SADOC raises community awareness

By Max Anderson, Jeff Goldblatt, and Kristin Richardson
Texas State University Mass Communication Students

A student organization at Texas State University aims to bring social awareness and community outreach to the University and broader San Marcos area. 

The Social Awareness Documentary Film Club (SADOC) screens documentary films for this exact purpose.

The SADOC Film Club began around five years ago by Dr. Jon Lasser, a psychology professor at Texas State. Dr. Lasser was interested in documentary film and wanted to promote it at Texas State by starting a club. 

 “We hope that people will think differently after seeing the films and eventually that different way of thinking could lead to different behaviors,” said Dr. Lasser. “It’s kind of lofty to think a movie can change someone, but you never know.”

The amount of social awareness has surely grown among students, as observed by Dr. Lasser. The first film they screened, “The Business of Being Born”, was received well by a packed crowd in the Alkek Teaching Theatre. One of the students who attended told Dr. Lasser that she was inspired to become a midwife after seeing the film.

The documentary “No Impact Man”, a film about a man who tried to have zero environmental impact for a year, greatly affected one of the students.  She confessed to Dr. Lasser that the film changed her life and her way of thinking about how we affect the environment.

Other films that have been received well were “Girl Model”and “Remnants of War”. The crowd of “Girl Model” had a lively, interactive discussion about the horrors and hardships of the modeling industry.  The discussion following “Remnants of War” lead to a heated political debate about cluster bombing and war.

In the past, even directors of the films have attended their own screenings. The directors of “Girl Model” held a Q-and-A session after screening their film. Co-director David Redmon believes it is important for young people to get involved and participate with issues and activities they feel passionately about. 

“It was wonderful, I love Texas State and the campus,” said Redmon. “We had a good turn out with some very enthusiastic students.”

In addition to screening documentaries, SADOC also reaches out to the local San Marcos community by partnering with the Keep San Marcos Beautiful program. Amanda Austin, president of SADOC, wanted the organization to go beyond screening documentary films and involve the San Marcos community with community service and outreach. 

“I contacted the coordinator for the keep San Marcos Beautiful campaign with the city and we adopted Rio Vista Park as our ‘adopt-a-spot,’” said Austin. “The volunteers for Rio Vista Park are required to clean the park at least four times a year. This involves picking up recyclables and trash, and weeding the MADD flower garden.”  

The next event SADOC will hold is the Spanish Documentary Film Festival on April 27. Other than this, SADOC will be slowing down for the end of the semester. Despite that, SADOC has great goals for the coming year.  

SADOC will be putting together a film festival for the fall of 2012 that will link to the years common experience theme, global odyssey. 

“Next semester we want to have a film series of three films: “Girl Model”, “Mardi Gras: Made in China”, and “Intimidad” to tie in with the common experience,” said Dr Lasser.

Dr. Lasser explained how these films connect with the common experience theme. “Girl Model” portrays the complex modeling industry through the eyes of young girls from Russia and Siberia on their journey to Japan. “Mardi Gras: Made in China” follows the “bead trail” from bead producing factories in China to party infused Bourbon Street.

Dr. Lasser hopes to bring David Redmon and Ashley Sabin, the directors of the films, back to Texas State during the mini-festival. 

“Hopefully Redmon and Sabin will be able to attend classes and give lectures about their films,” said Dr. Lasser.

SADOC´s President Austin will be graduating in May 2012, and the club will be looking for new leadership as well as new members. If interested in viewing a film or joining SADOC please visit their page on the Texas State website.