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TV Production Know-How

Facilities & Equipment

Contributions from the Township, the Borough, cable operators, corporations, and private donors provide for the purchase and maintenance of equipment. This equipment is provided to Township and Borough residents and local non-profit 501(c)3 organizations to videotape and cablecast community information and events.

Videotape your announcement or interview: Township and Borough residents and non-profits can use the professional equipment listed below, in a small studio setting located at PATV’s home-office. The equipment consists of:

• Video: One mini-DV Sony PD170 camcorder equipped with shotgun mike, camera-to-outlet cable, Manfrotto tripod and tilt head, and 90- and 30- minute rechargeable batteries
• Key and fill lights: Two Lowel pro-lights with stands, one gel-frame and sheets, one Silverdome soft-box and chimera ring, and barn doors
• Audio: Seinnheiser omni-directional mike and table stand. XLR cables to camera. Camera headphone.
• Studio furniture: One table and two chairs. Black backdrop.

Videotape your event: The consumer equipment listed below is used primarily for location shoots and can be borrowed by Township and Borough residents and non-profit volunteers. In 2008, additional portable equipment will be acquired to meet increasing requests for on-location recording of events and activities. Meanwhile, PATV portable equipment consists of:

• Video: One Canon mini-DV ZR800 camera equipped with camera-to-outlet cable, 1 hour and 1/2 hour rechargeable batteries, and telescopic monopod
• Audio: Azden mini shotgun mike with camera fixture, bracket, and battery.

Edit your program:  Producers can use the edit computer, located at PATV's home-office, to edit videos and burn to a DVD format. The equipment consists of a Sony deck, an Apple computer, and I Movie/Final Cut Express editing software.

Learn 'live-to-tape' production: Comcast provides the use of a professional studio and equipment and Verizon provides partial funding; however, the studio and control room are not staffed. To facilitate access and learning, PATV is currently developing user-friendly training materials, including a DVD, a picture manual, and detailed written instructions. Training sessions provided by PATV should begin in the summer of 2008. Producers who want to acquire hands-on knowledge and experience of a professional studio and control room, will help recruit/train/coordinate volunteer production crews, will prepare overlay graphics, and will manage pre-production light up, 'on-air' production, and post-production lock down. The equipment includes:

In the soundproof studio:

• Platform, down-lit backdrop, round table and four chairs
• Three broadcast-type cameras, tripods, and zoom controls
• Overhead lights
• Four lavalier mikes
• Monitor

In the control room:

• Three camera control units and monitors
• Tricaster 'live-to-tape' switching hardware and software
• Two computer monitors, keyboard, and mouse
• Headphone and communications unit between studio and control room
• Audio mixer
• Recording units for mini-DV, DVD, and VHS formats.