It might be different with COVID. Here in the U.K. departments tend to be quite interested in real world projects. Official projects aside, students tend to build portfolios etc. They tend to be more engage if their ideas are to be used, so it can be a fine balance. Better if you think of it as a collaboration. Faculty notice boards and student unions can work, also in bars where arts students hang out. Targeting key personnel works best because if you can get one student on side, they are often better at herding other students. I totally take your point on dependability though.
Infind the same with music art, video.... whatever it is, a small core will be regular doers... then there are layer up on layer of talkers, get step by step further away from ever doing anything. I used to find that in my old job. I would be going home spending hours in the studio, hours coding and generating content for Songstuff, while my work colleagues spent their days complaining about working and their pay, etc, but went home and spent most nights watching TV, or pursuing fun only. Rarely did anyone actually do anything constructive.
Perhaps it is simply a universal truth as a default state. Transforming in to an active group takes incentive and inspiration and a lot of effort to build momentum.... and just like mechanics, it takes a lot to overcome inertia within the group.
With student groups, getting a director and choreographer on board are the two key roles, with you acting as the producer. That way you can more easily find people who really want to see their ideas become reality, ie they have their own motivation to see the video completed.
It’s not perfect or foolproof, but hey.
It’s great that you are resourceful and skilled enough to do the whole thing yourself.