MICHAEL GIDALY/Arizona Daily Wildcat The "Freshman Diaries" documentary crew follows a possible candidate filming a typical day as a freshman yesterday. If chosen, her life will be documented for a semester, as part of a 12-part series to be aired on Showtime.

Lights, camera and plenty of freshman action in TV series

Ah, freshman year · hitting the books ÷ and hitting the airwaves.

"Freshman Diaries," a 12-part series documenting the trials and triumphs of freshmen experiencing their first year of college, is being filmed on the UA campus. And organizers are looking for freshmen to participate, said the project's executive producer R.J. Cutler.

Cutler, an Academy Award nominee, is the executive producer of Actual Reality TV and creator of "American High," "The War Room" and "Military Diaries."

More than 250 applications, from a base of nearly 6,000 freshmen at the UA, have been turned in so far. Project organizers expect roughly 500 students to apply, Cutler said.

The project is looking for only 10-15 participants, but this number may vary throughout the course of the year.

"This number problem is a conundrum for documentary filmmakers. It's not our job to tell a comprehensive story about everyone," Cutler said. "I feel a dozen kids provide a really good cross-section."

"Freshman Diaries" gives students an opportunity to explore the arts, interact with working professionals, have their first year recorded, and gain experience in documentaries, Cutler said.

All the selected students are given a digital video camera and will undergo a weekly instruction class focused on creating video diaries.

"The project is looking for all ages, gender, race, diversity, socioeconomic backgrounds and sexual orientations," Carol Thompson, senior associate dean of students, said.

Cutler approached the UA with the project more than a year ago.

After showing a tape of the first series, filmed at the University of Texas in Austin last year, and speaking with an ASUA representative, student senators and other administration officials, everyone approved, said Thompson.

"I attended a freshman class council meeting last week, and there seemed to be a large amount of interest from that group," said J.P. Benedict, student body president.

The UA is approached many times throughout the year to participate in documentary films, Thompson said.

"The quality of work and reputation of Cutler's company are what determined whether we were going to go through with this," she said.

Another reason for choosing the UA had to do with location and the type of university, said Thompson.

"The documentary wanted somewhere in the Southwest," she said. "Typically when you see movies you see mainly Ivy League institutions, and they wanted a different kind of school."

The students at Texas didn't talk so highly of academics, which is one thing that the interviewers have noticed UA students focusing on, Thompson said.

"Their general interactions with students have been very impressive, due to their warmth and intellect overall; it's very different from what they experienced in Texas," Thompson said.

Cutler said he has been pleased with his interactions with UA students so far.

"The students are open to the process and what's involved and want to share their stories," Cutler said.

Students looking to get involved in a "Real World"-type program need not apply. Cutler said that his films tend to be pretty tame.

For instance, if a camera crew were caught in the middle of a developing sexual situation the company would most likely stop filming, he said.

"We treat (students) with the greatest amount of respect. We're not here to catch people literally or figuratively with their pants down," Cutler added. "There are ways of telling stories about how people connect with each other without making it a dirty TV show."

Benedict gained the same impression.

"From what they expressed to me, it's going to be more of a documentation and not like a dramatic MTV program ÷ not so much an invasion of privacy," he said.

Students do not need video experience, and the time commitment is flexible; sometimes the camera crew will be around every day. The crews might even tag along when students go home for the holidays, if they say its OK.

Interested students can get involved by sending an e-mail to freshmandiaries@actualreality.tv for more info and an application.

From there, an interview will take place and camera crews may follow the applicant around for a couple of days.

There is no deadline for the application, but it is recommended to get the application in as soon as possible.

The documentary will be sold to Showtime when completed and will air no earlier than the fall of 2004.