INDIANAPOLIS, Ind.—Students in Butler University’s College of Communication will have the opportunity to acquire valuable hands-on experience in live sports production, event coverage, and more thanks to the acquisition of a video production truck. The College of Communication will showcase the truck to the community January 12 during an event outside Fairbanks Center on the Butler campus.

The production truck is equipped with a robust network for live streaming and cross-platform production, an integrated intercom system, first-rate broadcast cameras, and an advanced multicam video switcher. College of Communication students will gain essential skills and experience in remote video production.

“Butler University is well known for providing students with hands-on, experiential learning opportunities across all of our majors and colleges,” Margaretha Geertsema-Sligh, Interim Dean of Butler University’s College of Communication, said. “With numerous opportunities to both learn and work with the video production truck, students will graduate with unique experience on their resumes, including experience in announcing, producing, directing, and as operators. Butler students will be well prepared for top internships as students, and they will acquire experience that differentiates them from their peers when it comes time to apply for jobs after graduation.”

Students will rotate through several positions during video production over the course of a semester, including:

  • Play-by-Play and Color Commentator
  • Sideline Reporter
  • Camera Operator
  • Producer
  • Director/Technical Director
  • Replay Operator
  • Audio Operator
  • Graphics Operator
  • Engineer
  • Production Assistant

The production truck is outfitted with state-of-the-art video production technology, including:

  • BlackMagic URSA Studio Broadcast Cameras
  • NewTek Tricaster for streaming and recording of live events
  • NewTek 3Play Instant Replay
  • LiveText Graphics with scoreboard feature
  • Dual audio capabilities for live sporting events and music concert recordings
  • Integrated intercom for crew and talent
  • Robust network for streaming and connectivity

“I’m excited because the production truck feels really professional, and it will give me opportunities to do things outside of the classroom for a more well-rounded experience,” Maeve Van Etten, a junior majoring in Sports Media and Strategic Communication, said.

About Butler University
Butler University is a nationally recognized comprehensive university encompassing six colleges: Arts, Business, Communication, Education, Liberal Arts & Sciences, and Pharmacy & Health Sciences. Approximately 4,500 undergraduate and 1,000 graduate students are enrolled at Butler, representing 46 states and 22 countries. More than 75 percent of Butler students will participate in some form of internship, and Butler students have had significant success after graduation, as demonstrated by the University’s 97 percent placement rate within one year of graduation. The University was recently listed as the No. 1 regional university in the Midwest, according to the U.S. News & World Report Best Colleges Rankings, in addition to being included in The Princeton Review’s annual “best colleges” guidebook.