Documentary for Health & Social Justice 

The Health Equity Institute and the SFSU Cinema department collaborate to offer Documentary for Health and Social Justice, a transdisciplinary film production course that has produced more than 35 short documentaries.

STUDENTS learn how to blend the art of storytelling with social justice issues. Non-cinema students are strongly encouraged to apply.  

COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS partner with us to create films for a more just, healthy and equitable society. 

FACULTY use our films to generate discussion and civic engagement.

How We Work

Graduate and undergraduate students from disciplines across campus including Cinema, Health Education, Geography, Gerontology, Ethic Studies, Human Sexuality, Journalism and more, team up and work in partnership with community organizations to research, produce, and distribute documentaries that educate and advocate for change.

Our goal is to create documentaries communities can use to:

• Raise awareness around health and social justice issues
• Increase visibility of marginalized populations
• Advance dialogue toward solutions
• Highlight initiatives that are making a difference
• Mobilize people to action

Developed in 2006 with support from the SF State Health Education Department, the course is co-taught by:

• Rachel Poulain, MPH, Associate Director of Communications and Film Production at HEI with
• Greta Snider, Associate Professor of Cinema or Weimin Zhang, M.F.A. Coordinator, Assistant Professor of Cinema.

 

For Organizations

 

Overview 

Our goal is to create documentary films organizations, residents, educators and other stakeholders can use as tools to foster discussion around a particular health and social issue. These are not promotional films, rather they seek to explore an issue, raise solutions and best practices, and above all invite action for health and social justice.

Fall 2011 - Spring 2012: Youth Sexuality and Reproductive Justice

Documentary for Health & Social Justice will create a series of four films to advance a paradigm shift that can embrace youth sexual health from an asset rather than deficit model while supporting youth to succeed regardless of their choices or circumstance. 

Working in Partnership 

The class is organized into four student teams made up of Cinema and Non-cinema students.  Each team works with a different organization over the course of two semesters to create a 15-minute documentary available on DVD and online.

If your organization is interested in exploring partnership ideas, please contact rpoulain@sfsu.edu.

The Filmmaking Process

Students:

• Research the issue & write a film proposal to outline the goals, objectives, and story idea for the film the first semester
• Film key interviewees and events to digitally edit the footage into a 15 minute documentary film and create a discussion guide the second semester

Organizations:

• Assign a lead contact to work directly with student teams
• Provide relevant data, research and information about the issue and their organization
• Introduce students to key program/agency participants
• Provide feedback during the editing process

Past Partnerships 

• AIDS UNITED partnered with HEI over the course of two semesters. Together we created five documentaries exploring the impact of HIV on women. View films under the Spring 2008 collection.

• BAY AREA LISC (Local Initiatives Support Corporation) partnered with HEI over the course of one semester. Together we created four documentaries that explore the impact of neighborhood conditions on health. View films under the Fall 2009 collection.

 

For Students

HED/CINE 527: Documentary for
Health & Social Justice

YEAR-LONG COURSE: Fall 2011 & Spring 2012
SPECIAL FOCUS: Youth sexuality and reproductive justice
6 UNITS per semester
INSTRUCTORS: R. Poulain, G. Snider
FRI, 9:10 -11:55a & 1:10-3:55p; DTC 629

COURSE DESCRIPTION

This year HED/CINE 527 is being offered as a 2-semester class with a special focus on youth sexuality and reproductive justice. Each student team will research and create a 15-minute documentary that explores the relationship between sexuality, pregnancy, family expectations, peer norms, and educational outcomes from a variety of perspectives. 

• FALL 2010: Research & Development. Students identify and partner with a community-based organization; conduct research for their film story; practice interviewing and filming. 

• SPRING 2011: Production. Students conduct filmed interviews; assemble and digitally edit a 15-minute film; create a discussion guide and distribution plan.
• Note: Each team will have access to a Panasonic DVX100B camera + sound and lighting equipment reserved for the class.

TO ENROLL

The Fall 2011/Spring 2012 Cohort has been selected. If you would like to enroll for the Spring 2012 semester, please contact rpoulain(a)sfsu.edu and answer the following questions. No filmmaking experience required. 

• Why you are interested in taking this class?
• How have your classes and other experiences prepared you?
• A copy of your unofficial transcript