Electronics & Audio Visual Production

We currently have a multimedia editing suite, where we can make use of the industry standard packages ‘Final Cut Pro’ (Apple) and ‘Adobe Premier Pro’. We can offer a range of services within the suite, including editing of audio and visual materials; creation of animations; video and audio encoding/decoding/processing; A/V mixing and many other typical post-production activities. We also offer a range of services to encode media to different formats and mediums – such as CD and DVD burning/copying.

Aside from the typical ‘post-production’ model, we also offer a range of services that can assist in the pre-production stage of any multimedia project. These services include providing assistance with generating storyboards; guidance on use and implementation of technical equipment; creative guidance; scripting and many more areas.

We also offer production services that can cover many of the projects undertaken by faculty members. We can provide a production service for recording of a range of media, such as audio commentaries; video presentations; screen-capture video tutorials and interviews. We use a range of industry standard equipment that allows us to be flexible in our applications – be it recording a podcast in someone’s office; recording some backing music; or working on location - putting together a documentary on how OU Residential Schools work. Equipment that we commonly use:

• Rode NTG and M series microphones
• Alesis and Line6 audio interfaces
• Canon and JVC digital video cameras
• Edirol and Marantz digital audio recorders

This equipment is used along with our range of post-production hardware and software packages.

We also offer expertise and experience in a range of web technologies, from Podcasting to video streaming. We can set up demonstration/development websites that implement many of the modern standards for web-based digital media presentation and can offer guidance on design concepts for multimedia-rich websites.

We don’t claim to be the only way to get some multimedia production done! In fact, we’re very keen to provide people with all the tools to do it themselves. To that end, we have a growing range of loan equipment that all staff can borrow from us (usual departmental loan conditions apply). We also offer training on the equipment that we loan out, so we should be able to provide you with every reason to go and get lots of great content for your course, website or research project! The equipment we have available for loan:

• Edirol R-4 , 4-channel digital hard drive recorder (with wave editor) (link)
• Marantz PMD660 digital compact flash recorder (link)
• Rode NTG-1 directional condenser microphone
• Rode NTG-2 directional condenser microphone
• Rode M3 condenser microphone
• XLR microphone cables
• JVC GZ-MC500 mini digital (DV) camcorder
• Microphone stands

We also tie up with the EAVP consumable stores, where you can book out a range of cables, such as USB and Firewire equipment cables (EAVP stores items must be booked out against your department consumables budget).

In summary, some of the key services we offer:

• Video editing, processing and mixing.
• Audio editing and mixing.
• Media encoding/decoding.
• CD/DVD burning.
• Pre-production assistance (storyboarding, technical advice, etc)
• Filming of projects and events.
• Audio recording of projects and events.
• Production management of multimedia projects.
• Web technologies support (podcasting, streaming, media formats, website concepts).
• Loan of A/V equipment.
• Any other challenges!

We hope that we can continue to offer the MCT and Science faculties an effective and evolving multimedia service, so that the OU can continue to offer great materials to its students and continue to provide an excellent creative environment for all staff. We pride ourselves on always attempting to take on new and exciting projects and ideas – challenging our Faculty colleagues and ourselves to achieve greater outcomes.