PADNET’s New HD Studio Anchored by JVC ProHD Cameras

JVC Professional Products Company announced that Long Beach Public Access Digital Network (PADNET), which produces local programming for residents of Long Beach, Calif., has opened a new HD studio anchored by three JVC GY-HM790 ProHD cameras. After almost four years without public access television in the city, the new channel was launched last August with six JVC GY-HM150 compact handheld camcorders. PADNET unveiled its new studio May 2.

“We really like the GY-HM150s and use them for our field cameras,” said Lisa Mastramico, PADNET director. “Our users have been happy with the image quality. Now that we’ve added a studio, we’ve expanded the breadth of what people can do in terms of production.”

Long Beach had been without public access television since 2009, when California law no longer required cable companies to provide a studio and staff to produce it. PADNET was established through the efforts of the Long Beach Community Action Partnership (LBCAP), a nonprofit organization that supports low-income individuals and families. LBCAP had already established a youth-based digital media arts program and successfully applied for a two-year grant through the Long Beach Community Foundation from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation to cover operational costs, matching the city’s PEG funds for capital purchases.

The channel has a staff of three, all with production backgrounds, but the vast majority of original content is produced by members and interns who have been certified to operate the equipment. Future plans include establishing satellite production offices across the city’s nine council districts with additional JVC cameras.

Paired with Canon lenses, the JVC GY-HM790 HD cameras have full studio configurations. Two cameras are mounted on Vinten pedestals along with prompters, while the third camera is positioned on a Vinten tripod with wheels. The new facility also features an all-new control room and lighting grid. “We tried to make it a first-class operation for a city that deserves nothing less than that,” Simpson said. “On the other hand, it can’t be too intimidating. Some people are intimidated by the technology.”

The choice of JVC cameras in the new studio was designed to provide an easy transition from the JVC camcorders used in the field. “We have a lot of different users,” Mastramico said. “Some are pros, others have never touched a camera.”

PADNET uses Final Cut Pro for editing, and the GY-HM150’s native file recording saves producers from spending time transcoding footage. Mastramico said the GY-HM150s have been well received by producers, who supply their own SDHC memory cards for recording footage in the field. “They are easy to use and affordable for most people,” she said.

Today, PADNET is cablecast throughout the city via Charter Communications and Verizon FiOS, and maintains 24/7 live streaming online. It is also working to raise its own operational funds. “This is a new paradigm about how public access moves forward,” said Darick Simpson, LBCAP executive director. “It all starts locally.”