TV Studiuo

The new 1,200 sq m St Catherine Building at Cardinal Newman College in Preston, includes a cutting-edge TV studio and other media and art facilities.

The new building integrates the college’s existing media and art departments. In addition to the TV studio, it features a fully equipped photo studio, dedicated graphics, art, and media rooms, as well as classrooms, open learning areas, staff rooms, and offices. The building is designed to meet the Department for Education’s Net Zero in Operation requirements, with a focus on energy efficiency.

Drama by Design worked with the architect on the design of the building, designed all the specialist technical systems, coordinated them with the design team and project managed the specialist installation through to witness testing, snagging and training on completion.

The studio was equipped for teaching a range of courses, including ‘T’ levels and BTEC in Creative Media Practice, which involves developing the skills needed to plan and produce film and television, including camerawork, lighting, production design, and sound.

The studio lighting system consisted of a moveable rail system with four fixed rails and smaller moveable rails that span across the fixed rails. Power is provided via internally wired bars above the rails, and low-level power outlets for floor lighting, all fed from a dedicated power distribution system with sequential power on, which automatically energises when the control system is turned on. A range of LED luminaires mounted on spring pantographs enable the luminaires to be rigged and focussed from the floor.

Three Blackmagic Design 4.6K cameras were provided for the studio floor, complete with a range of lenses, viewfinders, and pedestals with fluid heads. A PTZ camera was provided at high level primarily to enable teachers in the control room to monitor the studio, but also available for recording.

Wireless and wired microphones and cameras connect via wall boxes, and high-level facility panels via patch panels in the control room to a vision switcher and digital audio mixer in the control room/gallery.

A perimeter curtain track provides both black wool serge curtains and a white cyclorama cloth, the end wall was painted Chromakey green.

The gallery was equipped with a professional quality control desk, large wall mounted multiview display, studio clock, plus a audio and video monitoring equipment and Apple Mac computers. It was also equipped for podcasting, with a dedicated microphone and computer audio interface.

A selection of outside broadcast equipment was also provided, enabling students to go out on location, shoot material, and then bring it back to the College for editing.