Meeting in a classroom inside Marcus Hall, a group of students turned a small idea into reality, creating a new student organization for BECA students to have creative freedom and bring their ideas to light.
BOSA, the BECA Operated Student Association, is a new student-run production house cofounded by a group of six students. There are currently 12 members in the group.
Vincent Andrew Lee, one of the founding members, wanted to utilize the BECA program’s resources for work outside of class.
“Our goal is to provide students with the ability to create in a space that is less restrictive,” Lee said. “A lot of the time, these cutting-edge TV studios aren’t really being used outside of class time. That, combined with a desire to provide BECA students with an opportunity to do more and add a student’s touch to these kinds of things.”
For BOSA to come to life, two of the founding members had to present their ideas to the BECA department. “Vincent and I got together after school one day and spent hours in the library working on this presentation to present to the BECA board,” Bailey Hintz, BOSA head of public relations, said.
With the help of their faculty advisor, Professor Graham Carpenter, Hintz went on to say that BOSA was greenlit on a trial basis. To prove themselves, the students worked with IATSE 119, a union of television workers, to produce, record, and build a set for their seminar.
According to Lee, there are a lot of prerequisites that you have to hit to make something.
“In the industry, you’re not collaborating as students, there are set things you have to do, and you don’t really achieve that by doing it in class,” said Lee.
In his BECA 241 class, Lee states that everyone was always writing something. BOSA has a team of writers, public relations and a studio crew. He believes a role doesn’t limit one’s ability to branch out and work in other fields.
“That doesn’t mean you can’t do other things,” he said.“But you’re not going to get anywhere if you don’t focus on a role and try to improve at it.”
One of the central issues of the BECA department is that it needs to advertise itself according to Lee. BECA Fest, a showcase of projects created by BECA students, takes place once a year.
“That’s not nearly enough recognition,” Lee said. “A lot of people on campus will never see it because they don’t know it exists.”
Lee also goes on to recognize that because SF State is a commuter school, it doesn’t have a strong campus community, and students do not watch or listen to these media productions.
“The idea is to create a way to get people engaged in not only the community but in our content and seeing what we do,” Lee said.
BOSA also hopes to work with student organizations outside of BECA to create this sense of community.
“Our school is such an incredibly creative and diverse place to be. We have such a unique opportunity in San Francisco to highlight different cultures” said Hintz.
She also says that the BOSA team has also talked about female representation in the directing space.
“We want to make women feel comfortable in that environment.” “Before I started BOSA, I was always super insecure about my directing abilities and then I ended up excelling at it and loving it so much, I think what makes BOSA so special is that we have passionate students that we’re giving a vessel to use their talent on.”
Storytelling is an essential factor in being a BECA major, according to Hintz.
“That is what they teach us in every BECA class, having a story to tell,” Hintz said. “Students already have these stories in mind and all we’re doing is giving them the facilities and equipment they need to tell those stories.”
“I feel like most of the time, when students go into college, they’re really scared and sheltered and don’t know how to output a message of your own into the world,” said Alejandro Espinoza, BOSA’s vice president. “The biggest thing is to be communicative. Talk to people in your lectures and classes, talk to faculty. Share anything you have to input –– this is the most important thing.”
BOSA hopes to reach a wider audience via television. Inspired by Brigham Young University TV, BYU’s television network picked up by cable, BOSA wants to be recognized as an entirely student-run, professional organization.
This Fall, BOSA will also be tabling as a new student organization, hoping to quadruple their student body. There will also be a BOSA class, BECA 516, this upcoming semester.
Expected to come out this month, Office Hours is BOSA’s first upcoming TV show inspired by a comedy-news series, The Eric Andre Show and SNL’s Weekend Update. Office Hours is Lee’s creation.
You can stay updated with BOSA, Office Hours, and other upcoming media productions by following their Instagram, @thebosaproject.
