Agawam's new cable access television studio ready for action

Nov. 3, 2017 | Chris Maza
news@thereminder.com

Agawam Cable Access Television’s new studio features new switching and sound mixing equipment as well as green screen capabilities.
Reminder Publications photo by Chris Maza

AGAWAM – Agawam Cable Access Television unveiled its new studio to the public with an open  house on Oct. 28 and is welcoming the public to get involved in the creation of programming.

The 20-by-20 foot studio located at the rear of Agawam High School features a slate of new, state-of-the-art equipment.

“It’s a modest size for a studio – I believe it was a storage room previously – but it has some great potential,” Derek Jarvis of Agawam Cable Access explained.  “It is equipped with three cameras and it has the capability of the green screen.”

In addition to the green screen, the control room has modern switching facilities and audio mixing capabilities.

“This equipment is so amazing,”?Jarvis said. “There’s even a thing called a virtual set. In this [computer] there are sets like you might see on ESPN – spaceshippy kind of things. You see there there’s just a kind of crappy table there in the studio, but people can sit there and they’re superimposed so it looks like they’re not sitting behind that table on the screen – they’re sitting in the grandiose SportsCenter kind of setting.”

The studio required approximately 18 months of development, according to Jarvis. who was instrumental in the planning and execution of the build-out, bringing with him 40 years of experience as a camera operator and production manager for local television programming at ABC40, currently part of the Western Mass News network.

He was also a member of the Agawam Small Business Center where he stuck up a relationship with Mayor Richard Cohen. When the Small Business Center was shuttered as a casualty of the Internet age, Jarvis took up a role with Agawam Cable Access Television in a part-time capacity.

“The mayor and the IT director wanted to do this, but they really didn’t have the experience to know what to buy or how to set it up, so that’s where I came in,” Jarvis said.

Agawam High School has already begun utilizing the studio as a teaching tool.

“The kids have really mastered this. They really have figured this all out and doing really good,” he said.

With that said, Jarvis stressed the studio and equipment were available for all residents, provided it is not for overtly commercial or political purposes.

Residents cannot, however, just show up and produce a show on the spot.

Jarvis explained someone interested in producing a show would ideally have a crew. While he and other staff are available to assist, people would be needed to run the three cameras and ideally there would be an additional two people in the control room assisting with audio mixing and video switching.

The studio also has a fourth camera that can be used for on-site programming such as parades and other events, which also requires more training.

Those interested in becoming involved with Agawam Cable Access Television should contact them via phone at 523-0367 or email accessTV@agawam.ma.us. Interested parties should include their name and contact information and a member of the studio crew will be in contact.

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