FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
BELTON HIGH SCHOOL UPGRADES TO JVC
PROHD
CAMCORDERS FOR STUDENT PRODUCTIONS
WAYNE, NJ
(March 2, 2011) – Mark Fitzwater, a teacher in the Career and Technical
Education Department at Belton High School in Belton, Texas, launched the
school’s first audio and video production courses three years ago with 26
students, three old computers, and one mini-DV camcorder. Today, the program
has more than 160 students and is moving toward HD production with the recent
purchase of four GY-HM790U ProHD camcorders from JVC Professional
Products Company.
Tiger
Productions, the Belton High School student production group, provides video
production services for the 12-school Belton Independent School District. The
new GY-HM790Us were
purchased in October through Austin, Texas-based Omega Broadcast, and were used to cover the high school’s last two regular
football games and a playoff game. Fitzwater said Tiger Productions is using
the new camcorders extensively for a variety of events, including local
elementary school performances and even some commercial productions.
Fitzwater
discovered the GY-HM790U camcorder in April at the 2010 NAB Show, and chose it
over Sony and Panasonic models he had researched. “Our next step in growing our
program was moving to HD cameras,” he explained. “We wanted our students to use
professional cameras so they would be able to use the cameras at TV stations.”
The
program has been steadily improving its equipment and facilities over the past
three years. Its computer lab includes 31 iMac computers running Apple Final
Cut Pro, and Fitzwater said his advanced students are working toward Final Cut
Pro certification. A small green screen studio, anchored by a NewTek TriCaster
production system in the control room, is used for interviews and coaches
shows. Students also have access to about 30 Canon consumer camcorders. The
GY-HM790Us are paired with Secced Ares 2 tripods with focus and zoom controls.
High
school football has been one of the major ongoing projects for Tiger
Productions, with game coverage and coaches shows produced for a local channel
on Time Warner Cable and MYTX, a digital subchannel for KCEN, the NBC affiliate
serving the Waco-Temple-Bryan market (DMA #89). Belton does not have a mobile
production unit, so game footage is recorded separately on each camera, then
edited in post for broadcast.
Without
remote multi-camera production capabilities, JVC’s native file recording to
solid-state SDHC cards was an important selling point for Tiger Productions. It
saves significant time in post, particularly for football games, as students
can edit the Final Cut Pro footage immediately without digitizing or
transcoding. Not only does Fitzwater appreciate the time savings, but the
investment in reusable, non-proprietary SDHC cards is also far less expensive
than his usual $1,500 annual tape budget.
Although
the move to HD acquisition has been a challenge, Fitzwater said his students
are learning through the process and are extremely excited about the
opportunity to use the new JVC cameras. Specifically, he has been impressed
with the Canon 14x zoom lens (KT14x4.4KRSJ) included with the camera – and
JVC’s patented Focus Assist has been very helpful, too. “We’re thrilled. The
quality of our pictures has dramatically improved,” Fitzwater added. “I know my
students couldn’t be any happier with the quality of the lens and the quality
of the cameras.”
ABOUT JVC
PROFESSIONAL PRODUCTS COMPANY
Headquartered
in Wayne, New Jersey, JVC Professional Products Company, a division of JVC
Americas Corp., is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Victor Company of Japan Ltd.
JVC is a leading manufacturer and distributor of broadcast and professional
video and audio equipment. For further product information, visit JVC’s Web
site at http://pro.jvc.com or call (800)582-5825.
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