[UCIMC-Tech] Re: [Imc-production] Production Meeting Tonight @ 7pm

[Chris Ritzo]

I have an additional suggestion to throw out here re: new production
workstations, office space, etc. We are already planning additional
"public access" workstations in the library area along the office
wall. We could use those machines for dual purpose: public access
normally, but "reserve-able" through staffing or through the
Production group. Ubuntu Studio would be installed and a "production"
user created on the machines. When someone reserves the machine for AV
production, they check out all peripherals from staffing or production
group members (headphones, camera, firewire/usb cable, etc) and
returns that stuff after their scheduled time. But during normal use
the machine could default to the ucimc/public user with a more limited
interface, like the one currently in the library.

This is obviously just a suggestion, please feel free to weigh in.

-Chris

On Wed, Mar 11, 2009 at 7:32 PM, Stephen Fonzo <fonzo.stephen at gmail.com> wrote:
> Danielle,
>
> Thanks for sending your thoughts - they closely follow discussions we've
> been having.  Tech and Production are going to make sure that there is
> alternative office space so the Production Room can be dedicated to media
> use - and more computers, so there are not conflicts between media uses and
> office uses.  This was an anticipated move that hasn't happened yet for a
> variety of reasons, foremost being that the small group of individuals
> usually tasked with these kinds of projects have had other, bigger, projects
> for months, and no one has had money to buy/fix computers.  But we're
> finally getting there - beyond overcoming inertia, it's actually really
> simple, and has been discussed at great length, so I don't think it needs to
> be any more complicated beyond the task of creating office space somewhere
> other than the Production Room.  As a Media Trainer, I expect and do not
> mind that I will still need to do a great deal of my work in the room,
> training, primarily but also providing some organization and security to a
> room that so quickly can lose that type of quality control.  It's just what
> happens to spaces in the building where no one is present every day (i.e.
> the downstairs computer lab, and the Production Room one year ago).
>
> I agree that ROSA should be freed for editing and training, and I have
> helped make sure that it does get used for those purposes, but feel bad that
> it is also used as an office computer, primarily by me.  I can also, say,
> however, that very few people other than I have used it for editing -
> including at times when I am not using it - and I have always stated that
> people can sign up to use a computer for a specific time if they have a
> project.  This list has only received one sign-up to use the room, beyond
> those checking out cameras and such.  That's partly why there is such a
> backlog of media that hasn't been processed.  This is one element of media
> training that we should emphasize more than we do: try not to shoot/record
> more than you intend to use or have time to edit.
>
> It is excellent that we are now faced with the situation of having more
> interest in media production, and I want us to be even more ready than we
> have been.
>
> The vault is not really a good place for an editing computer.  For one, it
> is concrete and reverberant, and we've had no luck emptying it or moving
> towards building acoustic isolation.  Plus, there is not currently a good
> way to get cables and power into the room.  Also, the computer would create
> noise in the room.  It would be great as an isolation room, and perhaps some
> group workdays in the future will create this.
>
> Soon the WRFU Automation machine will be relocated, as will Nicole's office
> PC and another Windows media station that crashed, freeing up space in the
> room itself for more production computers.  We also have some archived media
> that can be stored in the vault (even after if eventually becomes a
> recording room), with no loss to sound quality or isolation, and making way
> for workstations, cabinets, or a mixer/patch bay.
>
> I agree that networked media/data storage is essential; do we currently have
> the capability for it?
>
> -Stephen
>
> On Wed, Mar 11, 2009 at 6:05 PM, Danielle Chynoweth <chyn at ojctech.com>
> wrote:
>>
>> There may be data storage space on the computers in the gallery upstairs -
>> tech would know.  In the past, we kept media on a network so that you didn't
