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he School of Communication & Media welcomed a renovated digital media and computer lab along with plans for an audio production space as part of a project that was started a few years ago due to the rapid expansion in the School’s digital media footprint.
The renovated media lab, located on the second floor of the Social Sciences building, features everything digital media students need to write, film and edit entire works from start to finish including lighting equipment, a green screen, computers with Adobe editing software and an audio recording booth. The lab and its connecting computer room function as a classroom for students taking upper-level digital media production classes, and the equipment will be accessible to students enrolled in the production classes. The project was overseen by SOCM Senior Lecturer Dr. Jake McNeill, who saw a need for expansion in the Digital Media realm. “A couple of years ago, we needed to identify additional space for production,” said McNeil “Initially, we were looking at moving to a different building and having a long ongoing construction process. Instead, it was decided that we would have a space on our main campus to expand our production footprint.” McNeill explained how these new spaces will be enforcing software literacy while enhancing students’ hands-on production skills.
Google To o l s T ra i n i n g Alexis Williams The February SPJ sponsored event titled “Google Tools Training” taught future journalists how to use Google to collect relevant data in the hopes of inspiring a story. The event included three sessions led by Dan Petty (pictured below), senior editor for the Now team at The Denver Post. Petty covered techniques like how to add images to plotted points, data cleaning and how to turn tables into maps. Petty is part of a professional group of Google trainers who travel the country.
“It will make sure everyone stays cutting-edge with software and technology instruction,” said McNeil. “But, it’ll also be great because they will have more of an opportunity to engage in a hands-on hardware of media production.” The audio production space, located in Pilcher, is still under development. When completed, this space will potentially serve as a SOCM specific radio station as well as a SOCM specific space for audio production needs and will feature recording and editing software, sound equipment and a recording booth.
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Andrew Connard
SPRING 2017
www.linkedin.com/in/andrewconnard-58781411b/
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