Content Creators Connect, Educate at SVG College: Indiana

It was a day full of idea-sharing, networking, and learning when more than 60 industry professionals and students gathered last Wednesday for the latest in the SVG College regional-event series, SVG College: Indiana. The event included a series of informative panels and an in-depth tour of Ball State’s impressive media and communications facility. 

The day opened with an in-depth discussion of programs and opportunities for students to both learn about and contribute to video productions at universities, broadcast schools, and athletic departments. The hosts at Ball State University described the curriculum behind their industry-leading Ball State Sports Link and the school’s Telecommunications Department. Roger Lavery, dean, CCIM, and Zac Miklusak, a Ball State student, explained the unique educational opportunities available at Ball State.

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More than 60 industry professionals and students visited Ball State University for SVG College: Indiana.

More than 60 industry professionals and students visited Ball State University for SVG College: Indiana.

Tommy Gelehrter, senior director, new media and broadcasting, University of Cincinnati, described how students are a huge part of his live and prerecorded programming. In addition, Ball State head football coach Pete Lembo shared his thoughts on how his staff and program offer access and opportunities to students working in video production. He also shared tips for how those in attendance could build better relationships with the coaches on their campuses.

The morning wrapped with a chat on control-room and mobile-production technologies with SVG College Initiative sponsors EVS and Grass Valley, as well as with the University of Notre Dame. Jeff Gouch, sales manager, Central Region, EVS, and Bruce Lane, strategic accounts, sports venues, Grass Valley, shared their expertise on the latest video technologies; Nathan Bush, associate producer, Fighting Irish Digital Media, University of Notre Dame, detailed his group’s robust facilities.

PHOTO GALLERY: Click through for a look at the entire event.

PHOTO GALLERY: Click through for a look at the entire event.

Following a networking lunch inside Ball State’s digital studio (built by Orad), the panel conversations continued with a breakdown of multicamera live productions. Eric Esterline, instructor, sports and digital media, Butler University; Derryl Myles, assistant athletic director, video services, Fighting Illini Productions, University of Illinois; and John Servizzi, CEO/founder, Webstream Productions, described their respective workflows for live productions and offered tips on getting the most out of the gear and the staff one has to work with.

Producers of video content for in-venue screens took to the stage to discuss best practices in entertainment for the ticket-holding fan. Stephen Hall, director, Hall of Music Productions, Purdue University, offered advice from the college perspective, and the audience had an opportunity to learn from pro-sports reps Matt Scott, director of in-arena/studio production, Indiana Pacers, and Mike Stevens, video producer/editor, Indianapolis Colts.

[From left to right] Webstream Productions' John Servizzi and Butler's Eric Esterline listen as Illinois' Derryl Myles shares his multi-camera live production workflow.

From left: Webstream Productions’ John Servizzi and Butler’s Eric Esterline listen as Illinois’s Derryl Myles describes his multicamera live-production workflow.

Following the panels, attendees were given an exclusive tour of Ball State’s  facilities at the TCOM department inside the David Letterman Communication and Media Building. The tour included stops at the Ball State Sports Link facility, a virtual studio, the school’s live-production truck, the brand-new news-production studios, and control rooms for on-campus athletic-venue videoboards.

Special thanks go to the folks at Ball State University, as well as to the SVG College Initiative sponsors: Bexel, LTN Global Communications, EVS, Grass Valley, Panasonic, Quantum, and Sony. The SVG College Initiative is the industry association dedicated to the growth of college sports video through networking, idea sharing, and community building.

For more information about the SVG College Initiative, please contact Brandon Costa at [email protected].

For more information on becoming a SVG College Initiative sponsor, please contact Rob Payne at [email protected] or Andrew Gabel at [email protected].

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