>> have to sit on the same machine you were on before to edit.
>>
>> As for physical space, I don't think we can have 3 full time support
>> personnel and the production room sharing the same space.  I think this is
>> great problem to have - to have too many personnel and growing interest in
>> production.  And we hope to have more staff in the fall, so this will be a
>> growing issue.
>>
>> At the same time, staff need security and privacy, and production needs
>> security and some sound control.
>>
>> I would like us to discuss this further with our VISTAs and interns.  It
>> seems like the production room has been too much public exposure for them,
>> and we have already started to discuss more private environments for their
>> work.
>>
>> But that is a longer discussion.  In the meantime ...
>>
>> I think the video editing station, which is very souped up, needs to be
>> for video editing exclusively, and not other work.
>>
>> Let's put another production machine in the vault - maybe make that the
>> audio recording station and have another audio editing station outside the
>> vault.
>>
>> I will be at the meeting next week and can contribute more to the
>> discussion then.
>>
>> - Danielle
>>
>>
>> On Wed, Mar 11, 2009 at 5:22 PM, Stephen Fonzo <fonzo.stephen at gmail.com>
>> wrote:
>>>
>>> There will be a Production Group meeting tonight at the IMC to discuss
>>> the following:
>>>
>>> 1.) Don Moyers Boys & Girls Club Media Training Program - a collaboration
>>> with the IMC
>>> - develop a curriculum that fits the club's new tech improvements
>>> following their grant from Comcast
>>> - offer training materials to the children on web-based media: a)
>>> podcasting; and b) blogging
>>>
>>> 2.) READY School Video Training Series
>>>    -- basic orientation to equipment and process (digital camcorders and
>>> field audio recorders)
>>>    -- class project, interviewing students (something they can shoot in a
>>> day)
>>>    -- editing video for "finished result"
>>>
>>> 3.) IMC Video News Editing
>>> - Asking members to express what they need to learn to be able to edit
>>> and produce video; we have a backlog (and full hard drive) of yet-to-be
>>> edited footage that should get a fair viewing online and on TV.  If you know
>>> specifically what you need to ask, please do so; if not, don't worry - we'll
>>> get a general idea of everyone's experience level to make sure that everyone
>>> improves their skills.
>>> - Draft a checklist so we each know who is working on which video(s)
>>>
>>> Footage that can be made into worthwhile local films (of varying
>>> lengths):
>>>
>>> Dave Lippman LIVE at the IMC, Jan 24, 2009
>>> Roy Zimmerman LIVE at the IMC, Feb 25, 2009
>>> OddMusic Convergence, Jan 11, 2009
>>> MLK Student Essay Project, Jan-Feb 2009
>>> "Portrait of a Townie"/Iron Post Footage, Jan-Mar, 2009
>>> IMC Film Festival 2009
>>> UCIMC Trip to Obama Inauguration in DC, Jan 17-21, 2009 [I'm finishing
>>> this one]
>>> WRFU What Matters Benefit Show @ Cowboy Monkey, Dec 6, 2008
>>> African-American Male Task Force @ UIUC, September 30, 2008
>>> Chris Evans' Unofficial St. Patrick's Day film project
>>> IMC Fest, November 2007
>>> Other footage by: Tommy Griscom, Chris Evans, and Carly Nix
>>>
>>> 4.) Data Storage - as noted above, we are running out of hard disk space,
>>> so we will discuss backup and extra storage options.
>>>
>>> *Given all of the above, and that VISTAs still have their offices in
>>> Production, it is imperative that we a) help Tech and Librarians setup more
>>> computer workstations (some for media) and b) that everyone schedule time in
>>> the Production Room in advance to make sure it does not conflict with other
>>> uses.*
>>>
>>> That's all we'll have time to cover this evening.  Next week we'll
>>> discuss bringing back IMC Radio News production for Free Speech Radio News
>>> (FSRN).  Brainstorm your thoughts, ideas, and questions about what you'll
>>> need to learn to be able to help produce syndicated news from the IMC.
>>>
>>> --
>>> Stephen Fonzo
>>> Media Training Advisor
>>> AmeriCorps CTC VISTA
>>> Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Imc-production mailing list
>>> Imc-production at lists.chambana.net
>>> http://lists.chambana.net/cgi-bin/listinfo/imc-production
>>>
>>
>
>
>
> --
> Stephen Fonzo
> Media Training Advisor
> AmeriCorps CTC VISTA
> Urbana-Champaign Independent Media Center
>
> _______________________________________________
> IMC-Tech mailing list
> IMC-Tech at lists.ucimc.org
> http://lists.chambana.net/cgi-bin/listinfo/imc-tech
>
>