Documentaries, Starbucks, and Murder

In Conversation with St Andrews’ Doc Soc

Amy Taylor and Shelbi Owens, DOCU Presidents

If a scroll through their Instagram tells you anything, it’s that the ladies of St Andrews Documentary Filmmaking Society (DOCU) know how to curate an aesthetic. Lace, oversized blazers, and a classic burgundy-black palette make DOCU’s committee photoshoot reminiscent of the musical Chicago (Cell Block Tango-chic, anyone?) But unlike battling crime duo Roxie and Velma, DOCU Presidents Amy Taylor and Shelbi Owens are out to film, not murder their husbands.

The society was a brainchild of a chaotic, revelatory moment: a hungover Starbucks coffee date. Shockingly enough, neither Taylor or Owens are Film students. Both study English, and neither planned to get into the cinematic world. “I never thought I’d fall into documentary filmmaking,” Owens told me. “I did vlogs when I was a kid, but that’s about it. We wanted to do something completely separate from our degree and landed on documentaries because they’re so versatile.”

For Owens and Taylor, documentaries are where they find a creative common ground. “I had done The Saint and written for magazines,” Owens said. “I liked the idea of investigating things, but I’m also into fashion and visuals.”

Taylor agreed. As an English student, she also liked storytelling. “We’re big believers in [making] your own fun. That’s basically what Shelbi and I did for all of first year.”

DOCU should appeal to documentary lovers and prospective creators alike, as the club looks to host screenings and support student-led work. They look for projects that spotlight “student talent” and “investigate [...] local culture”.

Although Owens frankly calls their mission statement “a load of waffle”, she takes pride in their vision to combine “abstract” and “traditional” documentary styles. DOCU also looks to go beyond normal documentaries, drawing on short film techniques.

Neither Taylor nor Owens have formal experience with the St Andrews Film curriculum, and couldn’t personally speak to the neglect of hands-on filmmaking or of the documentary genre. That’s where DOCU steps in: “Everybody gets a say. Everybody gets an opportunity to create [...] something from scratch.” 

Taylor agreed. A lot of friends studying Film told her St Andrews lacked “that documentary niche”. DOCU works with St Andrews Filmmakers’ Society to bridge that gap. That partnership is just the beginning. “We’re quite small at the moment, you get really good hands-on experience. Obviously in the future it’s going to be massive.” She and Owens giggle as she says this, perhaps in an effort to be humble. The self-deprecation is endearing, but DOCU has big aspirations. 

Only a few months after their founding, DOCU wrapped up shooting a documentary on the anonymous social media accounts in St Andrews, predominantly featuring the beloved Saints Sleeping (@saintssleeping). “Post-production will probably take a while,” Owens said, “but we’re going to have a proper launch event for it at the beginning of next [academic] year.”

Both pointed to true crime documentaries as their influences. Taylor recently watched Netflix’s American Murder: Gabby Petito. Owens had a different take. “My favorite documentary is My Octopus Teacher,” she told me. It’s about a filmmaker’s intimate relationship with an octopus he encounters while snorkeling. “I really like ones like that — something so small you ordinarily wouldn’t care about, but [when] presented [...] with all the detail […] it really pulls at your heartstrings.”

But DOCU isn’t here to produce the next Making a Murderer, or some other grand-scope equivalent. They’re more interested in the eccentricities of life in the East Neuk. “St Andrews is one of the weirdest places,” Taylor said. “It doesn’t feel real when you’re outside of it. There’s a lot of room to investigate.” Owens nodded. “It’s so polarising […] you have people who love it and people who absolutely hate it that are like, [...] ‘There’s nothing to do here.’” DOCU wants to show the St Andrews killjoys a different perspective.

While neither Owens nor Taylor are on the academic track to documentary directorhood, they’re not ruling it out. “I could see it happening,” said Owens. “It’s actually very related to what I’m studying in English. I know in some kind of way, I’m going to take it forward into my career.” She especially praised Taylor’s potential as a filmmaker. “Amy is being really humble, but [she’s] such a good interviewer.” 

Taylor immediately complimented Owens’ visual prowess. “Shelbi has a really good eye.”

Whether or not the DOCU queens end up in a real director’s chair, one thing remains certain: they’re on the lookout for fresh perspectives and new stories, and are eager for St Andreans to join. Oversized blazer: optional.

Photograph by Amy Taylor and Shelbi Owens | Illustration by Piper Dooley