Members of the Society receive four issues of Cinema Journal per membership year, access to the members' area, and all relevant mailings issued by SCMS. Members are invited to attend and participate in the annual conference and may submit essays for publication in Cinema Journal. Please note that issues tend to fall behind in the production schedule and may come out up to two months after the publication date.  Issues usually follow this sequence:  first issue-November, second issue-February, third issue-May, and the fourth issue-August. 

The annual conference highlights ongoing research in the field through the presentation of scholarly papers and screenings of films and videos. It also provides the opportunity for members to meet informally and exchange ideas. The conference regularly schedules professionally oriented workshops on publication, employment, pedagogy, research, new technology, and student issues; caucus meetings provide an invaluable opportunity to forge alliances and share insights; the plenary sessions draw the Society as a whole to discuss the critical issues that shape the profession.

Cinema Journal publishes essays on a wide variety of subjects from diverse methodological perspectives. A "Professional Notes" section informs members about upcoming events, research opportunities, and the latest published research.

The Society also sponsors annual award competitions to honor professional achievements, scholarship, an outstanding dissertation and three student essays on cinema or television scholarship. In addition, SCMS maintains listservs for e-mail discussion groups and a forum page for members to post and read current announcements on the SCMS website. The Society maintains membership in and/or sends representatives to meetings of the National Humanities Alliance, the American Council of Learned Societies, the National Film Preservation Board, the National Initiative for Networked Cultural Heritage and the Council on Communications Association.