After weeks of discussion and deliberation, Film and Photography Club officers have made plans to merge the two clubs into one: the Film and Photo Society. Conflicting meeting times and shared members and topics have reduced the ability for members to attend both Film Club and Photography Club meetings. The officers and the clubs’ adviser, Mathew Reynolds, decided that merging the two would be beneficial to both clubs. They plan to begin their conjoined meetings during Friday lunches at the beginning of the next school year and are currently waiting for Legislative Council to approve the merger within their club constitutions. As for this year, the rest of the semester and the summer will give time for current officers to rework and redesign the clubs into one in preparation for Club Info Day next year. 

“I think what made us merge was the friendliness between the two clubs, coupled with the fact that we both communicate with Mr. Reynolds and use his room,” Photography Club PR Officer Peter Aguirre said. “We’ve always been kind of intertwined with each other.”

In the past, Film Club was centered around teaching members the basics of videography and editing. Members and officers often collaborated with student groups on campus to film and edit various videos. Notable projects include Homecoming hype videos and promotional videos for clubs, such as Model United Nations and DECA. On the other hand, Photography Club focused on teaching photography principles and skills, such as how to adjust camera settings for different environments. Throughout the years, they have held editing challenges and have invited past alumni to give their members feedback. 

“In the past, these clubs have provided really good opportunities for students,” Reynolds said. “From creating film projects for school activities to photo opportunities here on campus to support them.”

Similar camera-related meeting topics coupled with both clubs’ weekly meetings occuring on Friday lunches in Reynolds’ room  caused confusion among members. The clubs had made several attempts to resolve this issue in the past, including splitting the Friday lunch time to accommodate both club meetings and alternating the weeks in which each club would meet. 

“Both clubs had strong attendance previously,” Reynolds said. “So I was concerned when their numbers started to go down because of the confusion.” 

With their decision to merge clubs written into their updated club constitution, FPS awaits the decision of the Legislative Council, who will review this document at a future ICC meeting. Additionally, officers are working towards creating a new brand identity, which will include an updated club Instagram page, a new logo and more. They hope members will be excited at the prospect of future projects, such as new meeting topics, coverage for school events and having overarching theme studio setups. Studio setups which include a backdrop, lighting, and more equipment can be utilized in both photography and film opportunities for members. Furthermore, club resources, such as cameras and gimbals, will be shared within the club to maximize the pool of resources available to members. 

“This merge will make the streamlined process of learning photography and film a lot easier,” senior and Photography Club President Sophia Khubchandani said. “We’ll be able to balance the way we teach members how to use a camera.”

The majority of the merging process was led by Khubchandani and seniors Katie Chung and Catherine Zhou, co-presidents of Film Club. For the 2023-24 school year, they have decided to deemphasize the utilization of lecture slides at meetings, and would instead have their members gain more hands-on learning opportunities. 

FPS’s future officers and members alike are eager to see how this change will bring together new and returning members, as well as allow for more collaborative projects. The new club’s meeting topics will include a mix of photography and film principles, such as different genres of photography or different filming angles. 

“We want to thank all of our members for being patient,” Chung said. “Be excited about the future. Film and photography might seem really difficult, but just know that so many individuals in the past have gone through the same learning process.”