United Kingdom
Professional Video
Content creation & presentation
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University of Portsmouth
Education institutes that offer video courses all realise the implications that can arise from trying to keep up with ever-changing technology and specialist kit. The University of Portsmouth is no stranger to this teaching environment, and it is very proud of its two video courses that focus on teaching industry production skills, post-production workflow and future areas of broadcast transmission, with JVC equipment at the heart of their teaching.
BA (Hons) Television and Film Production and BSc (Hons) Video and Broadcasting rely heavily on video kit that can offer true industry related tools, with the added benefit of being
able to withstand a lot of use. JVC cameras and HD field monitors have helped in numerous ways and have helped meet the many challenges of offering exceptional quality with an
affordable edge. Ben Thompson, course leader for BA (Hons) Television and Film Production, was keen to talk about the JVC GY-HD100 series.
“Recently I had the difficult task of researching and deliberating over what new camcorders to purchase and facilitate my students here at Portsmouth. After many hours visiting facility houses, discussing with cameramen colleagues and sitting through endless manufacturer’s demonstrations, the winning camcorder was the JVC GY-HD100 series. I found this camcorder suited the needs of the course and more importantly the student operators.
“We run a practical, industry focused digital short film and TV programme making degree. The students need to be technically aware of current industry practice and protocols, where the choice of shooting equipment and how to achieve specific filming aesthetics is paramount. The camcorders were purchased primarily for third year students’ graduate films, which are a mix of short fiction films and documentaries. The JVC GY-HD100 series provided ultimate functionality and operational controls that I felt my students needed to have experience of. The key features were the ability to shoot in true progressive 25p mode with a realistic film gamma, and also the ability to shoot in native 24p – something that no other camcorder in its class was able to provide. These professional shooting modes of true progressive scan simply raised the quality of my students work and provided them the ‘film aesthetic’ they were striving for.
The flexibility to use interchangeablelenses and also dock 35mm prime l
enses was also a great benefit, particularly for fiction productions, to achieve various depth of field and angle of view.
“The results have been hugely successful,” Ben continues, “with our best films produced often being selected for short film-festivals and, in 2009, winning a Royal Television Society award for Best Student Factual. So, in the end the choice was easy – the JVC GY-HD100 series gave the students professional, high-definition, digital cinematography at an affordable price. We currently have six JVC GY-HD100/110 models and are in the process of purchasing an additional two JVC GY-HD201 models with digital cinematography features.”
Charlie Watts, course leader for BSc (Hons) Video and Broadcasting is equally positive about JVC kit. “The industry knows, or should know, that most areas of education has a tough time trying to keep up with an incredibly expensive practice. Kit and costs have changed considerably over the last ten years, but so have student numbers, which has brought an even greater demand forhands-on experience.”
Students on the BSc Video and Broadcasting course are expected to produce, maintain and deliver broadcast television to the rest of the university. One of the key factors of this course is that all of the tools and skills required to successfully produce broadcast television are built into the curriculum. The students need an excellent handle on what constitutes broadcast quality, and this is only possible if they can actually see images via broadcast monitors.
Charlie continues, “We chose JVC’s DT-V17 monitor because, quite simply, it gave stunning results. The 1440 x 900 pixels are perfect for the HDV video format we are using, and the
monitor has a particular build that makes it very rugged and perfect for OB use as well. The kit we buy has to have multiple purpose, and it cannot be bolted to a desk for just one
particular task. We need kit that serves different needs and requirements. The connections offered by the JVC monitor allow it to be plugged in and used by a live television crew,
offline and online editors working with Avid or FCP, and it’s perfect for a camera crew on location that needs a large screen to see instant results. When you consider all of these
aspects in conjunction with the affordability of JVC kit, we’d quite simply be crackers to consider any other kit at this level." |
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