If you’ve spotted this camera while walking to class, chances are you were caught on USC Home Videos, a student-run Instagram account that aims to capture campus life.! The camera, set up by sophomores Zoe Beach and Khai-ly Tran and situated alongside prompts like “strike a pose,” posts student responses online in a vintage-style video.
USC Home Movies was started last November as part of the students’ internship, but they hope it also has a broader impact. Beach said she hopes it will be a way for both current and prospective students to learn more about USC and its students.
“We really want the account to not just be a source of lighthearted and funny content, but also, you know, a source of information that can show … what USC really is, what student life is about,” Beach said.
The home video style originated from camcorders, often used to share memories with friends and was made to encourage others to live in the moment.
“Have you seen those videos on YouTube of what school was like back before iPhones? Really grainy videos of wholesome moments, kids just laughing, having fun, interacting with people.” Beach said. “We really wanted to capture that energy and that passion of USC student life and bring that to life in a more digital way.”
According to the two, people were hesitant to approach the camera when they first began, but recently, more and more students have been recognizing the camera and being more open to expressing themselves.
“I think it’s really cool to see the growth already,” Tran said. “Everybody is super creative with a camcorder because nobody’s watching them. They’re just doing it on their own.”
Tran explained that convenience is a big draw for people to participate, since friends read it aloud to each other as they walk to class and it starts a conversation. For Nick Li, a friend of the creators who showed off his dance skills when answering that DANC 185B was the best class at USC, his reasoning for taking part in the video was simple.
“Why not?” Li said. “I thought it was cool.”
Of course, running the project hasn’t come without its challenges. Along with getting participants to speak on camera on their own, coming up with good questions, and coordinating times to set up and edit, even the recent rainy weather has been an obstacle at times.
“On windy days, sometimes we try to film and the camera has fallen on multiple occasions, just face planted,” Tran said.
The Instagram account currently has over 530 followers with videos covering topics from students’ favorite things about game day to when the last time they cried was and why. Tran explained that in the future they’re hoping to focus on asking about timely topics for students as well as trying out different formats.
“I think moving forward, we want to try interview style videos … where we bring around the camcorder and talk to people while still keeping the same themes of answering questions and Q&A,” said Tran.
According to the two, the videos they see as providing an insight into the passion, creativity and energy of USC students will be continuing.
“It’s really fun just seeing people be their unique selves, coming up to the camera saying whatever’s on their mind that day,” Beach said. ”It’s just fun seeing USC in a different light.”