Pro-Change Behavior Systems, Inc. reaffirmed its commitment to assisting students at the University of Rhode Island by teaming up with Professor Keith Brown’s Film 351: Client Media Production class. The class provides the opportunity for advanced film students to work with clients in creating short film productions. This collaboration allowed students to experience real-world client interactions in a production environment. Professor Brown had a very specific vision for the class. “It was really important to design a course that gave students an opportunity to make media for clients because what they learned in this class will be very useful to them after they graduate from college.”

Pro-Change worked with two separate groups of students to create videos that will be included in a mobile application being developed as part of a Phase II SBIR contract funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse. The app, entitled Individual Well-Being Navigator (Iwin), is designed to increase well-being and decrease substance use among active duty military personnel. The Pro-Change project team presented concepts to the students who then worked collaboratively on the script and production. The student teams, including a director, producer, editor, sound and cameraman, were provided with requirements, budgets, and schedules. Production took approximately four months and gave the students real-life experience in working with a client. One film addresses the physical and mental effects of lack of sleep, and the other illustrates how military personnel can manage tempting situations that make can make it difficult to drink responsibly. Pro-Change staff provided the students with tips and feedback on their communications, work, and organization.

“It’s one thing to make things for class, for just the school. But it’s another thing to make things for real clients with real budgets and real deadlines.” Thomas Lietar, Class of 2017

The Pro-Change team enjoyed the experience of assisting with the class projects and was very happy with the results, which will be included in the mobile application launch in September.

To see more details about the collaboration, go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdEV9D0kCII

This project has been funded in whole or in part with Federal funds from the National Institute on Drug Abuse, National Institutes of Health, Department of Health and Human Services, under Contract # HHSN271201500061C