In today's ever-changing media landscape, technological savvy has become increasingly important in the professional setting. Fortunately, the University's Digital Media Lab is prepared to usher students into the vast array of new media.
Located on the third floor of Clemons Library, the Digital Media Lab provides students and faculty with professional consultation in the areas of digital imaging, audiovisual production and post-production, physical interactivity, mobile technologies and 2-D/3-D animation. It is suited to handle projects of all sizes across all disciplines.
Fourth-year College student Zac Fabian, a lab employee, is using the lab in collaboration with the University to help fulfill one of the commonwealth's larger safety initiatives. Since last summer, Fabian has been working to create videos which raise awareness in a more interesting and engaging way.
"It's a safety training module that all students, faculty and staff are going to have to take, probably starting next year," Fabian said.
Along with larger projects such as Fabian's, the lab's capabilities are helping to bring digital media beyond the lab and enhance the quality of classroom learning.
"A lot of professors come in here and use the copying service that we have," Fabian said. "They copy a little segment from a tape so that they can use it in a lecture.
Upon entering the lab, users will find that it is divided into three parts to better cater to their needs.
The Groups-Lab or "G-Lab", which is the primary work space, has 14 Macintosh computers and offers students the opportunity to use both entry-level and professional software to create and produce sound, image and video projects.
Apart from the G-Lab are the audio and video recording booths. Third-year College student Jason Foral, a lab employee, said that students have used these areas to do everything from recording songs to launching their own video production companies.
The third space, the Equipment Room, allows for students in advanced production classes to check out cameras and other related video equipment to complete their class projects.
In addition to its creative facilities, the lab offers classes to help the less tech-savvy learn to use various software and emerging technologies.
Fabian said that these are one-time courses which generally run about two hours and are open to all members of the University community.
Entry-level and walk-in courses offered include classes in Final Cut, Logic, Photoshop, Dreamweaver and Final Cut Pro.
Recently, the lab has added a two- to three-day Apple-designed course with certified instructors to teach students about effective use of the new Apple Pro Apps.
"The primary goal of the DML and the student consultants are to teach students how to be self-sufficient," director of the lab Jama Coartney said.
Foral has seen firsthand the kind of broader life skills that can be learned from the lab. He said many businesses look for students with skills in digital technology, and his own knowledge on the subject helped him get a summer job.
To assist with its many functions, the lab has a number of student consultants such as Fabian and Foral who are charged with leading technical support and managing equipment. Fourth-year College student Mia Flanagan is a member of the Media Studies program and appreciates the wide expertise of the student consultants and other professionals.
"A lot of times you can get exactly the help you want and need," Flanagan said. "They are students just like us but they're professional and have different specialties."
Flanagan currently is using the lab's software and equipment to work on a documentary film for a film production class. After so much time at the lab, she finds that she is becoming comfortable with the software and always can ask the student consultants for help.
"I think to sum it all up it's a place where people can use their creative energy," Foral said. "We give a lot of tools for people to use and how they want to use them is completely up to them"
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