." Eric says. Being at TSU now gives him the chance to teach others what he has learned from all his moving around during the years. He can fill others heads with good words and good information for the next generation to go out into the field.
Being a reporter for the Los Angeles Times has giving him the chance to interview many people such as, film directors, stars, editors, and many other industry positions. While there he wrote many film critics and reviews for all types of movies.
"If I had to choose I love to be the fly on the wall" he says to his student when ask what kind of observation he likes doing the most. Sitting back sometimes can get you more information than asking questions. Mr. Harrison knows how to do both.
Sometimes you have to step out the box to see the whole picture of things. One of his biggest projects was when he went undercover to work for Public Housing. He needed a great story and he got it! "I would do it [go undercover] again", he told his students. He went in on a mission and the 2weeks he was undercover he got the information he needed and then turned it into a great story.
In 2000 Eric got the opportunity to become his hometown's chief film critic for the Houston Chronicle. He would hold that position for 5 years.
Just things like that show how much passion Mr. Harrison really has about his career. That's why he brought all his knowledge into one of the classrooms at TSU, so he could share his passion with their students and get them to where they want to be as well.
Eric Harrison claims that he still hasn't done everything quite yet. Still left on his list of "To Do", is to write a book. We'll be looking out for that.
