Multimedia Production Resources

Instructions on using the Cabot Media Studios for trained users can be found below.

Lighting

• The main lighting that you will use are the four Square Lights attached to the ceiling. They are controlled via the touchscreen located on the same wall as the desk, labeled ''Square lights''. There are four presets that can be switched between at any time: Daylight 100%, Fluorescent, Incandescent, and Daylight 50%. They are a bright neutral blue, bright white, warm hued, and a less intense blue respectively. The most popular presets are Daylight 50% and Fluorescent, though use whatever fits best with what project you are currently working on. Use the Confidence Monitor located in each Studio to see how the lighting affects your recording.
• There are also box lights located in each Studio. Flipping the switch located near the light box itself on the power cord once plugged in turns the light on. There is no dimming available with the box lights. 

Audio

• There are two microphones that are attached to the Studios; the Rear Wall Mic, located on the ceiling, and the Side Wall Mic, attached to the left wall. It looks like a typical podium mic, best used with only one person speaking. The Rear Wall mic is good for groups of two or more people. For the Side Wall, do not speak directly into the mic. Turn slightly to the side while speaking, either to the left or to the right of the microphone.
• To control what audio source is being recorded, select the sound icon on the top right of the touchscreen located on the main desk. The source with the white bar next to it is the mic the Studio is actively listening to. To mute or unmute a source, tap the microphone symbol next to the bar of the source to be used. To test the audio, listen to the attached headset located on the main desk. There might be some slight popping, as the headset is tuned to max volume to ensure the audio is heard. A test recording is also recommended to ensure the correct sources are selected.

Camera Location and Controls

• There are two cameras located in Studio A, and one in Studio B. Both have camera located at the entrance of the room, towards the ceiling looking in. The second camera in Studio A is attached to the ceiling looking down, to give a top down viewing angle. To control the camera, use the touchscreen located on the desk. The controls are located in the red box on the center of the screen. "Zoom +" and "Zoom -" zoom in and out, respectively. The direction pad moves the camera up, down, left, and right. The presets are for changing the camera zoom in the middle of a recording. If the camera does not need to be adjusted during the recording, the presets can be ignored completely.

Green / Gray Screen

• There are two screens that are controlled automatically located in the Studios; the Gray and Green Screens. To remove a screen, tap the up arrow located on the left side of the touchpad on top of the desk. To bring down the desired screen, press the down arrow located in the same area. There is also a white screen that is available, though it must be requested ahead of time as it requires a manual set up.

Recording

• First, ensure that the USB located on the desk is plugged into the port labeled "camera". Push down on it to ensure that the USB is all the way into the port. Once set up, the recording is started by using the "record" button located at the top of the touchscreen located on top of the desk. The button will turn red once the recording is started. Once finished, press the "stop" button located also located on the top of the screen. "Pause" can also be used to temporarily stop the recording, but is not recommended for general use, as having separate clips allows for better editing once finished. Once the recording is done, the computer in the desk will automatically convert the recording into a usable file format (MP4), and save said file onto the USB. There is no visual indicator to see when the saving process is done. Waiting five minutes should be enough for the process to complete. Once done, the USB can be removed, and the file can be saved as desired. This is continued in the "Saving Your Files" section.

Saving Your Files

• Once the recording process is finished, there are a few ways that the final files can be saved. One, if a personal computer is brought along, the file can be saved directly onto said computer. If an adaptor is needed, one can be borrowed from the Access Service Desk located at the bottom of the stairs. Two, the USB can be plugged into one of the four ports located on the desk for the computer of the room. There is no password required to log into the computer. Once the USB is usable after loading, the file can be sent via email, saved to a Google Drive, or by using a website online such as wetransfer.

Leaving the Studios

• Please pull up the curtains located at the entrance of the room if they were brought down. Turn off all of the lights, and ensure that the computer is either put to sleep or turned off. Lock the door as you leave.

To book a training appointment, please email cablib@fas.harvard.edu and include the following:

• Your name
• Times that you are available for training
  • Typical available for training Mon - Fri from 11 - 5
  • Training takes about 30 minutes on average
  • Please include more than one time slot that you are available
• Your reason for using the Studios *if applicable*