There have been several iterations of the CIRT Video Studio. We started as a small space in Building 10 with a camera, microphone, professional lighting, and a green wall for virtual backgrounds. Eventually, we moved into a larger studio in Building 1 that incorporated recording capabilities like the Online Learning Lab (OLL). CIRT now has an even larger space with a control room and broadcast-quality equipment. This article will lay out the vision of the capacity of the new video studio as we prepare to move to Skinner-Jones Hall (Building 4), room 4306.
The room in Building 4 was initially designed to be a classroom with advanced recording capabilities. Even though it allowed recordings with multiple cameras, presentation graphics, and Zoom meetings, it was still limited to recording a traditional lecture-style classroom. To make the vision a reality, we will integrate the current studio equipment in Building 1 with the space in Building 4 to create a “super” studio.
If you have visited or used the current CIRT Video Studio, you know that we have a green screen, a lightboard, and an audio booth. While we can’t move the walls, we will paint a green wall in the new space to incorporate virtual backgrounds. The lightboard, which allows faculty to be recorded on video while writing on a glass screen – think of it as a see-through whiteboard – will also be available in the new studio. And although the audio booth won’t be moving, we will create a space for recording audio that can accommodate up to four guests.
In addition to our current capabilities, we will build a “set” for interview-style recordings. With some advanced graphics technologies, we will be able to incorporate video into slide presentations and offer the ability to draw on live video with what is known as a telestrator. We will also have the flexibility and space to offer some photography services for faculty to use in their UNF Faculty Bio pages and other publications. With any recording scenarios mentioned, we can also include Zoom (or other web meeting software) guests.
One of the goals moving forward is to provide greater flexibility in offering more high-quality services and quick turnaround times for all services. However, more advanced projects that require post-production, like promotional videos or audio podcasts, are still subject to a longer turnaround. For those comfortable with the technology, the new studio can offer a self-service mode where you can push a few buttons and produce your own “show.” But we will always be there for the support that you need.
The final goal for the new studio is to serve as what we call an incubator space, a place to experiment with new technologies faculty can incorporate into teaching. These technologies might include live video streaming, advanced video production, podcasting, 360° video, photography, and virtual tours. We hope that CIRT will be ready to meet your teaching technology needs for where you are now and for those technologies that will inevitably arrive in the future.
Please visit CIRT Video Studio if you need help incorporating media content into your teaching or research, or email CIRT at cirtlab@unf.edu.
