Miranda Maritato | Staff Reporter

This spring, students will be able to test the waters of television production while working with junior Emi Dammers on her production “To Be Human.”

Dammers will write, direct and produce “To Be Human,” a sitcom about several college students who come together in mandatory group therapy.

“I did not want to do what other sitcoms have done and put them in a coffee shop or a bar,” Dammers said. “It occurred to me that community service was a great reason for a bunch of kids that normally would not hang out together to be forced to be in a room together.”

Characters range from wealthy, privileged college students to kids who come from single-parent homes who are not in school at all.

Students involved in the crew will be eligible to earn up to three credit hours. One credit hour will be a Creative Media and Entertainment 330 lab credit, while two and three will be independent study credits.

Associate Professor of Communications Christine Taylor will oversee the project.

“Essentially, it is my call, based on my experience,” Taylor said. “As the level of responsibility goes up, the assumption is that you would take more time, care and concern, so credit hours based on contact hours would go up.”

In order to determine if requirements for credit are met, Taylor will attend meetings and production of the program.

“If I didn’t have a budget I would love to have 25 or 30 kids and have it be a full class,” Dammers said.

“I hope students enjoy getting to work with the camera equipment and learn new skills,”  Dammers said. “Because one of the things I do not like about Butler sometimes is that, in the digital media production major, you have to take a lot of classes that might not be exactly what you want to do when you get out of college.”

Dammers said other students who have more specified classes have a better opportunity to experience internships.

Students will gain hands-on experience that will help them grow in their field of study.

“There is always a ton more work than people see,” said Taylor. “But you have to be willing to do that work to get to the end.”

Auditions for the cast will be held in the fall semester of 2015.