[November 25, 2008]

NCCC: Production studio gets $120,000 in upgrades

Nov 25, 2008 (Niagara Gazette - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) --
Stephen Antholzner has a vision for his future -- and it's behind a camera lens.
He plans to work in film production but for now he's in his second year at Niagara County Community College enrolled in digital video and audio production.

And he and students like him got a boost this year from $120,000 in upgrades at the college's production studio, including new high-definition cameras and hardware to run professional grade programs like FinalCutPro and ProTools.

"To use that," Antholzner said, gesturing to the bulky, high-tech camera next to him, "it's a bigger thrill than to use a handheld video camera I can get at the store."

Technology can move pretty quickly, so the upgrades have been a chance for the college to catch up. Some equipment dated back as far as the 1970s, but the Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Act grant allowed the video production studio, located in the Henrietta G. Lewis Library, to be gutted and upgraded.

"The whole space was built with the college in 1973 and it's always been a TV production facility," said professor Robert Burgotti, "but what we're excited about is the complete renovation of this space. We've converted it to a high-definition television production facility. Pretty much everything is new except for the walls."

Aside from high-definition monitors and cameras, the upgrades include a computerized lighting system, the ability to produce video in multiple formats for TV and the Internet, green screen and virtual set production capabilities, a professional audio recording booth, a teleprompter, a new video screening room equipped with a HD flat screen monitor and 5.1 surround sound audio.

"If you're going to teach students how to work out in the field, they need to be taught on the equipment they're going to be using in the field," Burgotti said.

Students produce three different regular cable access programs that allow them to get regular practice in a near-real world setting. They shoot, interview, edit and produce a real TV show every month, without restriction as to what equipment they can use, said Ann Catalano, the program's coordinator. Students are currently working with the Buffalo Broadcasters Association to help serve as crew members for a special program.

In the future, the college hopes to offer even more practical experience for students, Catalano said.

"Our hope is that as they grow, students can create spots that will be on the campus Web site, for instance, to highlight certain areas of the campus," she said.

According to the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, occupations based around media production are popular and competition is keen, but the ever-expanding Internet audience is creating new opportunities. NCCC's digital media program has three tracks for students, whether they want to venture into the Web or stay in a traditional medium: Multimedia production, Web design or digital video and audio production.

For Antholzner, it doesn't matter what the genre or medium is -- he's ready for anything in production.

"I plan on being involved with producing films," he said. "Movies, documentaries, TV -- whatever involves film."

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