{"id":3231,"date":"2020-03-24T09:17:03","date_gmt":"2020-03-24T13:17:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/magazine\/?p=3231"},"modified":"2020-03-27T11:11:05","modified_gmt":"2020-03-27T15:11:05","slug":"the-inner-space-center-production-control-room","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uri.edu\/magazine\/issues\/spring-2020\/the-inner-space-center-production-control-room\/","title":{"rendered":"Command Central"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Remote Science Within Reach.<\/strong> On the large screen: In July, 2019, an international team of scientists studied the rapidly changing Arctic Ocean aboard the Swedish icebreaker, Oden. The ISC shared the expedition in real time, moving deftly between researchers, audiences, and pre-produced video segments. The crew had to be ready to keep the broadcast going, even if the extreme Arctic environment disrupted their satellite signal with the research team.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Headset.<\/strong> Production control room staff direct broadcasts, quickly shifting from one site to another, injecting expert commentary, ancillary video, and more. They\u2019re a little like the crew that broadcasts a football game or any other live, multi-camera event staffed by dozens. But they do it with a small, rotating crew of five to eight people.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Switcher.<\/strong> The switcher is one of the most important pieces of equipment in the ISC. Jess Kaelblein \u201918 says, \u201cTechnical directing is like editing in real time. It\u2019s my job to switch between available videos and live cameras to create a dynamic and engaging show.\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Audio.<\/strong> \u201cAudio is critical,\u201d says production director Alex DeCiccio \u201910. \u201cAnd it is the most complex thing we deal with in our work. If audio fails, it creates the worst kind of awkward silence.\u201d Audio engineer Ryan Campos adds, \u201cMost people don\u2019t listen with the intent to understand. It\u2019s my responsibility to articulate and translate using sound, making the information more digestible.\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Creativity Required.<\/strong> On the crew\u2019s work space: The book, Creativity, Inc.: Overcoming the Unseen Forces that Stand in the Way of True Inspiration,<\/em> by Ed Catmull, president of Pixar and Disney Animation, is a model the team uses to inspire their workplace culture. They strive to cultivate a creative vibe and root out hidden forces that can cramp their creativity and problem-solving. \u201cDeCiccio says, \u201cOur success is tied to how well we can creatively think of solutions to problems.\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Lighting.<\/strong> You won\u2019t find standard-issue office lighting here. The crew favors softer task lighting that helps their creativity thrive. \u201cI figure if we model our creative environment after the best out there,\u201d says DeCiccio, \u201cWe may stumble on a few interesting ideas.\u201d And, he adds, \u201cIt doesn\u2019t hurt that we work with the smartest people in ocean science. Big ideas for the big blue!\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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Asset Library.<\/strong> Ten years\u2019 worth of video and growing. The production control room library includes ocean content, both deep-sea and topside in the field. The crew uses these video assets on every project. And with each new project, the library grows. Engineer Derek Sutcliffe \u201911 says, \u201cDuring the live broadcasts, I watch and troubleshoot the computers handling the live stream and broadcast.
I also maintain the production equipment, and later, I archive the show recordings.\u201d<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figcaption><\/div>\n
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Core Crew.<\/strong> The brainchild of äçÐÄvlogÃâ·ÑBÕ¾ professor of Oceanography and legendary ocean explorer Robert Ballard, the Inner Space Center is directed by marine research scientist Dwight Coleman. Coleman and his team are the multitalented, multitasking core crew of the center\u2019s production control room. The ISC Production Control Room Crew, left to right: Andrea Gingras \u201901, producer; Ben Woods \u201922, intern\/editor; Alex DeCiccio \u201910, director; Jessica Kaelblein \u201918, switcher; Derek Sutcliffe \u201911, engineer; Ryan Campos, audio engineer.<\/p>\n
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