Tree Stump Films
Tree Stump Films provides students with real‑world experience in the planning, production, and broadcast of documentary films.
About Us
Tree Stump Films (TSF) is the documentary film production company within Rocky Mountain Student Media Corporation.
TSF provides Colorado State University students with hands-on experience in documentary filmmaking, walking them through every aspect of production—from research to interviews and filming to editing. Our films are professionally composed for broadcast on Rocky Mountain PBS, online distribution, and film festivals.
Motivated by impactful storytelling, TSF documentaries aspire to inspire, educate, and spark conversation about historical and contemporary issues that shape the world. By working in our real-world production environment, CSU students acquire valuable experience while producing impactful films.
Tree Stump Film Fest
Hands-On Documentary Filmmaking, Open to All Majors
Tree Stump Films (TSF) gives CSU students a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience in filmmaking—no required courses or prerequisites. We operate like a professional production company, where students unite disciplines to create high-quality films.
Our Concept
Hands-On Documentary Filmmaking, Open to All Majors
Tree Stump Films (TSF) gives CSU students a unique opportunity to gain hands-on experience in filmmaking—no required courses or prerequisites. We operate like a professional production company, where students unite disciplines to create high-quality films.
Enhancing the Student Experience
Because of prerequisites in the individual majors, not all classroom settings allow different majors to access the full set of skills required in documentary filmmaking. Tree Stump Films offers workshops that are not intended to duplicate courses already offered at CSU.
Workshops
The RMSM Documentary Program will provide workshops enhancing the education of students at CSU, specific to documentary filmmaking:
- Advanced interview techniques for documentary film
- Story structure and character development
- Scriptwriting for documentaries
- Lighting, sound, and camera for documentary film
- How to pitch a documentary film
- Documentary film financing and fundraising
- How to start, fund, and operate a professional documentary film company
How to Participate
Each semester CSU students can apply online through Handshake. Students will be interviewed by the Student Director and the RMSM advisor. The application is open to any interested CSU student. Students who have watched documentary films and are curious about how films are made get the opportunity to participate "from the inside".
Prior skills and passion in documentary filmmaking are highly encouraged.
The TSF Team
The Tree Stump Films Team for 2024–2025
Carolina Graves
Carolina is a junior in Journalism and Media Communications with a minor in business administration. She has worked as a production assistant at Boulder Media House in Denver, Colorado and ICÒNIC Films in Valencia, Spain.
She has a passion for leadership and managing exciting productions. Carolina loves her role of being the executive director of Tree Stump Films and working with such an amazing crew to create extraordinary documentaries.
📧 cgraves@treestumpfilms.comFollow Us on Instagram
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