The Yotie Film Club of CSUSB is designed to give students opportunities to learn about cameras, lighting, script writing and digital video editing. Yotie Film Club also works with other student organizations around campus and off-campus organizations to provide video media services.
Our Story
Born from a shared vision in the spring of 2024, the Yotie Film Club began in the halls of California State University, San Bernardino and behind the scenes inside Professor Charles Rod Metts’ Digital Field Production class. What started as a simple idea among friends soon evolved into a movement to reignite a film culture on campus and inspire the creation of a dedicated film program at CSUSB.
Before the club’s official charter, a small but determined group of founding members honed their craft in Professor Kevin Lyons’ Digital Filmmaking I course. Together, they entered the global 48 Hour Film Project Competition, earning a nomination for Best Student Film for their debut short, Volatile Simmer.
After nearly a year of persistence and passion, the Yotie Film Club was officially chartered on December 18, 2024. What followed was a rapid rise. In March 2025, then around fifteen members strong, the club competed in San Bernardino Valley College’s 66 Hour Film Festival, taking home Best Cinematography for their film Thumbs Down, shot by cinematographers Ryan Kanamoto and Johnny Mikoyan, and directed by then Vice President Mikayla Ellwood.
Their momentum didn’t stop there. The following month, the club was recognized by CSUSB’s Office of Student Leadership and Engagement as the Outstanding New Student Organization of 2025.
On March 24, 2025, Yotie Film Club held its first public screening, Dreams to Screens, a showcase celebrating the stories and talent born from its earliest members.
Now, as 2025 draws to a close, the Yotie Film Club prepares to make history once again, hosting CSUSB’s first-ever film competition, the Yotie Film Festival, on December 3, 2025. With over sixteen campuses across Southern California invited to compete, the club stands as a testament to what vision, collaboration, and resilience can create.
What began as a dream in a classroom has grown into a cinematic community. One story, one frame, one filmmaker at a time.
Leadership
Richard Arellano
President
Ryan Kanamoto
Vice President
Ryan Martinez
Treasurer
James Johnson
Secretary
Johnny Mikoyan
Marketing Officer
Sarai Maldonado
Faculty Advisor
Dr. Matthew Poole
Faculty Advisor
Yoties on Film
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