With over 1,400 student organizations, Ohio State provides a wide range of opportunities for students to get involved, become leaders worth following, build organizations worth joining, and leave a lasting legacy. Here are the purpose statements of some student organizations focused on film, media, or theatre.
8th Floor Improv Comedy Group: To provide Ohio State - and all of Columbus - with a unique brand of comedic entertainment, focusing on long-form improv comedy.
Animation Club: To sponsor educational workshops, collaborate on creative projects, and enjoy animation in its limitless forms.
Art and Technology Club: Art and Tech Club is an organization committed to building a stronger art community by engaging in the members’ academic and professional interests. The club discusses careers within entertainment industries such as animation, film, video games, comics, and digital art.
Backburner Sketch Comedy Group: Our purpose is to bring laughter to The Ohio State University by developing a community around sketch comedy within the university and to improve the writing, acting, directing, and technical skills of our membership.
Bad Movie Club at Ohio State: To watch, enjoy, and laugh at “bad movies”, as well as discuss what makes a movie bad and whether it should be considered art or not
Buckeyes Assemble!: Buckeyes Assemble! is a social club that is solely for discussing, debating, and celebrating everything Marvel. This organization wants to bring together people who love Marvel and to have fun. We will have "Marvel Fights", give presentations on themes and the cultural significance of Marvel films and shows, do screenings of films, do service activities through the "Be a Hero" program, and much more. All are welcome to join this club. Even DC fans.
Buckeye Drag Ensemble: Buckeye Drag Ensemble aims to enrich Ohio State's understanding of gender and entertainment through the art of drag performance. BDE is open to all types of drag performers and provides a safe space for creators to hone their craft, express their talent, and share their joy with the entire campus.
Buckeye Puppetry Club: The purpose of the Buckeye Puppet Club shall be to develop puppeteering skills, entertain students of The Ohio State University and surrounding community members, and engage in workshops, performances, and discussions of famous puppets throughout pop culture.
Buckeye Standup Comedy Club: The purpose of Buckeye Standup Comedy Club is to develop comedic talent, entertain the students of The Ohio State University and surrounding community, develop a group dynamic, and have fun through open mics, workshops, and performances.
Cinéseries: Cinéseries is a student-lead group that organizes monthly screening series in collaboration with the Wexner Center for the Arts. We aim to offer a space for students and the community to engage with film and expanded cinema from makers from a variety of backgrounds. We aspire to create an environment conducive to critical engagement by inviting filmmakers to showcase work that takes risks, challenges norms, and opens a conversation by devoting to a wide range of artist-centered and independent media.
Female Gaze Screening Club: Our purpose is to provide a space for students who identify as a female or a gender minority to voice their thoughts and opinions about the portrayal & role of female identifying and gender nonconforming individuals in film, both on screen and behind the camera.
Film and Video Society: Welcome to FVS! We meet weekly to discuss films we've been watching and new releases, as well as playing film-themed trivia. Our meetings are laidback, conversation-based, and open to everyone. Our activities include creating compelling conversation around film, hosting screenings at Gateway Film Center, and taking a trip to the Sundance Film Festival!
Fishbowl Improvisational Comedy Group: Fishbowl Improvisational Comedy Group is here to bring together creative-minded students, and to explore their unique talents through improvisational comedy in the collective effort of tickling the minds of the OSU student body.
The Graduate Theatre Syndicate: The purpose of The Syndicate is to provide graduate students in The Ohio State University Department of Theatre with a forum for community, professional development, and advocacy. This organization is a resource to help clarify academic requirements and to serve as an advocacy group for Theatre Department Graduate students. The organization may also be an outlet for grievances which can then be brought before the department's appropriate governing body. Additionally, the Syndicate executes social/community events and professional forums for to support the ongoing research and artistic work of its members and the university.
Interdisciplinary Graduate Film Studies Group at Ohio State University: In response to the needs of graduate students of various disciplines interested in film studies, the Ohio State University Interdisciplinary Graduate Film Studies Group’s goal is to provide opportunities for viewing, reading, and discussion, as well as support for filmmaking and cinema appreciation efforts throughout campus. Eventually, the club’s mission may expand, since the needs of graduate students invested in cinema studies at OSU are diverse. Since film studies is a relatively young field and has emerged during a complex era in the history of the humanities, many institutions offer coursework in cinema studies on an intermittent, contingent, or supplementary basis only. As a result, graduate students with a scholarly interest in film studies require more engagement in a formal context. IGFSG will provide a forum for graduate students to learn from one another and form connections across disciplines while pursuing academic career development goals related to film studies. The possibilities are as numerous as the quantity of students who choose to become involved.
The Intergalactic Science Fiction Club: To gather every week to watch, discuss, and have fun with favorite movies, shows, and literary works of the Science Fiction genre. This is a club for everyone with an interest in fantastic storytelling and exciting adventures.
Mad Royal Film Society: We are a film/video production organization aiming to create a community that promotes creativity, inclusivity and collaboration. As a group we make 5 short videos a semester, and host a student film festival on campus in the spring. We hope to see you come to meetings and work with us!
Namaste Bollywood: To spread appreciation for the South Asian film industry through movie nights, cultural and charity events.
Off the Lake Productions: Off the Lake Productions is The Ohio State University's only completely student-run, service-based theatre organization. Every year we have FOUR major productions whose proceeds go to a charity organization of our choice: our Fall Cabaret, Play, Musical, and Peer Theatre One Acts. In addition to the One Acts, Peer Theatre performs skits on difficult topics for students at Ohio State and our trained facilitators give them the opportunity to reflect on what was shared and participate in a facilitated dialogue. OTL gives back to the community through various service organizations on campus and in the Columbus community. Some previous service events Off the Lake has participated in include BuckeyeThon, donating to the Mid-Ohio Food Bank, Light up the Lake, theatre workshops with All THAT (Teens Hopeful About Tomorrow), Caroling at local nursing homes, volunteering with The Harmony Project, and many more! Students can be involved in various capacities including Pit, Peer Theatre, Cast and Crew. As well as the general body participating in community and service events. Our overall theme is - In the Community, On the Stage, Off the Lake.
Performance Studies Working Group: The Performance Studies Working Group's mission is to promote interdisciplinary discourse on performance studies among Ohio State's artists, activists, and scholars.
Scarlet and Gray Anime: To foster an appreciation of Japanese popular culture through showings of Japanese animated films ("Anime") and related popular media.
Video Essay Club: The Video Essay Club (VEC) aims to provide a safe and open space for any and all students to creatively explore their academic interests through the audiovisual medium of video essays. By giving members an opportunity to learn from and communicate with each other through seminars, watch parties, workshops, and screenings, VEC endeavours to improve members' fluency with the techniques of academic videography and inspire a shared passion for artistic and intellectual pursuit in this burgeoning genre of digital media.