FIL 4302C – Documentary Production II

Overview

As a student enrolled in FIL 4302C – Documentary Production II, you have a variety of resources available to complete course media assignments and creative projects. This includes access to NSCM Media Labs, Film Editorial Suites, and the checkout of media production equipment.

Policy Requirements

Students are required to complete the Film Student Policy Form before they can checkout equipment or use facility spaces. This form has to completed once each semester to cover all courses.

Facility Access

After the Add / Drop deadline, enrolled students can electronically access NSCM Media Labs – NSC 211A, and 211B using their UCF ID cards when classes are not being held in theses spaces. Students enrolled in FIL 4301C – Documentary Production I can also access the Production Lab | NSC-143 as well as the Advanced Media Lab | NSC-172. Please use the Activity Calendars located on the NSCM Media Lab resource page to help determine when these spaces are available for open and assisted lab hours.

When engaged in post-production for their creative projects, FIL 4302C – Documentary Production II students can also access the Film Editorial Suites 1-4 – NSC-171, 174, 176, & 178. These rooms are available on a first come, first served basis. Please use the Production Lab | NSC-143 when not engaged in post-production activities to ensure that editorial workstations are available for use by other students.

The Color Correction Suite | NSC-175 is available upon request. The Sound Recording Suite | NSC-172B & C is also available upon request and requires a trained operator. Please contact Film Operations for additional information.

If you are unable to access the Media Labs or have been issued a replacement UCF ID card, please fill out the Access Card Issue Form for assistance.

Equipment Checkout

How to Reserve Equipment

Please use the Zeus Now Portal to request a checkout in advance.

You can also walk in for checkouts Monday-Friday from 9:30am to 5:30pm (unless otherwise posted). Items can be returned Monday-Friday from 9:00am to 5:45pm (unless otherwise posted).

Zeus login credentials will be emailed to you by the Film Equipment Room Supervisor, Devon Orand. If you cannot locate this email, search your inbox for “Documentary Production 2 – Important Information about the Zeus Portal” or check your Junk Email folder. If found in Junk Email, report these emails as ‘Not Junk’ to help ensure that you receive them in the future. 

Please email Film Operations if these solutions do not work or if you have any questions.

Assignment Window

FIL 4302C – Documentary Production II has one assignment in Spring for students to produce their creative projects.

Operations will email enrolled students to notify them that the production season has started, and equipment checkout is now open.

Spring 2026 Production Season

Principle Photography using Self Service or Mid Service – Start Date: Wednesday, January 28th, 2026

Principle Photography using Mid Service – End Date: Tuesday, March 3rd, 2026

Pickups using Self Service – End Date: Friday, March 13th, 2026

Duration & Frequency

Students can checkout equipment multiple times per semester. Each checkout period is limited to a maximum of four days.

The total number of days includes the pickup and return dates (i.e., equipment checked-out on a Monday would have to be returned on Thursday). Weekend checkouts will be considered as two days (i.e., equipment checked-out on a Friday would have to be returned on Monday).

Due to limitations with our reservation system, we are not able to grant extensions to checked-out equipment. Students can only request one checkout per week. No back-to-back requests can be made (e.g., you must wait at least one business day to submit a new request to allow other students a chance to reserve the equipment).

Equipment List

The current list of equipment that can be checked out for this course can be found by clicking the button below. There is a sperate list of available equipment for each assignment or the production of a creative project.

Production of Creative Project

Documentary Production is a series of stacked studio courses with both Intermediate and Capstone projects being developed and produced concurrently. Intermediate and Capstone projects can begin production in the Spring once the Production Season begins. This typically occurs mid to late January and ends by late April. See the Master Production Calendar for exact dates for each semester or the email announcement from Film Operations once the season begins.

Documentary creative projects are greenlit by the instructor-of-record. Intermediate projects are limited to self-service or mid-service productions.

All creative projects that require full-service equipment support, or contain high-risk items or activities, are required to go through a greenlighting process to schedule their principal photography. All full-service productions must
be overseen by a faculty member of the UCF-NSCM Film and Mass Media program and approved by Film Operations. Student productions requesting the use of equipment outside of the scope of their course’s equipment list may also be required to go through a formal greenlighting process.

Students must also disclose any high-risk items or activities in their production using an
Uninsured Activity Application and obtain approval from the Risk Management Panel. See the Risk
Management Policies section of the NSCM-FMM Student Production Handbook for additional information.