New recording studio at BU will broadcast cutting-edge research and more

A $100,000 new audio-video recording studio at Brandon University will power podcasts, immersive videos, and live-streaming of research, faculty, and student success.

“Brandon University is home to really inspiring people who are doing innovative and inspiring things, but it’s not always been easy to share our work as widely as it deserves,” said Dr. Heather Duncan, BU’s Associate Vice-President (Research). “This new room is filled with the right equipment to help us spread the word about our latest research findings, our community’s creativity, and our students’ academic achievements.”

A grand opening for the Knowledge Mobilization Suite was held this morning, giving the campus community a peek at the new room’s capabilities. Visitors to the space experienced three separate studio set-ups in the room, which is soundproofed and designed to adapt to many different and creative uses.

In one corner, visitors could sit in a table set up as a podcast recording studio, with room for at least four participants on audio as well as video, plus more who could join virtually. In another corner, a desk or easy chairs allowed for flexibility in joining a broadcast or delivering a seminar-style chat. The main attraction was a 20-foot green screen where visitors could see themselves on a virtual stage, digitally superimposed in front of varied BU backdrops, or placed in just about any imaginable environment, from the beach to the moon.

“We’re excited by the potential of the green screen, which can be used for virtual tours at the touch of a button, or delivering immersive research talks where video or photos are used to bring viewers right into the field, the lab — even someplace impossible to visit, like under the microscope or into the distant past,” said BU Director of Marketing and Communications Grant Hamilton. “On a day-to-day basis, this new room will replace the cumbersome practice of setting up temporary cameras and lighting to record brief sessions, then tearing it all back down an hour later, and will help us capture compelling audiovisual content to tell the story of Brandon University.”

The Knowledge Mobilization Suite features three high-definition cameras, including one that shoots in 4K and two others that can be remote-controlled, as well as multiple professional microphones and audio inputs for recording voice, musical instruments, or incoming phone calls. There is thorough lighting carefully arranged in the room, and a teleprompter for recording longer pre-written speeches. The heart of the room is an audio mixer and video board connected to a professional Tricaster media production system.

“Our ‘Leaning in and Speaking Out’ podcast has already been using the Knowledge Mobilization Suite as it has been coming together, and the room’s capabilities have added a tremendous amount of polish to our sound — and now our look,” said Dr. Michelle Lam, Director of the BU CARES research centre. “We’ve only scratched the surface of the possibilities and there are other campus podcasters ready to join us in exploring what we’re capable of here.”

The new Knowledge Mobilization Suite is located in the Faculty of Education, Room 017, and is open for booking by members of the campus community. The Office of Research Services or Department of Marketing and Communications can assist with finding technical assistance to operate the room, and training can be provided to those who use it often.

In the future, Brandon University expects to offer the room to members of the public as well.

The creation of the Knowledge Mobilization Suite was made possible through the generous support of the Brandon Area Community Foundation (BACF), the federal Research Support Fund (RSF), and Brandon University.

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