The Orlando Public Library asked me to sketch one of their Technology Classes held in the Melrose Center. Since opening in February 2014, the Dorothy Lumley Melrose Center for
technology, Innovation and Creativity has allowed the Orange County
Library System to expand its role as a provider of technology education.
Occupying 26,000 square feet on the second floor of the Orlando Public
Library, it allows users to gain the understanding
required to be a contributor to and consumer of emerging technologies. They offer state of the art audio, video and photo studios, fabrication
and simulation labs, an interactive media wall, editing bays, sound
booths, collaborative work spaces and the means to pursue virtual
reality and video game development.
The brochure described the classes which incorporated hands-on projects in photography, graphic design, audio
production and video production in this 4-day camp. The camp runs 2:30
p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Tuesday through Friday. Age requirements: 9-12.
Capacity: 8. Required Skills: None., Materials Fee:, $25, Out of
District Fee:, $65 (includes classes and materials fee)
Day 1: Create a
soundtrack for a short animated film.
Day 2: Find out how to operate
professional studio video cameras, recording a short film of yourself,
and showcase your movie on television screen.
Day 3: Work as a team to
create photo studio images.
Day 4: Use Adobe Photoshop and Wacom Pen
Tablets to design coloring pages.
The kids, acting as news anchors were dressed in adult sized suits and posed in front of a green screen. They were reporting about a theme park and when the footage was composited together it looked like the kids were on a roller coaster delivering their lines. It was fun for the kids to see the final results. They would switch rolls giving another summer camper the chance to operate the camera. The camera was mounted on a tripod, and one student loosened the clamp sending the camera toppling forward. One of the staff jumped in to avert tragedy. This was an adventurous two hour workshop fr the kids familiarizing them with the inner workings of a video production studio.