By Carley Jackson
RVCC now offers a certificate in video production for students who seek a career in the field. The certificate program offers student hands-on experience with up-to-date electronic and digital equipment.
The certificate offers 11 courses, including lights, optics and sound, video production and advanced editing. The coursework can be finished in two years.
According to Harry Hillard, professor of film studies and video production at RVCC, “Blending classes with the pre-existing production and film theory classes is something that was long overdue at RV. There is no telling how strong this program will become.”
Students in the certificate program will be taught to plan, script and create videos. They will develop portfolios to aid in the job search and learn techniques standard in the industry. Hillard says, “We hope to really make video production something that is synonymous with RVCC. We would like to see students come here who are serious about video and film and want to pursue these areas in four-year schools or in the workplace.”
But the equipment and training offered by the program may already exceed what is available in some four-year colleges.
Craig Kapilow, a former RVCC student who earned a B.A. at SUNY New Paltz has returned to study video production here. “The new multimedia studio is a cutting-edge lab that includes workstations with the latest industry-standard technologies,” he said. “The lab is inspiring because of all the high-end tools to enable the creation of digital video.”
The tools of the trade require new tape decks, lighting and camera equipment and these are available to students in the program. But the new digital technology means video creation is very computer-centric. The heart of modern video production is the computerized editing; students in the program receive instruction on two new MACs with Final Cut Pro digital editing and four new PCs that feature Adobe Premier. These are diverse options that were not available to students before, according to Kelly Oliver, multimedia specialist and RVCC web editor. They are only available to video students who sign a release.
With the focus on professional goals and new equipment comes a new class room/production room suite, for which both teachers and students are thankful. Mike Di Rienzo, who is studying advanced video, approves. “I like the fact that there are actually windows where you can see outside,” he said. The temperature in the new room is much more comfortable then the old room, which was always too hot, he said. The lighting is better, too. “The old room seemed too dark.”
The certificate program, as advanced as it is, may be only the first step. “Eventually I would like to see a degree in video production offered by RVCC,” said Hillard.
The new video production suite is located on the 2nd floor of West in room W205.
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