Rough Cut Collective provides filmmaking opportunities for OHIO students

Students stand together holding a large white board with writing all over it in a parking lot

Photo credit: Cat Jin

Team Ghouls produced "I'm The Boss!" Pictured left to right are team members Jude Hannahs, Andrew Branderhorst, Quinn Bennett, Maya Watson, Charlie Humbert, and Will Miller.

Rough Cut Collective, a student-run short film organization at Ohio University, provides students with a wide array of filmmaking opportunities.

The organization allows its members to work on any aspect of filmmaking. Rough Cut Collective creates films “by students for students,” said Bailey Perry, a junior games and animation major in the Scripps College of Communication and the co-president of Rough Cut Collective.

Rough Cut Collective recently participated in a 48-Hour Shootout film competition with AVW Studios, another student-run short film organization. The 48-Hour Shootout is a short film competition that requires participants to create a short film in 48 hours. Perry says Rough Cut Collective members are divided into teams based on their skill sets. They then have 48 hours to write a script, cast, film and edit a three-to-five-minute movie.

The most recent event occurred this fall over the weekend of Oct. 14. There is a 48-Hour Shootout film competition in both fall and spring semesters. This fall, there were four teams competing. Perry said the spring event is “more schoolwide.” The spring event has had up to 30 teams participating, Perry said.

Teams are assigned a prop, genre and quote to use in their productions. Each team has to incorporate their assigned prop and quote in the film and stick to their assigned genre. This fall, the assigned genres were romantic horror, comedy horror, psychological thriller, and mystery thriller.

Perry believes these themes were perfect choices near Halloween.

Two people sitting at a table both rubbing their heads with their hands, seemingly with a headache while the whole picture is red. — A still from Team Goblins' film "This Wine Has Legs." Pictured are John Mullaly (left) and Angela Baldasare (right). Photo credit: Jenne Keiffer

Rough Cut Collective does more than just the 48-Hour Shootout competition. Perry said they produce three to four films per semester, with opportunities to explore any aspect of the process.

“Anyone can write a script and submit it to get voted on by the club,” Perry said.

At the beginning of the semester, they read through the submitted scripts and vote for the top three to four scripts. The chosen scripts then get funding from the organization.

Perry emphasized the organizations' openness to new ideas. Anyone who is interested in movies or filmmaking is welcome to join the organization, regardless of major.

Perry got involved with Rough Cut Collective her freshman year. During her sophomore year, she ran social media for the organization. Her interest in filmmaking stemmed from that experience, her passion growing so strong in becoming co-president. Perry said she loves the people involved with Rough Cut Collective and credits them for her commitment to the organization.

If you have a passion for filmmaking, consider joining Rough Cut Collective. Rough Cut Collective meets on Mondays at 7:30 p.m. in Schoonover Center 380 and Wednesdays at 7 p.m. in Seigfred Hall 519.

You can view Rough Cut collective videos on their YouTube channel, with their most recent videos also available online.

Tags: