How much does it cost?
We do not have a set rate card or menu of services. Each project is estimated after careful consultation with the client, and adjustments may be made to fit the budget. We are often able to offer clients options for complex or simple plans to meet their goals.
Our services are subsidized for non-profit organizations, and even for-profit commercial clients find our services quite reasonable for this market, especially given our high-end capabilities.
Who does the work?
Oversight of your project is by a faculty producer specializing in the type of media work required. Usually this is also the person doing the actual creative/technical work as well. Paid work-study students participate as their skill level allows, while the faculty producer uses the project as an opportunity to expose students to new techniques. It is very much an apprentice experience. Ultimately the faculty producer is responsible for the quality of the final product.
We also encourage active participation by the client: planning, logistics, raw material (such as photos), rough draft writing, even vocal or video performance. These not only help the client get closer to their creative goal, but they also often save costs.
Do you have a student who needs a project?
This is a common question, and the general answer is “No.” Our academic plans are made well in advance of the school term, and assignments are carefully planned in advance. This is in part why we created the center so we can assist the community without disrupting our courses.
How quickly can we start? And finish?
This really depends on the project dynamics. Are all of the elements in place? Are there events or seasons of the year that impact the work? Generally projects are turned around quickly. We have in fact come on site, shot, edited on location, and provided a client with a finished television PSA, all in one morning. Other projects have taken months to complete as we waited for seasons to change and other details to fall into place. Our goal as professionals, and as professors in media, is to be as efficient as possible.
Can you work in HD video?
Yes! Our capabilities range from social media/point and shoot level cameras to full 1080p HDTV and 4K Digital Cinema.
I'd like to use music from one of my CDs in the project — is that okay?
Only if you own the copyright, or have paid royalties to the copyright owner for the use of the material. This can be prohibitively expensive, and violating copyright law is a federal offense. We have production music and access to production music websites for royalty free music to suit your project. This is often quite reasonable ($10 – $35 per song).