Issue three of the Newsletter for members of "The Media Vault"

The Media Vault is the The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) Project, managed by the Technology Innovation Centre (tic) and designed to assist West Midlands Screen Based Media Companies.

In this Issue:
1. FREE i4 Training Opportunities available in March

Time to get up-to-date in New Media Technologies
Cost of i4 courses is supported by European Social Fund/Learning Skills Council co-financing which means they are fully subsidised! (see review of December courses below).

2. The Media Vault - Work in Progress

:: a.K.a Productions - Supply of Key Technical Resources
:: High Tide Productions - Technical Equipment Support
:: Saranjit Birdi - Supply of Key Technical Resources
:: Savage Optic F/X - Website Design & Development
:: Sound Image - Supply of Key Technical Resources

3. December 2003 i4 Training Courses Reviewed

4. The Business Insight’s networking event with The Media Vault

Birmingham Central Library - Tuesday 10th February

5. Birmingham Screen Festival 2004

We’d like to hear from you!
Contact Paul Trigg, The Media Vault’s administrator with your news and views:
:: phone 0121 331 5400
:: email paul.trigg@tic.ac.uk
:: or post to Technology Innovation Centre, Millennium Point, Curzon Street, Birmingham, B4 7XG

Do you know someone who'd benefit from our help?
The Media Vault is ‘open’ now and ready to support your screen-based media activities. If you know of anyone who would benefit from these support-funded services, please contact us via The Media Vault Website at www.tic-online.com/mediavault

Time to get up-to-date in New Media Technologies

At the Technology Innovation Centre (tic) you can get right up to date in virtually any aspect of new media technology through short study courses. Build on your previous education, qualifications and experience and advance your expertise in new media technologies.

The courses range from management to craft-based topics - tic can help you grow your business and gain hands-on skills.

Cost of courses is supported by European Social Fund/Learning Skills Council co-financing and are fully subsidised!

Introduction
I4, the incubator partner to The Media Vault, is holding a series of training courses designed to grow young creative screen-based media businesses. They are free of charge to those who are working for SMEs or are self-employed.

Training takes the form of two ‘themes’: Technology and Business. They are designed to support each other by increasing technical skills whilst also helping the delegate to:- find new business - promote themselves better - increase revenue.

Course Information
Technology courses range from traditional skills in non-linear editing techniques, through to light and sound facilities. i4 also offers courses which introduce the students to the workings of a virtual studio, manipulation of a digital asset management system and the building of interactive television products.

The Business Management course deals with:- how to find new clients - how to convince them to use your services - how to manage your business efficiently.

Benefiting the most
i4, as a business incubator, specialises in developing creative businesses. It offers a real opportunity for start-ups and other SMEs in offering Business development courses. Your skills need marketing. And i4 will also help you to learn about working collaboratively with those with complementary to yours.

For a full list of courses and to take advantage of this outstanding opportunity contact Faye Nicholls
tel: +44 (0)121 331 5400 email: faye.nicholls@tic.ac.uk or visit the i4 website at www.tic.ac.uk/i4

Recruitment Opportunity
i4 is currently looking for several new hires to support the i4 Training Courses. We are offering an eighteen month, part time ‘visiting lecturer’ contract.
If you think you could deliver on these courses please contact Rob Ellis on 0121 331 7439 or rob.ellis@tic.ac.uk

Check out some of the work we've done so far and what our clients have said about it. For more information on other clients we've worked with visit our website at www.tic-online.com/mediavault and click on the case studies link.

a.K.a Productions
:: Supply of Key Technical Resources

a.K.a productions made extensive use of The Media Vault’s production facilities to create a music video. The first successful a.K.a collaboration came from Nadezh -da and Paradox working together on two songs: The Daughter of Ghengis and Serial Questions.

Nadezh -da wrote and produced both songs, whilst Paradox added the rap. With the assistance of the Media Vault they produced and directed a music video for Serial Questions. This song is about when a relationship breaks down, making it clear that the responsibility lies with both people involved. However, once a child is involved, the child must come first. When adults are too wrapped up in their own problems, they can overlook their child’s pain.

a.K.a Productions used The Media Vault’s DVCAM cameras and sound equipment for location shooting, and the Chromakey studio to film sections of the video. Post Production was completed using The Media Vault's Final Cut Pro editing facility. The Serial Questions single will be issued in Spring 2004.

The Client's Quote: “Not only is it situated in a futuristic-looking building, with its clean lines but the people working there also might have stepped out of the future, with their ever cheerful, contented attitude and almost humanly impossible efficiency.

The staff I’ve worked with came across as infinitely resourceful, highly skilled and really down-to-earth. It was a truly positive experience on a basic human level, not to mention that I’ve come away with an excellent quality product. Just thinking about the Media Vault makes my heart smile. Thank you, guys.”
Nadezh –da, a.K.a Productions


High Tide Productions
:: Technical Equipment Support

Multimedia company, High Tide Productions (www.hightideproductions.com), is based in Birmingham’s Jewellery Quarter. It approached The Media Vault to take advantage of the European funding to help Midlands-based film companies.

The company was in the middle of pre-production planning for the second of their "Pressure" paintball DVD series, so the assistance was very timely. A range of high quality filming equipment, including the Sony DSR-570 and PDX10 cameras with tripods, were made available for use in Germany where the Euroball 3 tournament was being filmed, near Nuremberg. The kit was in the firing line for the whole tournament, but safety precautions were taken and it stood up to the rigours of extreme sports filming without a problem.

