"To create anything, you need involvement from people," said Justin Alderfer (senior-film and video), the current president of the Student Film Organization.

SFO is best known for its sponsorship of the CAN Film Festival, which is held at the end of Spring Semester to exhibit the top student films produced during the year.

But this semester Alderfer, along with SFO's executive board of student officers and faculty advisor Kevin Hagopian, launched a reorganization effort, which has boasted expanded membership, new programs and committees and informational workshops within SFO.

"We (SFO's executive board) wanted to create an arts community in State College — even if it's 75 people getting together to see a movie," Alderfer said.

"I don't have any grand delusions that it will turn into New York City, but it's a place where people can get into art," he said.

Each week, SFO sponsors movie screenings after its meetings. The films that are shown are usually independent or foreign.

In addition, they have had professionals in the film and television industries come to speak to students.

Earlier this semester, Alan Hook and Matthew Sullivan spoke to students about their job as art directors for Dawson's Creek.

"It was neat — we got to see part of the first episode of Dawson's Creek before it came out," Marion Eader (junior-English) said.

Eader, who first attended an SFO meeting with her roommate, represents another important part of the reorganization — the recruitment of non-film majors.

According to Deb Krahulec (senior-film and video), SFO's vice president, the organization has always been open to students from all majors, but she added that this year there has been more overall involvement.

"SFO is a point of entry for people to discover where their interest in film and television lies," Hagopian said.

Hagopian added that SFO covers all aspects of film — whether it is reviews, theory or technology.

SFO has a review committee whose obvious purpose is to review films.

Kristin Fione (sophomore-film and video), the liason for the film review committee, said that each week a group of about 10 SFO members go to a downtown theater, see a screening on campus or rent a classic film.

After watching the movie, the group discusses its pros and cons, and one committee member then writes a review of the movie.

The reviews are then posted on the SFO Web site (www.clubs.psu.edu/sfo).

"I love watching movies and talking about them," Fione said.

Eader agreed. "It's a good time, and you get to meet a lot of interesting people," she said.

SFO holds its weekly meetings at 7:30 p.m. Thursdays in 113 Carnegie Building. Alderfer said, "It's not the four people in front who make a difference. It's the person with a passing interest, who is willing to come out for one meeting."