Video Visionaries

For students like Will Lamb, digital image is everything. Lamb’s fascination with photography, video and film have led him to invest his time and earnings in gear for storytelling.

His prized possession: a digital camera setup that can be used to create high-definition footage with a cinematic look, in addition to still photos.

“You can make images as good or better than a $20,000 movie camera with gear that costs a fraction of that,” he says. “It’s much easier to get into.”

Lamb’s creativity and his gear got a workout last spring in the advanced digital video class. He was part of a team that created six faculty profiles for the College of Humanities and Social Sciences. The five-minute features incorporate motion graphics and both traditional and digital SLR footage.

Production Values

Leading the class is producer Jim Alchediak, who’s been navigating changes in communication technology since the first advanced video class was offered in the early 1980s. While mastering the equipment is vital, Alchediak emphasizes the basics and business of video production.

“It’s still about human communication, reaching an audience,” he says. “This class is the first course students are exposed to that involves working for clients.”

The student teams took charge of preparing faculty for interviews, organizing the shoots, and editing and reediting to earn final approval from college administrators.

Along the way, they picked up invaluable experience and professional opportunities, including summer jobs, internships and job offers.

“I recommended every single one of the students,” Alchediak says. “I actually ran out of people to recommend.”

To see some of the work that’s helping students get hired, watch a video of professor Anna Bigelow, which includes footage shot at a local mosque. You can see all the faculty profiles on the CHASS video page. Lamb’s digital SLR footage will be featured in the final video from the class, a profile of science fiction writer John Kessel, that will premiere Sept. 22 at a reception.