The Client's Quote: "The Media Vault facilities were a breath of fresh air to us. We would normally have to hire the kit from broadcast facilities houses who generally charge one high price for all, be you BBC or low-budget. Media Vault are different- they are affordable to small companies like ourselves. What's more, the kit is all brand new, so in fact is in much better shape than most kit you get from the bigger facilities houses! We didn't have tripods that wobbled, or dodgy lenses- it was all 100%.

What makes them even more useful is the free courses they run, which will certainly help our staff to get to grips with new software packages and industry techniques a lot quicker.
We'll certainly be using them again."
Carl Timms , Producer of the Pressure Series


Saranjit Birdi
:: Supply of Key Technical Resources

Saranjit Birdi employed the production facilities of the Media Vault to, firstly, fine-edit a work created at VIVID as part of their 'Incubator' programme and secondly use blue-screen studio techniques for new video works blending dance with architecture.

He made use of the Media Vault’s DVCAM cameras and sound equipment for location shooting and the chromakey studio was employed to film sections for various experimental video works. Editing of one of these works was done using the AVID and Final Cut Pro suites. The videos will be displayed in a Multimedia Exhibition in May 2004 (24th to 28th) at the RBSA Gallery 4 Brook St., St. Paul's Birmingham B3 1SA . Once completed work will also be sent to Channel 4 hopefully for inclusion in the (Dance on 4) strand.

The Client's Quote: “The equipment and facilities have been superb. I made maximum use of the chromakey studio to build up footage to work on over the next few months and managed to use the editing facilities to complete one piece. There has been excellent support and encouragement from the Media Vault staff and I would like to give special thanks to them.”
Saranjit Birdi


Savage Optic F/X
:: Website Design and Development

Savage Optic F/X is expert in make-up, special effects, masks, props, pyrotechnics, special costumes, magic illusions, staging/facades and fabrication for film, theatre, music and television.

Founder Andy Dingley has 19 years experience in visual entertainment working alongside many industry professionals, among them:

	John Blundall, Creator/Director of Cannon Hill Puppet Theatre and Puppet Creator for Thunderbirds, Stingray etc.
	Tom Lauten, creator of special F/X for films such as Nightbreed, A Nightmare on Elm Street 5 etc.

Andy asked The Media Vault to develop an internet presence in order to showcase and promote the Savage Optic F/X portfolio of work.

The priority was to create a visually distinctive website incorporating extensive photos of effects Andy has created. Andy also required training such that he could add further to his portfolio gallery in the future. The site has a distinctive feel which conveys the ethos of the company and demonstrates visual effects by Andy. A tic short training course in Website Design will provide Andy with the skills to update the site himself. The website will soon be online at www.savageopticfx.co.uk.

The Client's Quote: "All the staff that I met at the tic were very friendly and helpful, I am extremely pleased with the website they produced for me, in particular the design/layout. I would highly recommend the services provided by the tic”
Andy Dingley, Savage Optic F/X


Sound Image
:: Supply of Key Technical Resources

Sound Image is a New Media company looking to market their Intelligent Media Programme through a specific interactive sales tool. Sound Image approached The Media Vault with the view to combining 3D animation renders with live action video footage of presenters.

This was achieved by using Final Cut Pro 4 which enables different media files to be effectively combined into projects suitable for multimedia presentations. The finished projects were rendered out as QuickTime files ready for incorporation in the Flash presentation.

The Client's Quote: “Without The Media Vault support, a solution to a major technical issue key to Intelligent Media production would not have been possible. All the staff at the tic have been helpful and efficient. The facilities and skills at the Media Vault are second to none. Good work.”
David Jenkins, Sound Image

Courses were supported through European Social Fund/Learning Skills Council co-financing and fully subsidised.

The first i4 courses took place in mid-December 2003. The series of 3 day events attracted over 30 delegates. The courses have already seen success for participants. Several of the course graduates are developing pilot products and have connected with The Media Vault project to take advantage of the supported facilities.

Clusta (www.clusta.com) is a creative new-media developer in the West Midlands. Turning technology into art is their bread and butter. The Clusta team pride themselves on their effectiveness and it's no surprise to see them at the Technology Innovation Centre both through i4 and The Media Vault.

i4 work as partners in developing Clusta’s businesses - Clusta as the premier design agency and i4 as a creative industry incubator in the West Midlands.

The benefits of improving technological skills are obvious, but Clusta take it a step further.

"Probably more important than the technology is an understanding of our business. We pride ourselves on developing great relationships with great clients and the only way we can do that is by becoming better business people. i4's management courses are focused on the creative industries and the results show". Russell Townsend

To check out the next list of courses available in March just visit the i4 website at:
www.tic-online.com/i4

Birmingham Central Library - Tuesday 10th February

Based at Birmingham’s Central Library, Business Insight is the UK's most comprehensive public business information service. Its e-mail and telephone enquiry service, offers up to 15 minutes research time free-of-charge. This can include credit references, company reports, product suppliers, market research, director checks and international information.

For more information about Business Insight's Knowledge Support for Business, log on to www.bestforbusiness.com

Do spread the word: ‘Business Insight and The Media Vault place a special emphasis on creative support.’

4th - 11th March
tic sponsors Achievement in Technology Award

The Birmingham Screen Festival, the new name for the Birmingham Film & TV Festival, has widened its scope this year to encompass and celebrate new media, games & interactive techniques.

The tic has joined forces with the Festival to sponsor a brand new Award for Application in Technology. This will be presented at the Gala Awards and will recognise achievement in new media and interactive disciplines.

The Birmingham Screen Festival takes place between the 4th–11th March. It will conclude in a prestigious Gala Awards and Dinner at Millennium Point on Thursday 11th March.

For more information log onto www.birminghamscreenfestival.com

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