{"id":36621,"date":"2023-07-21T13:55:31","date_gmt":"2023-07-21T17:55:31","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/?post_type=bu-article&#038;p=36621"},"modified":"2023-08-08T15:44:25","modified_gmt":"2023-08-08T19:44:25","slug":"com-studios-get-major-upgrades","status":"publish","type":"bu-article","link":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/articles\/com-studios-get-major-upgrades\/","title":{"rendered":"COM Studios Get Major Upgrades"},"content":{"rendered":"\t<div class=\"wp-block-editorial-leadin bu-blocks-block-editorial-leadin is-style-default has-media has-media-focus-center-middle\">\n\t\t<div class=\"container-lockup\">\n\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-block-leadin-media\">\n\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<img width=\"2500\" height=\"1440\" src=\"\/com\/files\/2023\/07\/comtalk-studio-west-banner-updated.jpg\" class=\"\" alt=\"Tristan Olly (lead studio engineer), Jake Kassen (technical operations manager) and Emma Picht (COM \u201923) (media technician) pose at the new anchor desk in Studio West. Photo by Guramar Lepiarz.\" loading=\"lazy\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/files\/2023\/07\/comtalk-studio-west-banner-updated.jpg 2500w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/files\/2023\/07\/comtalk-studio-west-banner-updated-636x366.jpg 636w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/files\/2023\/07\/comtalk-studio-west-banner-updated-1024x590.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/files\/2023\/07\/comtalk-studio-west-banner-updated-768x442.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/files\/2023\/07\/comtalk-studio-west-banner-updated-1536x885.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/files\/2023\/07\/comtalk-studio-west-banner-updated-2048x1180.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/files\/2023\/07\/comtalk-studio-west-banner-updated-1628x938.jpg 1628w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2500px) 100vw, 2500px\" \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"wp-block-editorial-leadin-caption wp-prepress-component-caption\">Tristan Olly (lead studio engineer), Jake Kassen (technical operations manager) and Emma Picht (COM &#8217;23) (media technician) pose at the new anchor desk in Studio West. Photo by Guramar Lepiarz.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"container-words-outer\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"container-words-inner\">\n\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"head\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCOM Studios Get Major Upgrades\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/h1>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<h4 class=\"deck\">Students, faculty excited by a half a million dollar investment in Studio West, podcast studios, and more<\/h4>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\t\n\t\t<\/div>\n\n\t\t\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-categories\">\n\t\t\t<ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/category\/film-television\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tFilm &amp; TV\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\thref=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/category\/journalism\/\"\n\t\t\t\t\t\t>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\tJournalism\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\n\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-date\">July 21, 2023<\/div>\n\t\t\n\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-credits\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<ul data-credit-type=\"By\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<li>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/authors\/amy-laskowski\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tAmy Laskowski\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/li>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/ul>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-metabar-share js-bu-prepress-share-tools\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"icon-twitter\"><span>Twitter<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"icon-facebook\"><span>Facebook<\/span><\/span>\n\t\t\t<span class=\"icon-action\"><\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n\n\t<div style=\"display:none;\">\n\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-share-tools\">\n\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-share-tools-inner js-prepress-component-share-tools\">\n\t\t<h4>Share<\/h4>\n\t\t<p class=\"wp-prepress-component-share-tools-article-title\">COM Studios Get Major Upgrades<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"wp-prepress-component-share-tools-article-link\">\n\t\t\t<div>\n\t\t\t\t<input type=\"text\" value=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/articles\/com-studios-get-major-upgrades\/\" readonly>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<label>\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Copy URL:<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<button class=\"js-prepress-component-share-tools\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<span>Copy<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<\/button>\n\t\t\t<\/label>\n\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"has-drop-cap\">When COM students return to campus this fall, they\u2019ll find transformed studio spaces and modern amenities that rival professional television stations. Mariette DiChristina (\u201986), dean of COM, earmarked half a million dollars this year to renovate studio and podcast studios and post-production facilities.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ve always maintained the space, but it was time,\u201d says Jake Kassen, COM manager of technical operations, who oversaw the project and says the last major revamp happened about 25 years ago.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The most dramatic changes can be seen in Studio West, used most frequently by <a href=\"http:\/\/www.butv10.com\/\">BUTV<\/a> but also by broadcast classes. Kassen (CGS\u201901, COM\u201903) stands in the studio\u2019s overhauled control room during a tour of the new space this summer, showing off the newly installed audio mix board. \u201cThis is the same equipment that they use at all the major networks,\u201d he says. \u201cThis new studio gets students comfortable with these types of systems and operating in this kind of environment, so when they go into the professional environment, they know what they\u2019re doing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignwide size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"800\" height=\"450\" src=\"\/com\/files\/2023\/07\/studio-west-control-room-inset.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-36636\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/files\/2023\/07\/studio-west-control-room-inset.jpg 800w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/files\/2023\/07\/studio-west-control-room-inset-636x358.jpg 636w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/files\/2023\/07\/studio-west-control-room-inset-768x432.jpg 768w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 800px) 100vw, 800px\" \/><figcaption>A view of the Studio West control room during an episode of &#8220;The Wire.