Four University of Wisconsin Oshkosh student documentaries, the products of a collaborative interdisciplinary project this spring, will be featured at the  Oshkosh Gallery Walk at Planet Perk on June 4.

As part of the experimental, interdisciplinary class “Documenting Social and Environmental Injustice Through Film,” students recently developed the films, which depict issues of social justice within the community.

Titles of the films include, “Rebound: A Story of Second Chances,” “When the Sun Sets in Oshkosh,” “Work in Progress” and “Doctor’s Note.”

“Troy Perkins and I team-taught the class, which was cross-listed between the Communication, Environmental Studies, Women’s Studies and African American Studies programs,” Sociology and Environmental Studies Professor Paul Van Auken said. “Along with leading lecture and discussion through the semester on relevant topics, we helped the students develop these projects, Troy with an emphasis on the technical aspects and I with a focus on the content.”

The students were able to pick their own topics, with the requirement that the films had to have something to do with social or environmental issues in local communities. Two of the films were set in Oshkosh, while the other two took place in the Appleton/Green Bay area and southern Wisconsin.

“There is a common thread in the films and that is the theme of social inclusion,” Van Auken said. “All deal with issues related to the problems of people or groups being socially excluded, while implicit is the importance of being included in the community.”

Having a diverse group of student majors within the class made it easy for the groups to create compelling stories.

“We each had our strengths and were not afraid to speak up,” said Amber Boardman, a music major and recent graduate. “Getting a few different perspectives on life was necessary to create a successful documentary about community.”

“Rebound: A Story of Second Chances,” tried to capture the feeling of being reaccepted into society by showing the story of a program called Rebound at the Fox Valley Humane Society in Appleton. The Rebound program teams-up well-behaved inmates with shelter dogs, to help train them for a better chance of adoption.

“The story is about how both man and dog need each other in order to better themselves for life back in society,” said Tanya Krueger, Radio-TV-Film major and recent graduate. “It’s not about how the dog and inmate ended up where they are. It’s about what they are doing to prepare themselves for life on the other side.”

The two films that were set in Oshkosh, “Work in Progress” and “When the Sun Sets in Oshkosh,” highlighted the issues of diversity and local businesses. One film focuses on the race relations in Oshkosh between Caucasian and African American residents, while hoping to inspire dialogue on the issues of diversity and inclusion. The other film focuses on how local businesses help build a diverse community.

“I hope the audience will have a realization that they will take home with them and share from the films,”  said Devon Zerbe, Radio-TV-Film major and recent graduate.

The final film highlightes the idea of judgment. “Doctor’s Note,” tells the story of a normal-looking 17-year-old high school student who is diagnosed with the life-changing and sometimes unnoticeable disorder, Dysautonomia, which describes any disease or malfunction of the autonomic nervous system. Students, teachers and even doctors judge the young girl and at times don’t believe there is anything wrong with her.

“I want people to think twice about judging a book by the cover,” Boardman said. “Taking the time to realize that everyone has struggles is such an important aspect of building a community.”

The works were also shown at a screening in Reeve Union Theater on May 16. Students say they hope to submit the films to various upcoming film festivals in the future.

“It was wonderful to see these students from different disciplines and with different backgrounds, skills and interests come together and create something great,” Van Auken said. “It took a lot of work and they really struggled at times, but I think they can be extremely proud of what they accomplished.”