Florida A&M University broadcast journalism students are showcasing skills they have learned by producing documentaries and screening them tonight, in the Lecture Hall at the School of Journalism & Graphic Communication building.
The theme for the evening is “Hollywood on The Hill: A Different Perspective.”
The three best documentaries produced by senior journalism students will be shown at Student Documentary Night in efforts to show skills learned in the Specialized Reporting class, said Kenneth Jones, associate professor and event coordinator.
“These documentaries make the students credible,” Jones said. “They have a professional product that is broadcast-quality and can compete with other journalism students in the nation.”
Dorothy Bland, director of the Division of Journalism, said students will be well-equipped with tools and knowledge that will advance them in the field of journalism.
“Students ideally will leave Student Documentary Night with work that contribute positively to their portfolios to find work,” Bland said, “Their documentaries are demos of what they can do with documentary work, broadcast work, visual story telling and combination of editing and producing skills.”
PRodigy, a campus-based, student run public relations firm, was in charge for promoting “Hollywood on The Hill” to the entire Tallahassee community.
Lindsey Johnson, a PRodigy associate, said she gained important experience by promoting Student Documentary Night.
“I helped plan and implement strategies to interest not just students at Florida A&M University, but a wider audience in Tallahassee,” Johnson said.
“Doing so really gave me the experience I need as a public relations practitioner.”
Bland said Student Documentary Night also gives public relations students experience in their sequence.
“I’m very pleased PRodigy associates are handling public relations promotions,” Bland said. “Managing the event gives students hands on experience with developing public relations campaigning, orchestrating a major event and marketing to a variety of publics.”
Faculty members said support for the event has grown.
“Documentary night started last spring,” Jones said. “It went from having an audience of about 25 to now over 150 students present.”