During the last year, major steps have been taken to establish Hull University Union as a strong media centre. Hullfire and Jam Radio increasingly work together as mediums through which students can understand better how the Union is run and encourage active involvement in bringing major issues to the fore. It is equally important that the societies act as bolsters to degrees, with Jam about to embark on a series of radio plays, and Hullfire available to allow budding journalists to gain printed experience. However, there is a further medium, which only became apparent to us near the end of last year. Hidden between lecture buildings and office buildings lies the Holme building, which houses a fully operational and modern television recording studio. I weaved my way to this elusive centre to seek answers to a few burning questions I had on the matter.
Mr Cardeaux, a delightfully helpful gentleman, greets me in a well-lit, modern lobby. I am beckoned to follow him through a pleasingly solid door, and stand bewildered, facing a spotless, sparkling stage, more than mildly reminiscent of a chat-show set. This newly renovated room boasts two professional-quality cameras, and a full lighting and sound recording booth. I am toured around the entire building, seeing examples of student work, and propose a few ideas of my own to help boost the image and usability of the facility.
In the seventies, a television recording studio was in operation at the University, offering media students a practical working experience, although it was short lived due to various staff and funding difficulties. The studios in the Holme building have been established to offer similar, although deeply advanced services. This is partly the reason why a veil of secrecy hangs around the building. Mr Cardeaux and his workforce still face financial and staffing obstacles, although the object of the facility has been altered in order to combat these. From this year, undergraduate and postgraduate students in the media department are to use the studios as part of their core modules in their respective degrees. Full training is given to these students, who eventually are allowed to use the studios independently, to aid coursework and exam preparation. After probing further, it is understood that some members of Hullfire are to be offered such training, in order to further the development and running of Hullfire TV, an online project designed to offer live articles, although this is still some way off.
The studio remains small, and its first priority is providing the media students with the equipment they require. Therefore, the concept of a ‘TV society’, as part of the Union, is a ‘medium-term objective.’ Clearly, if a hundred students signed up, not all of them would be able to receive the appropriate training, and the departments must come first. However, the mood is one of progress. The staff involved are keen to work towards such Union involvement, but will gauge how plausible it is following one year of undergraduate study.
I leave Holme House thoroughly impressed and pleasantly surprised that such a facility exists. My initial thoughts extended to demands of why most students were unaware of the studio, and hadn’t been offered a ‘shot’. However, seeing the house in all its splendour renders my pen to instead marvel at the romanticism of such a modest, yet entirely modern gem, nestled within the busy confines of our bustling University.
Alex Johnston
“Visions of the Future”
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