&#8221; Photo by Guramar Lepiarz. <\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Studio West\u2014the scene of news reports, interviews, weather reports, and more\u2014now features movable sets, natural wood accents, monitors, and colored lighting to give students multiple angles and options to create customizable views. LED lights replaced the old fluorescent ones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On one wall is a large screen that resembles a paned window. It can be set to show a live look at the car and foot traffic on Comm Ave, or switched to display graphics and data. Across the room is a big chroma key (also known as a green screen) where reporters will present weather reports or other graphics \u201cIt\u2019s a difficult skill to learn,\u201d Kassen says.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>COM partnered with Creative Dimensions\u2014a major industry vendor which has built sets for ESPN, CourtTV, and professional sports teams\u2014for help designing the space. The new anchor desk is sleeker and can seat one more reporter than the old version. Across the room, three fabric armchairs are set up for interviews. Behind the seats are an accent wall and bookshelves, with the idea that each show can be customized with props during its taping.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-style-teal-background-right\"><p>Tech moves really quickly, the news industry moves quickly, so I\u2019m glad I\u2019ll get to try out the equipment that I\u2019ll be using in the real world.<\/p><cite>Alex Dowd (&#8217;24)<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThere are just a ton of different looks that we have in the studio,\u201d Kassen says. One of the important considerations was giving shows the ability to look unique, in terms of lighting colors, camera angles, props, and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Kassen and the team started the renovation in December 2022 and first tackled the control room. He says he is \u201cgeeking out\u201d about the new intercom and audio systems. Made by Wheatstone, the audio system is now IP-based. \u201cWe will have every audio studio on the floor networked together,\u201d he says. \u201cSo we could be doing a broadcast in one of our podcast studios and then have the audio come in [to Studio West]. We can tie in with <a href=\"https:\/\/sites.bu.edu\/wtbu\/\">WTBU<\/a>\u2026 We handle Zoom the same way that every network does, so the quality is very good.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>COM is in the process of hiring a staff station manager for WTBU and BUTV. The groups have always had a faculty member who also assisted with the studio, but now they are so large that COM wants the renovated spaces to have a dedicated staff member who can provide more assistance and oversight. \u201cIt\u2019s an investment in BUTV and WTBU, and an acknowledgment of how important they are to the student experience,\u201d Kassen says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\u201cThese studio upgrades put our students in a state-of-the-art broadcast environment,\u201d says <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/profile\/tina-martin\/\">Tina McDuffie<\/a>, a COM associate professor of the practice of journalism, co-advisor for BUTV, and the host of the <a href=\"https:\/\/worldchannel.org\/show\/local-usa\/\"><em>Local, USA <\/em>series<\/a>, a weekly, national half-hour news documentary program airing on the WORLD Channel based at GBH. \u201cWe are setting them up for newsrooms and broadcast studios when they graduate. The more fluid they are with technology, the more prepared they are to step right into internships and jobs.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Alex Dowd has worked for BUTV10 since arriving at COM and will coproduce and anchor <em>Good Morning BU<\/em> 2023\u201324. Dowd (\u201924) says while COM already had \u201cfantastic\u201d studios and facilities, the new spaces are much needed and anticipated. \u201cTech moves really quickly, the news industry moves quickly, so I\u2019m glad I\u2019ll get to try out the equipment that I\u2019ll be using in the real world once I graduate,\u201d she says. \u201cIn broadcast journalism, the tech you have [at school] and know how to work is a huge part of being able to do your job. My friends and I know we\u2019ll have a smooth transition to the professional world.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"is-style-end-of-article\">\u201cThis is a step up in terms of quality, in terms of flexibility,\u201d Kassen says. \u201cThe old set was very static, there were only a couple of looks you had. We can now do anything.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"1024\" height=\"771\" src=\"\/com\/files\/2023\/08\/comtalk-studio-west-inset-wide-1024x771.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-36756\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/files\/2023\/08\/comtalk-studio-west-inset-wide-1024x771.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/files\/2023\/08\/comtalk-studio-west-inset-wide-636x479.jpg 636w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/files\/2023\/08\/comtalk-studio-west-inset-wide-768x579.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/files\/2023\/08\/comtalk-studio-west-inset-wide.jpg 1200w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption>Wide shot of the complete Studio West project. COM photo<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>When COM students return to campus this fall, they\u2019ll find transformed studio spaces and modern amenities that rival professional television&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1654,"featured_media":36774,"template":"","meta":{"bu_prepress_billboard":"","_bu_prepress_primary_term":"","_bu_prepress_primary_term_manual":""},"categories":[9,3],"tags":[98],"bu-publication":[],"discipline-type":[],"bu_edition":[],"media_type":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article\/36621"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/bu-article"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1654"}],"version-history":[{"count":16,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article\/36621\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":36775,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-article\/36621\/revisions\/36775"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/36774"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=36621"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=36621"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=36621"},{"taxonomy":"bu-publication","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu-publication?post=36621"},{"taxonomy":"discipline-type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/discipline-type?post=36621"},{"taxonomy":"bu_edition","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/bu_edition?post=36621"},{"taxonomy":"media_type","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.bu.edu\/com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media_type?post=36621"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}