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The UNK Department of Communication’s new video studio will be open this fall for media and communications majors as a space to learn and expand their set production knowledge. 

The studio is a welcome addition to the Mitchell Center. Jacob Rosdail, a professor of video production and journalism, was a key figure in the formation of the facility. Plans for the studio date back to 2016 when a departmental committee was formed with Professor Rosdail as its chair. 

“I wanted a space to be driven by students so the content that is coming out of that space comes from student interests and student passion”, Rosdail said. 

The initial proposal sought to reclaim the former studio located in the Mitchell Center’s basement, which is now used for storage; however, UNK facilities estimated that the cost for renovation and ADA Compliance would be too high. 

Through many meetings, the committee decided on the studio’s current location – a storage room in the Mitchell Center’s southwest hallway. Demolition of the equipment room and a nearby office took place in May 2019. Construction began during the fall 2019 semester, and was completed only weeks before the COVID-19 pandemic sent students home in March of 2020. Several students were able to make use of the room for class assignments in the brief window of time before campus closed. 

“I think it’s a fantastic addition to the communication department”, said Ian Kahler, a recent UNK graduate. “Even though it was towards the end of my time at UNK, I’m excited to see how students utilize it in unique ways.”

Professor Rosdail’s primary area of focus is documentary filmmaking, and his specialty is on-location production. However, he feels that it will be nice to have a controlled filming environment. Some of the studio’s amenities include a news desk, video switcher, full lighting grid, interchangeable backgrounds, and two wall-mounted screens.

Former department chair Dr. Ben Myers was another key component in the establishment of the studio. Myers wanted a highlight for prospective media students touring campus to showcase the opportunities UNK Communications has to offer. The impressive new room features equipment that will help to prepare students for work after graduation. 

Rosdail noted that the studio still needs some work. Sound-deadening panels are on the way and he hopes to find a solution for background noise coming from the studio’s control rack. Still, the studio is fully classroom ready. COVID-19 policies and procedures permitting, Professor Rosdail hopes to implement the space into his curriculum this fall for a video journalism course. Above all, Rosdail is excited for the content that his students will create with a dedicated location and their endless imaginations.

“I’m hoping students will come up with their own ideas of what they want to do,” Rosdail said. “Instead of me telling them, ‘I want you to produce a food show in there’, I want a student to organically be like, ‘Hey, I’m interested in cooking… Can I bring in the hot pot and do a little demo?’ That’s the type of content I want to see.”