The former Einstein Bagel Shop on the first floor of the Plangere Center is being transformed into a space where Production Services and their student associates can gain hands-on experience in the production field.
MU Production Services allows students to use real-world production equipment, with camera lenses worth as much as $25,000, which will allow them to produce high-quality projects.
According to Erin Fleming, Director of MU Production Services, this space has yet to have a finalized name, but it will provide a meeting space for clients, graphic workstations, and the ability to store equipment. There will be equipment ranging from Canon Cinema Cameras to sound gear, Sennheiser mics, lighting gear, and other professional production equipment.
The move will not include the purchasing of new resources due to MU Production Services’ current utilization of equipment. MU Production Services’ budget will fund any new equipment purchases. Deanna Shoemaker, Chair of the Communication Department, explained, “Erin Fleming raises her budget from her film projects. Our facilities management area oversees office moves, painting, furniture orders, etc. This move isn’t costly; it’s a move across the lobby to a visible, larger, and more comfortable workspace.” The cost of this new space was not specified.
There is no hard date regarding the timeline for the completion of the move. With the anticipation of time and consideration for the facilities management team, with their busy schedule and short-staffed team, a finalized end date has yet to be set in stone according to Dr. Shoemaker.
David Golland, Professor of History and Dean of the School of Humanities, hopes the new visible workspace will allow student associates to have hands-on experiences in production. This new space is intended to enable students to gain experience and showcase their knowledge outside the classroom and into the workforce.
Golland explained, “We hope this increased visibility will attract more and potential students to these activities. We also hope the increased visibility will increase our students’ facility for working on public-facing positions in these fields.”
Communication Professor Robert Scott said, “Production Services hires student workers to crew various productions. Participating in these professional endeavors is an excellent opportunity for Monmouth students to work with creative professionals and real clients and take the foundational knowledge they’ve learned in the classroom to the next level.”
Golland added, “While these projects are the result of a team effort involving President Leahy, the Office of the Provost, my office, and other divisions on campus like Facilities Management, the greatest credit must go to Department Chair Deanna Shoemaker.”
Junior Student Dean Heidel, Producer at Hawk TV, expressed his excitement about this new opportunity for students. “Working with real-life clients, I hope, will allow me to expand my network and make the first step into a dream job. It also allows me to show people what I am passionate about.” With the ability to hold meetings with real clients and see a new side of production outside the classroom, students will gain a new appreciation for production.
Senior Communication Beyonce Carr, said, “With the new visible MU Production Services room being built, this means new systems, and I’m excited to learn the ropes. I want to learn how to use this new asset to turn my ideas into a reality so I can later showcase them professionally.”
Monmouth University Production Services is excited for a new and visible workplace to advance their productions on the first floor of the Plangere Center. Dean Golland pointed out, “One important lesson that I hope students draw from this process is that we can succeed in our goals with a positive attitude, patience, teamwork, and a good plan. Converting physical space to new uses is much like taking a course or graduating from college. It takes a positive attitude, patience, teamwork, and a good plan!”
