Media Policies and Forms

Student Media Workshop Policy

The Student Media Workshop is available for students to use for video editing, graphic design, and audio editing/recording. The Law School makes it available to students on a generally first come, first served basis, with the following additional rules:

Access to the Student Media Workshop is granted after students have undergone basic camera/computer/editing and MAC training. Training can be scheduled through an e-mail request to Media Services. Access will be granted to by the Media Services Manager.
(Media Requests – media@law.duke.edu)
Students must sign in at the Help Desk with their Duke ID (the Help Desk will also verify their completion of training via a list).
The Student Media Workshop is open to students from 8am until 9pm. Exceptions can be made to extend hours, or to continue to work after posted hours. Students can reserve a work station for up to six consecutive hours, three days in advance.
All footage files and project files will be stored temporarily on the editing station computers, with students having access to external hard drives for file transfer to their own systems. Files will be removed after one calendar year, or if hard drive space becomes limited. All students will have the opportunity to burn DVDs of their projects and files for their permanent storage. Students are responsible for purchasing their own media (DVDs).
Cameras will be available for student use, to be signed out by Media Services. The cameras record onto mini-dv tape, which will not be provided by Media Services or the library. Students will be responsible for purchase and storage of their master mini-dv tapes.
During the day, you can contact Media Services directly or address the Help Desk. After hours and weekends, please direct your questions to the Help Desk; there is on-call help available for telephone consulting at these times.
Student Media Workshop door should remain closed at all times, to limit disruption in the library reading room.

General questions about this policy can be directed to the manager of Media Services at 613-8537 or 812-5430.

Speaker and Event Recording:

It is the law school's policy to record and preserve presentations at major local events sponsored by the school and affiliated groups. As early as possible in the course of planning conferences, lectures, or other events, all sponsoring groups should consult with media services to determine what kinds of resources might be needed. Recordings of major events are archived on our webcast page.

Under some circumstances, event planners will need to budget for the costs of media services (camera operators, equipment rentals, production, etc.). Event sponsors are also responsible for obtaining Speaker Release Forms (.pdf) from all speakers prior to the event. A Speaker Release Form is required from each participant for events that Media Services records. Duke faculty can also sign an annual release form (.pdf) (see current list of signees).

*Note that we only support events that are held in the law school building.

Events Sponsored by Outside Groups:

The Academic Technologies Department provides limited direct video support for outside groups that contract for the use of law school facilities. Law school contacts for such events should consult with us during the process of negotiation with outside groups in order to be sure that Academic Technologies can supply or arrange for support needed. Outside groups will be charged for the costs of law school media support, either directly by Educational Technologies or through the general agreement to use the law school facilities.

Classroom and Lecture Recording:

Instructors shall determine whether their classes may be recorded. Students must request permission of the instructor to record a class, whether the request is for audio or video recording.

Instructors have these options for recording:

If the class is held in a room with DukeCapture capabilities (3037, 3041, 3043, 4047, 4055), the instructor can request that Academic Technologies record every class sessions; the instructor can also specify whether all class sessions are automatically available to students via Blackboard, or just those sessions where the instructor gives explicit instructions.
If the class is held in another classroom, the instructor should designate one or more students as a Classroom Tech Liaison (CTL); Academic Technologies will train the CTL(s) to use the in-room recording equipment to create recordings, which can be shared via flash drive (provided by Academic Technologies) or posted on the Blackboard course site.
If the class session is held on a severe-weather day with classes, or on a recognized religious holiday, or as a make-up class session that conflicts with other classes or student commitments, an instructor not using DukeCapture or the CTL program can contact Academic Technologies to have the session recorded; such a recording may be audio or video, depending on resources available to Academic Technologies.

Instructors who wish to participate in the services offered by this policies should email Academic Technologies at "Media Requests" (media@law.duke.edu). Students may not make such requests on an instructor's behalf. General questions about this policy can also be directed to the manager of Media Services, Miguel Bordo, at 613-8537.

Video Cameras:

The Academic Technologies department has 2 VHS video cameras and two digital cameras available for the use of the law school community for class related projects as well as law school sponsored events. Arrangements for borrowing the videotaping equipment can be made by request to Media Requests. Equipment is generally lent with the intent that it stays within the law school building. Videotapes can be viewed using the projectors installed in the classrooms.

Video Production:

The Scheinman Media Lab is available to all students for video-based projects to be turned in as coursework. Video projects are time-consuming, but help develop media awareness and can produce unusual insights for both students and faculty. We invite faculty who are considering allowing video projects to contact the Media Services group for details about what kinds of projects work well and what to tell students about the Media Lab.

The group's role in video projects is simply to facilitate the technical production of a video project. Usually this means digitizing materials, recording voiceovers and creating the final production on a non-linear editor, with the students advising at every step. All content and production decisions are made by the students themselves.

Work on student projects need to be scheduled within the Media Services consultants' available work hours. Please contact as early as possible in the process in order to schedule the time you will need. Please note that you should have the following completed and ready to go before video production can begin:

script including voice over, placement of video or audio tracks, etc.
segments of video to be digitized carefully tracked, timed and, where possible, cued up

With few exceptions, the video production process requires the assistance of Media Services staff. If you are experienced with Final Cut Pro and wish to carry out the production without the coordinator's assistance, please make a request of the coordinator. Whether or not you are given access to do so is at the coordinator's discretion, according to his assessment of the situation. We would rather refuse this request than risk the failure of a project.

The Scheinman Media Lab is also available to all faculty and staff for video-based projects that may not be directly related to class. If you have a project you would like to develop, feel free to contact media requests for consultation. Video can be a valuable teaching tool, a powerful method of training and a dynamic way to convey an idea.