Lecturers and students can now record and edit videos themselves in the basement below the library on Lyngby Campus.
As of 1 January 2015, a new function has been added to the DTU access card: it now opens the doors to DTU’s two new Media Labs in the basement below the library on Lyngby Campus. One of these labs houses a fully equipped video recording studio, the other a post-production suite for editing video shoots. Not only that, but the video suite is actually ‘smart’. This means that once you have set up and used the equipment for the first time, the system remembers where everything was positioned, making it simple to record a series of visually coherent videos.
“We’ve tried to create a professional set-up with ambitious equipment that is not only flexible, but also user-friendly and simple to operate. We are, of course, looking forward to continuing to develop the facility in partnership with our users,” relates Kasper Skårhøj, E-learning Consultant at LearningLab DTU.
Professional equipment
The studio features a range of pre-programmed settings for lighting, camera operation, etc. so users can put together a professional looking recording at the touch of a single button. For editing, the suite boasts both PC and Mac platforms, as well as a full range of appropriate software—for users of all skill levels.
The studio is equipped with four cameras to cover every conceivable angle. One camera is mounted on the ceiling to provide a very useful perspective for users looking to present prototypes of their products. A large screen in the room can be used as a ‘green screen’, allowing video recordings to be shot against the background of a still image or a moving video to complete the illusion. Alternatively, users can choose to shoot against a fixed background in a variety of colours.
The editing suite is fitted with a mobile editing desk featuring a computer and a digital drawing board, so users can edit their recordings as they go. The room is soundproofed, and the use of clip-on microphones helps minimize background noise and focus on the direct audio input.
Booking via the library
Users can reserve the new Media Labs via the library’s standard booking system, and can simultaneously request help with the recordings and/or the post production work from a qualified and experienced student assistant. The student assistant will also be ‘on duty’ at set times during the week, and the library is working to produce a range of video manuals as visual supplements to the written instructions.
“It’s a dream come true,” relates Lars Binau, team leader at DTU Library. “A lot of lecturers currently use video presentations to support their teaching, and an increasing number of students—including many of those who use DTU Skylab—need to be able to pitch ideas and present prototypes to investors, when attempting to raise financing through crowdfunding, for example. The library staff are learning the to use the equipment as well, so we can produce teaching videos as a part of our own communication. And video presentations of the robots will be included in the competition at the next Robocup event.”
Article in DTUavisen no. 1, January 2015.