So if you had a lot of money to spend on a cable studio, what would you get?

[Steven1621]

I run my college cable station. Recently, we were informed we have a significant addition to our budget for next year. So much so, that we won't be able to spend all the money even if we tried (for the most part). With that said, I'm looking for some suggestions as to what I should buy. We do a lot of general video editing (w/ final cut studio). We already have a bunch of G5's, so we don't really need computers. I guess I'm looking for video production equipment. Perhaps some of the professional can suggest some stuff I am unware of.

Thanks!

 

[obeygiant]

I run my college cable station. Recently, we were informed we have a significant addition to our budget for next year. So much so, that we won't be able to spend all the money even if we tried (for the most part). With that said, I'm looking for some suggestions as to what I should buy. We do a lot of general video editing (w/ final cut studio). We already have a bunch of G5's, so we don't really need computers. I guess I'm looking for video production equipment. Perhaps some of the professional can suggest some stuff I am unware of.

Thanks!

you need a switcher (like a grass valley or some brand) it at least has to pipe in 3 video signals.

Time base corrector.

at least 2 vtr tape decks (one for b-roll and the other for recording the show)

Audio mixing board

3 or 4 monitors for preview and program.

some kind of downstream character generator. (for lower thirds and such)
((sometimes this can be built right into the newer switchers))

2 or 3 studio cameras

and probably a few other decks and monitors for exterior editing suites.

 

[JeDiBoYTJ]

Its kinda hard to say when we dont really know what you have, or what you need to upgrade. Right off the bat, i'd say get some nice studio cameras in here. I dont think you would need to go as high end as HD studio cameras (since that would require a big overhaul in converting to HD), but thats what I would get first. Next, I would just look around and think "what do we need in here" or "what is starting to become outdated". then work your way up from there

 

[LethalWolfe]

What equipment do you have now? What do you do now (live/live to tape from the studio, any field shooting, etc.,?)? And what do you want to do in the future?

When I was in school we had mainly four basic kinds of post/production needs:
1. Live and live-to-tape in studio
2. Field production (single camera news style)
3. Post production
4. Digital movie production

And each of those requires different equipment (although there is some over lap). So knowing the answers to the three Q's will help narrow down what you need and what you don't need. Also, can you ballpark your budget? And I'm assuming you are working w/DV and not Beta or DigiBeta. Do you want to stay SD or move to HD?


Lethal

 

[Steven1621]

We already have a great set of cameras and a lot of other standard equipment. Compared to most college cable stations, we are very well equipped. I'm just looking for stuff that would be in professional studio that we might not have thought to get.

Our main production is a taped news show ever week. We also do live and post production shows as well.

 

[LethalWolfe]

We already have a great set of cameras and a lot of other standard equipment. Compared to most college cable stations, we are very well equipped. I'm just looking for stuff that would be in professional studio that we might not have thought to get.

Our main production is a taped news show ever week. We also do live and post production shows as well.

W/o knowing what you have it's hard to give suggestions as to what you might be missing.

Do you have enough lights (and scrims, gels, and diffusion)? Do you have a good light board so you can program in different lighting setups? Do you guys have a good green screen that is properly lit? Good mics? Good looking sets?

I don't know what the spending guidelines are for the budget but if you are okay on the equipment could the department spend the money on workshops? Ask around and see if one of the local news cameraguys would come in on a series of Saturdays or something and give a day long workshops on shooting, lighting, audio, etc.,. You could also ask around at the local stations to see if an engineer wouldn't might coming by to take a look at y'alls setup and give some advice as to what upgrades could be done or things that could be tweaked.


Lethal