Austin, TX – The digital fusion fest this past weekend at channelAustin was a smashing success. Hundreds of Austinites visited the newly upgraded HD digital media center and many were truly in awe at the transformation made possible with $1 million in capital equipment funds provided by Time Warner Cable.
“Austin is home of a lot of wonderful landmarks. Austin has Barton Springs. We have the Texas Longhorns . . . and now we have channelAustin in full HD. It is a fabulous new facility, something the whole community can take advantage of . . . for the purpose of learning the skills involved in producing your own television show,” said Rep. Mark Strama to the crowd as channelAustin was being re-dedicated as a digital media center. “I am Chairman of the House Committee on Technology, Economic Development, and Workforce, and I know that these are the types of skills you need for the twenty first century economy.”
Between 300 and 500 people passed through the digital fusion fest on Oct. 10 that aired live on cable channels 10, 11, and 16 for three and half hours. The building was packed with tours every 15 minutes. Visitors saw community television production in action in the Main and Mini studios with spoken word artists and live bands – Jessie Torrisi, the banters, Soundfield, and Distant Lights. The Mini Studio also featured activities for young people including stop motion animation – creating animation with clay.
In the rapidFire edit competition, 10 people had 30 minutes to edit the same footage into a 30 second promo that will air on TV. Interestingly, the three winners, Peter Jiang (1st), Gabriel Leal-Soares (2nd), and Mireydi Mendieta-Nunez (3rd), were all current and former students of Humberto A. Perez who teaches media technology at Connally High School.
“It was wonderful to see the diversity reflective of Austin's citizenry at the fusion fest. channelAustin's digital upgrade means that the citizens of Austin have full access to the most current technology,” said Rebecca Campbell, Executive Director of the Austin Film Society. “Access promises freedom of expression and participation in government and community--a promise all the more meaningful with state of the art tools.”
Outside, people were treated to the sounds of the Austin Jazz All Stars while they visited the 35 booths representing a variety of Austin organizations, such as the Connally High School Digital Media Club and Austin Community College’s Radio-Televison-Film department, as well as many health organizations.
Also outside, the digital fusion fest’s MCs, Deanna Brochin and Tom Booker, conducted in-depth on-air interviews with the digital fusion fest’s lead sponsors, CapMac, Humana, and Austin Community College, as well as with representatives from the Austin Firefighters and El Buen Samaritano, a group involved with health screenings.
The digital fusion fest was also the debut of channelAustin as a gallery space with an incredibly diverse and creative exhibit of visual art called “channeling Austin” curated by Sharron Ryan Reed.
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