Students will have a chance to showcase their semester’s work today during the screening of documentary video shorts.

David Gracon, a communication studies professor, is hosting the event to create discussion about local topics.

“Media that is local is important, these documentaries will address a lot of community issues and that is why these are not only for the students but for the community as well,” Gracon said.

In his first year at Eastern, Gracon has taught Election Production II and Documentary Production within the communication studies department.

The work the students have done within these classes this semester will be showcased during the screening.

“It is exciting for the students to see their work on the big screen,” Gracon said. “It’s kind of a rush sitting with other people watching your own work, its different than watching YouTube.”

At the end of the school year, a screening is always shown for all of the projects of the year, but since Electronic Productions II runs once every two years, Gracon thought this would be a special event to emphasize this particular class.

“The class has a philosophy of do-it-yourself media, the idea of making your own media,” Gracon said. “A lot of the time we are passive consumers of media with movies, music and shows. But once you start making it you are no longer sitting and watching. You are making and doing.”

The projects cover a wide variety of subjects and use different styles.

Essentially, 16 students from the Electronic Productions II class picked what they felt was their best projects of the semester while the Documentary Production class will vote on about five students to show their work as well.

One of an assignment was to create of eight to 10 minute documentary film about someone off campus.

“We are are so used to hearing stories form Hollywood, but the reality is there are great stories right by us, just a mile or two from campus,” Gracon said. “Many of (the pieces) are about small businesses and from the Charleston area so hopefully this will promote discussion and set venue in which the students and the town can create a sort of dialogue.”

The event is free of charge and begins at 8 p.m. today in Coleman Hall in Room 1255.

Kayleigh Zyskowski can be reached at 581-7942 or dennewsdesk@gmail.com.