From Concept to Completion

Capital's Digital Media Center is a fully integrated production, editing, and distribution facility designed to support professional creation of instructional multimedia for college faculty and academic programs, AND to serve as a broadcast-quality academic lab for students majoring in Communication Media.

The Digital Media Center was planned to provide a seamless workflow of high-quality multimedia creation, editing, and distribution. Our studio, control room, portable ENG/EFP systems, editing suites, and SeeItNow streaming media network feature the latest in "standard definition" digital video technology -- the best video possible before leaping to high definition television (HDTV).

A Reputation for Quality
Since 1975, Academic Media Technology has worked with students and our faculty partners to create over 1,000 hours of original video programs that support the instructional goals of the College. These programs have been distributed to faculty, staff, students, and the general public on videotape, laser videodisc, CD, DVD, internet streaming media, and statewide cable television.

We work collaboratively on all aspects of production: setting project objectives and goals, writing scripts, creating storyboards, acquiring images and sounds, editing, distributing the final product, and assessment.

Our clients have included all of the academic departments at the College, the Office of the President, Development & Marketing, Student Activities, Continuing Education, and the System Office of Connecticut Community Colleges.  On occasion, we have hired our our services to external clients such as Analeh Productions, Cine-Med, St. Paul Travelers, and the Connecticut State Department of Labor.

Broadcast Studio Production Services
• 1,700 square foot studio
• Setups have included an 8-person panel with 30-member audience; one lecturer with 50-member audience; 8-piece band with sound equipment; and, two-person interview
• Panasonic digital triax studio camera/camcorders and Ikegami analog component cameras (up to five active cameras at once)
• Camera jib arm for studio or field use
• 360-degree studio curtain system with black, blue, and chroma green curtains and "CBS Grey" cyclorama on one wall
• ETC Digital lighting control system
• Lighting grid with 70 instruments (fresnel, scoop, cyc, set, etc.)
• Wireless and wired microphones; sound booth for recording voice-overs
• Grass Valley Kayak 16-channel digital production switcher and special effects generator with internal DVE, chroma key, and 4-channel still store
• Mackie 16-channel audio mixer with DAT, CD, and digital audio workstation (can dub from analog cassette or phonograph record)
• Master recording to DVCPro 25/50 format digital videotape
• FirstCom music library

Electronic Field Production Services
• Panasonic and Canon digital camcorders (MiniDV and DVCPro 25/50 format)
• High-quality field microphones, mixing equipment, and lighting instruments

Digital Postproduction Services
• Media100/844X (Windows XP computer) with dual monitors
• Uncompressed video quality
• SDI audio/video connections between editor and DVCPro VCR
• Digital audio/video monitoring

Digital Imaging Services
• Nikon digital SLR camera
• High-quality flatbed and 35mm scanners

Student Multimedia Suites
Students enrolled in Communication courses have access to:
• Apple/Intel iMac computer with widescreen monitor
• Apple's "iMedia" and Final Cut media production software suites
• Adobe Photoshop CS image editing software
• Canon and Panasonic MiniDV digital camcorder with accessories

Dubbing and Distribution Services
Duplication and recording of copyrighted materials without permission is prohibited by federal law
• Digital Video formats:
      DVCPro/25 and 50
      DVCAM (play only)
      MiniDV
      DVD and DVD-R/RW
      SeeItNow online media streaming network (live and on-demand)
      Most major digital files (Real, QuickTime, WindowsMedia, MPEG, etc.)
• Analog Video formats:
      BetacamSP
      VHS and Compact VHS
      SuperVHS and Compact S-VHS
      Video 8mm (play only)
      3/4" U-Matic
• Worldwide video standards conversion (NTSC, PAL, SECAM) to VHS only
• Off-air recording, for preview only, from Comcast basic cable TV
• Audio formats:
      CD-Audio
      Digital Audio Tape (DAT)
      Analog cassette
      Phonograph (33/45/78 rpm)
      Most major digital audio files (wav, aif, mp3, aac, Real, etc.)

Costs
Our services are free of charge to Capital faculty and staff, provided that the final product is for classroom instructional purposes, and fall within the budget and schedule limitations of the Academic Media Technology department. Clients may be charged for special services, materials, supplies, and high-volume duplication.

This page was last updated 10/10/2008

Produced at Capital
Still images and cover packages of digital media projects...