Resume

The University of Waikato

Mediarena is a combined workshop/studio space and exhibition area for new media work. It is a focal point and working space for Honours and postgraduate projects in new media, digital cinema, etc. The Technical Manager's role is to support graduate and postgraduate students who use the Mediarena facility, in conjunction with other available resources on campus, to push their practice-based explorations of media beyond current boundaries, using video, digital photography, soundscapes, installations, performance, new storytelling techniques, etc.

Technical Manager - Mediarena (Jan 2009 - Jan 2012)

• Development of the Isadora interface for multi video live video manipulation. Used for the release of 'The Juniper Passion' a multimedia opera composed by Michael Williams. (2011)
• Archiving Screen and Media department student and staff videos from 2004 onwards. (2009 to 2011)
• Presentations to groups of visiting school students demonstrating Mediarena and providing hands on workshops. 'Experience FASS for a day' etc. (2009 to 2011)
• Technical support for undergraduate classes within Media Studies using video software (Kaltura/Premiere/FinalCut) and hardware (HD Cameras/lighting/green screen). (2009 to 2011)
• Working with Mediarena Director and University Facilities Management to retrofit S block basement rooms for Mediarena. Design and purchase decisions for room fit out including colour scheme, furniture, security, communications and signage. (2009)
• Working with Mediarena Director to purchase equipment for Mediarena including options for projection, computers, video cameras, audio recording, lighting, sound system, and software. (2009)
• Open day - set up multiscreen display of 6 Macs in 2009 and custom build a video wall of 6 screens connected to computers used in 2010 and 2011. Collected and compiled sample videos from student work for display. (2009 to 2011) Photo: 6 Screen Video Wall
  
• Working with Sasha McLaren and Elaine Bliss on best approach, software and process for digital story telling workshops. (2009 to 2011)
• Development of Digital Scene background stills and animation for a theatre production 'Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom'. Performed at Telecom Playhouse Theatre, WEL Energy Trust Academy of Performing Arts, Hamilton. (19 August - 22 August, 2009). (2009) Photo: Backdrops Video: YouTube Scene One
  
• Design and build a custom projector cradle for the display of Digital Scene background stills and animation for Neighborhood 3: Requisition of Doom at Telecom Playhouse Theatre, WEL Energy Trust Academy of Performing Arts, Hamilton. Also used for Arts Electronica and BEAT shows. (2009)
• Technical support, pre-production support (technical advice, liaison with industry professionals), production support (advice and troubleshooting for HD camera equipment), and post-production support (training on software, further liaison with industry professionals, technical support and advice, chroma key editing of green screen footage) for BEAT. a short dance film produced by Dr Virginia Pitts and choreographed by Dr Karen Barbour in conjunction with Hillary Scholars (2009) Screens: Greenscreening
  
• Set up equipment (Sound System, blu-ray player, HD projector and screen) for the first screening to cast and crew of BEAT (27 Nov). (2009)
• Supporting numerous graduate student film and interactive projects including; The making of Beat(published HD movie), Echoes of War (art installation), LightParty (documentary video), Superturtle( music video), The Perfect Life (interactive film), Sora Shima (music video), Triptych (blu-ray, 5.1 movie), V48 hours (furious filmmaking competition), Call to Chorus (installation), Blindsight (movie), Real Moments (installation). (2009 to 2011)
• Mediarena budgeting - capital and operational (2009), operational (2010 and 2011). (2009 to 2011)
• Technical advice, support and setup assistance for the Dance Site improvisational dance research project led by Dr Karen Barbour (School of Education)(2010). Support for post production of 'Liminal' and 'Lucid' films (2010 and 2011). (2010 and 2011)
• Technical support for Digital Storytelling Aotearoa 3-day digital storytelling workshops. July 2009, March 2010, August 2010, April 2011, September 2011. (2009 to 2011)
• Technical support for Staff video projects including, a 60 min documentary movie entitled 'Past Present' about the poet and environmentalist Peter Dane (2009, 2010)
• Installation and management of web camera, software and computer to create a timelapse recording of part of the Student Centre development at the University of Waikato. (2009)
• Advice on web hosting, design, creation and ongoing technical support of the blog based site, History of TV in NZ. This website is part of research by Dr Geoff Lealand, designed to gather and record people's memories and experiences of television in New Zealand. (2009)
• Supporting classes using Mediarena. Theory & Practice of Digital Cinema (2009), Scriptwriting (2009 to 2011), Animation (2010 and 2011), Advanced Integrated Screen (2010 and 2011), Digital Cinema: Development (2010 and 2011), Digital Cinema Production (2010). (2009 to 2010)
• Researching and demonstration of software to staff and students including Adobe CS4, Fotomorph, Isadora (VJ Software), and Moviestorm. (2009 to 2011)
• Editing of the Mediarena website and subsequent design and development of the Mediarena site within the new University web content management system. (2009 to 2011) Screen: Mediarena Website
  
• Development of Equipment Booking System (website and database) for tracking / monitoring equipment loans. (2009 to 2011)
• Maintenance and support for HD Cameras, computer equipment, lighting equipment, audio recording equipment, etc. (2009 to 2010)
• Design and build a camera crane for use with HD cameras. ( 2010) Photo: V1 of the crane Photo: V2 of the crane
  
• Presentation to NCEA scholarship students - Web 2.0 (2010), Media Terminology (2011). (2010 and 2011)
• Workshop sessions using MovieStorm with groups of visiting Maori school students (2010)
• Set up usergroup looking into the new web CMS. (2010)
• Organised and presented Mediarena Minis. Weekly presentations covering hardware and software. (2010)
• Support for visiting animator Rastko Ciric. (2010)
• Support for 2010 Fulbright US Graduate student, Mike Roman, working on his PhD in Anthropology making use of equipment in Mediarena. (2010)
• Support for media projects for Kingitanga day produced in Mediarena by staff from Pro Vice-Chancellor Maori Office. (2010)
• Advice, setup and technical support for animation symposium website. (2011)
• Prepare and present audio visual projects for Arts Electro shows at the Academy of Performing Arts (2010 to 2011)
• Support for student projects involving video, construction, web development. (2009 to 2011)
• Advice on web hosting, design, creation and ongoing technical support of the Directory site, Cinemas of NZ. This website is part of research by Dr Geoff Lealand, designed to provide a directory of independent NZ cinemas. Required development using MySQL, Javascript, PHP, HTML and embedded Google Maps. (2011)