Frequently Asked Questions

When/where do you meet?

The majority of work in this club is done outside of general meetings. We film at various events when they take place, conduct interviews based on subject availability, edit videos on our own time, etc. Attendance for events/interviews is never required; you can volunteer when you're available. 

Our general meetings take place every other Wednesday from 7:00-8:00 p.m. (Location will be determined once we have a membership estimate.) We recommend making an effort to attend regularly if you want to stay involved, but there is nothing wrong with taking time off if you need. General meetings are a time to check in with project groups, go over upcoming opportunities, review projects that have been edited, hold workshops, and do various activities for practicing documentary skills.

Do you make documentaries or watch them?

Our club is focused around making documentary projects. We are open to hosting screenings if there is enough interest, though.

What major/experience level is this for?

Everyone, regardless of major or experience level, is welcome. We have projects for beginners and experienced folks. 

Do you film/interview/edit?

We do every part of the documentary production process. We need people to research, interview, operate cameras, monitor audio, make storyboards, write, and edit. You can do whatever role(s) interest you.

What major/experience level is this for?

Everyone, regardless of major or experience level, is welcome.

What equipment do I need?

You do not have to purchase anything for this club. (There is also no membership fee.) The executive board often brings their own equipment to film shoots, which you may practice with if you'd like. Members may use their phones or personal cameras, or borrow cameras from the various campus resources. 

What editing software do you use?

Mainly Adobe Premiere Pro, with some After Effects and Audition. This is the software that is taught in our workshops because it is the same software media students here are taught, and it is free to use on lab computers. You are welcome to use different software if you prefer.

What topics do you cover in your projects?

Mostly local stories, but anyone is welcome to pitch any ideas.

Do your projects deal with political subjects?

We have filmed and conducted interviews at protests. As mentioned above, we welcome any project ideas. We are open to political subjects, as long as they are done journalistically with fairness, integrity, and ethics in mind.

What formats do you work with?

Anything there's an interest for! We live in an exciting time when documentary media can take a variety of forms. We are open to doing projects that stray from the traditional idea of documentary, such as projects that are vertically shot, audio only, or 360-degree video.

Do you make advertisements?

No. We do make videos that showcase other RSOs, focusing on the story behind the people and the club, but our crew will not work on advertisements. The difference is we aren't paid to cover something, we report what we see, and we don't include any "call to action" telling viewers what to do.

What have you made so far?

We have a few projects that are on our YouTube channel, and we started a media archive called Project: Open Vault. Since the club is still very new, we don't have many completed projects yet. But, there's a lot more to come!

How much of a time commitment is this club?

Since it's structured around projects, you can take on as much as you want to. If you don't have much room in your schedule, maybe just go out and film some b-roll for an hour or so. If you're looking to devote a lot of time to building your portfolio, you can sign up for as many roles as you want. 

What if I'm on the fence about joining?

Attending a meeting or joining our Discord does not mean you are committing to anything. You are welcome to see what we're working on and decide if it's the right fit for you. Our Discord also has public channels for people interested in keeping up with our projects, so you can find more info there. https://discord.gg/5fm5CaPcwv