By Lisa Runge-Faubert, CUOL video editor/multimedia specialist
“I had no idea this existed.” This is a common phrase heard by the techie types over here on the sixth floor of Southam Hall.
Instructors, students giving testimonials for various in-house videos, and the odd person off the street (hasn’t happened yet but it’s just a matter of time) have all been known to comment on how impressive our state-of-the-art greenscreen studio is.
At the risk of sounding like a humble brag, the Media Production Centre’s studio has been known to turn a few heads. We have had the good fortune of keeping our facility up to modern standards for most of our video, lighting and audio equipment. As a result, the video keying (or the ability to extract the green part of the background and replace it with video of your choosing) is second to none.
Greenscreen is used in almost every part of television these days it seems. From TVO kids’ programs featuring puppets in outer space, to Peter Mansbridge sounding off with commentators, to Hollywood budget-sized feature films, it’s clear this technique will not be going away anytime soon.
And why should it? The convenience alone makes our studio worth its weight in gold. Back in the day we had to lug our equipment through Carleton’s circuitous tunnels for video shoots in various locations across campus. While the experience of shooting a residence or a chem lab up close and in person cannot be replaced, it sure is nice to tell an instructor “Come to the studio at 10 a.m., don’t wear anything green, and it shouldn’t take longer than a half hour.” No setting up lights, no arranging cameras, no rainout days. You can even give us your script beforehand to load into our brand new teleprompter. You decide the background based on the course you’re teaching – or whatever you want. It’s a control freak’s paradise!
But don’t just take my word for it. Why not check out our video showing you what to expect should you pay us a visit. If nothing else you may just appreciate laser cats more than you already do.