Students with a desire to create their own television and film productions can now find an outlet for their creativity in a new registered student organization.

The Alternative Television and Film Club was created by Mical Bennett-Gray, club president and senior communications major, and Scott Walus, adviser and communications professor, in Fall 2012.

Bennett-Gray said the club came to life as a result of Walus telling his students they had strong talents and that he wanted to see their productions on a more professional level.

Bennett-Gray said the club seeks to bring together students who have any level of interest in television or film production so they can share and develop possible production ideas.

The club has about 25 members. The next meeting will be at 7 p.m. on Oct. 3 in Room 1110 of Coleman Hall. Regular meeting times and dates are still undetermined.

Bennett-Gray said meetings are used as a time to coordinate efforts and to check in with students to be sure their productions are coming along well.

While students should have fun producing their programs and films, he said students will also be under pressure to complete their work in a timely manner.

“We try to keep people on schedule,” he said. “It’s like a leash: We put it tight enough to where you feel the pressure to get it done, yet it’s still lose enough where it’s not interfering with your other school schedules.”

The club is not just for communication majors, Bennett-Gray said. Students of all majors are welcome to join and will have access to production equipment.

All students who have a talent or want to develop their skills in any aspect of television and film production are encouraged to join as well, he said.

“We need writers, we need actors, we need everybody,” Bennett-Gray said. “We need everything people can do.”

Bennett-Gray said many of the students who have begun productions have diverse ideas and genres they are trying to develop for the club.

Genres currently in development include a talk show, a spotlight of local bands and parody shows.

“We’re trying to get funny, weird crap out,” Bennett-Gray said. “We’re not like normal TV. We’re out there; we’re weird. ”

Bennett-Gray is working to produce music videos for local bands and hopes to create music videos for mainstream bands as well.

Taylor Davis, senior communications major, is a member of the club and is producing a parody of ghost hunting shows.

“I describe it as ‘Reno 911’ meets ‘Ghost Hunters,’” he said. “All the ghost hunting shows that are on are way too ripe to not be made fun of.”

Davis is a member of the Hello Dali Improve Troupe of Eastern and said he has written, directed and edited other productions before.

“The whole thing really fascinates me,” he said. “I was really excited when I found out there is an opportunity to do that here.”

Eventually, the club is hoping to work with WEIU to place students’ productions on the late-night programming. However, Bennett-Gray said nothing concrete has been agreed upon because students’ productions are still unfinished.

Even if students’ productions are not broadcast on WEIU, Bennett-Gray said students will have fun while also developing their skills and impress future employers.

“You’re having fun, but you are also securing your future, ” he said.

Davis said he looks forward to developing his ghost-hunting parody and seeing how the club evolves.

“The beauty of the club is that it’s so new; it’s really got room to grow in almost every direction, ” he said.

Tim Deters can be reached at 581-2812 or tadeters@eiu.edu.