The largest screen studio in Australia, industry-standard music studios, multi-platform performance studios and a radio broadcast facility are among the state of the art facilities at MCALL – short for the Department of Media, Communications, Creative Arts, Language and Literature.
Practice makes perfect: The MCCALL facilities allow a hands-on experience for students.
Whether you dream of becoming a recording artist, radio broadcaster or podcaster, an on-stage or on-screen performer, creative entrepreneur, editor, journalist or publisher, you can bring your creative dreams to life at the Media and Creative Hub at Macquarie University, says Head of Department Professor Hsu-Ming Teo.
And the cutting-edge facilities allow a deeply practical, hands-on experience for students.
As Dr Stephen Collins, the course authority for the Bachelor of Media and Communications, explains: “We balance critical enquiry with media production; with our degree you’ll actually start making media in your first year.”
The Bachelor of Music, says Discipline Chair Professor Julian Knowles, is a degree of the 21st century that offers performance and “very deep” production opportunities, as well as opportunities for songwriting and creative music production. ”Students have access to world-class facilities, performance and rehearsal spaces, recording studios and production labs,” he says.
MCCALL has also built innovative industry, government and community partnerships, Teo says, that “advance the scope and impact of our undergraduate research programs, and give our students practical experience through placements in our nationally-recognised PACE program.”
The Futures Lab
The Futures Lab represents the most significant investment in online media production to date by an Australian university, says Professor Hsu-Ming Teo.
“The Futures Lab (pictured) mirrors the platforms and systems in use by major broadcasters and online media outlets internationally,” she says. “This allows for network integrated production workflows that reflect current professional industry practices.”
The Lab includes a green screen TV studio with remote controlled cameras, lighting and auto cue; virtual sets technology; iNews newsroom management system; and an integrated automated social media delivery system.
The Futures Lab is a central hub that is connected to all Screen, Music, Radio and Podcasting, and Performance production facilities.
The big screen
Macquarie has one of the largest and best equipped screen studios in Australia, with a 20 metre by 18 metre dedicated sound stage that soars eight metres high. The studio’s equipment includes 52 motorised lighting hoists supporting the latest LED lighting fixtures and a 17 metre x 7 metre green screen.
There is also a range of field kits for location shooting and a range of fully equipped edit suites and computer labs for post-production.
“Increasingly students are working in multi-platform contexts and so the facilities support delivery across a range of platforms in an increasingly integrated fashion,” says Teo.
Performance and Entertainment Industries Facilities
Study in performance and entertainment industries is supported by a range of media technologies, reflecting their growing deployment in the creative industries in the 21st century, Teo explains.
The Performance and Entertainment Industries Studio (pictured), which can convert to a fully equipped black box theatre, is fitted with tiered seating and state-of-the-art LED lighting, including moving lights.
Full AV facilities include high-speed network connection for web access, and multiprojector High Definition video.
The studio is also equipped with rigging points for aerial performance work.
Music studios
The music production studios represent state of the art approaches to music production. With acoustic design by one of Australia's most acclaimed designers Richard Priddle, the studios offer a range of contrasting acoustic spaces and the latest digital technology – as well a selection of classic amplifiers.
A dedicated music performance studio features tiered audience seating, a Steinway grand piano, live performance PA with digital sound console and audio playback and state-of-the-art LED lighting including moving lights, and multiprojector HD video. The studio is also connected for high-speed web access.
Radio and Podcasting Production Studios
Macquarie has some of the best radio and podcasting production facilities of any Australian university, says Teo.
The newly refitted studios (pictured) include an on-air production control room, production booth and digital outside broadcast facility to allow for location broadcasts. Live broadcasts are made possible via a broadcast link to community radio station 2-SER FM, which also has studios in the University.
“This allows for close collaboration between the University and 2-SER. Radio is becoming increasingly multi-platform and so the facilities tie closely to the Futures Lab and MediaCentral platforms for integration across broadcast and online.”
