If you are interested in film and television production, consider joining MSU Telecasters, the second largest student organization on campus. Telecasters is a film and video production club run completely by students, providing opportunities to act, write, direct, edit and produce original content in a variety of genres. It is a great place for film and media majors to get some experience before applying for jobs and internships.
Telecasters features six different shows with different styles and content. There are four comedy shows, one dramatic show and a show that features local bands and musicians. Some of the shows are shot live in a studio and others are taped and released on Youtube.
The Beaumont Bulletin: A news parody show shot every other week in Studio E, the Beaumont Bulletin features two hosts, in a style similar to Weekend Update on Saturday Night Live. The hosts deliver jokes based on local, regional and national news, and feature correspondents on a variety of topics. If you like politics and political satire, the Beaumont Bulletin is the place for you!
Giraffe House: Giraffe House is a serialized sketch show featuring four “giraffes” living together in a house on campus. The giraffes get up to weird and wacky activities in every episode, and there’s a lot of creative room to experiment with different storylines. Giraffe House is absurdist, out-there comedy, so if you like comedy in the style of Conan or 30 Rock, this is the show for you!
Sideshow: Sideshow is a sketch show that films a different comedy sketch every week, much like Inside Amy Schumer or Key & Peele. There is a lot of opportunity for acting and writing, and Sideshow has had some sketches get thousands of views on Youtube in the past. It features more mainstream comedy stylings and often uses topical news and stories as foundations for their sketches.
The Show: The Show is the country’s longest running college sitcom. It was started in 1988 and uses multi cam and features live shows in the style of Saturday Night Live, which airs online and on public access television. The show’s plot follows a group of college friends and all the activities they get up to. If you’re a fan of live television and comedy, the Show is the place for you.
Turn: Turn is Telecaster’s drama show, featuring longer form dramatic episodes every semester. The show features horror, action, mystery and more. If you are interested in more sophisticated film techniques and more high scale productions, Turn is a great show to get involved in.
Video Now: Video Now is Telecaster’s newest show, started in 2017. It focuses on music, and features a podcast, live shows of local bands in East Lansing, and interviews with musicians and people involved in the local music industry. If you have a passion for music, film, live shows and podcasting, Video Now is a great show to join.