YOUR CLC

Parklands City Learning Centre offers access to educational creative technology unequalled by any education establishment in the Speke Garston area of Liverpool. Film, animation, music, TV, and radio broadcasting are just some of the technologies that can be employed in the creative process. All the technology and projects will be fully supported by CLC staff. All you have to do is tell us what you would like to do.

Click here to meet the Parklands Team

The CLC Comprises of two computer suites, (one for general usage Training and meetings, and the other for media) a fully equipped theatre, with seating for 204, and a recording studio.

Computer Suite #1 - Creative Quarter

The Creative Quarter is equipped for use as a media suite with both hardware and software installed. Everything from film editing, TV production, music creation and editing, photo manipulation with Adobe Photoshop, can be Carried out in this room.

The editing software used is Adobe Premiere Elements, and the computers are Windows based machines.
The software basics can be learned very quickly so little time is spent on explaining the editing process. Film can be either movie (tape) or animation (stop frame).

Music Editing

Music editing software is Audacity and Sony Acid Studio.
Audacity is used for basic vocal recording and Sony Acid Studio for creating your own music using
loops. Voice recording can also be carried out in the CLC recording studio.
As with the video software both are quick to pick up.
Music software can be used to create music for the soundtrack of a film or to record voice for
narrative. Audacity e.g. is used for making jingles for use with the radio station.

Vision Mixing/Chroma Key

The keying is achieved by attaching an LED light ring to the camera lens. The light from the ring is reflected back at the camera from a special curtain. This is processed through another piece of hardware, which enables the key colour to be used as the background.

Chroma keying or green / blue screening is done in the creative quarter. The idea of chroma key is to replace the background of a film with a totally different one by making the key colour transparent. This can be done during the shooting or after the shooting (post production) of the film. In our case it is done during the filming so the film can be recorded strait to a hard drive. A common example of this procedure is the weather on TV. The weather map is not actually in the background but is keyed in from an external source such as a laptop. The weather presenter then moves the maps on remotely. The presenter and the weather map are mixed by the vision mixer and sent to the live output, which is what we would see on our TV’s.

Vision Mixing

Vision mixing is done with dedicated hardware and software. Up to three cameras, a DVD or video player, a laptop, still images and coloured backgrounds can all be mixed to a live output such as a monitor or projector. The live output is recorded to a hard drive. Films can be recorded ready to take away the same day.

Radio Station

The CLC has a portable radio station. Using the Synergy portable radio station makes it really easy to produce radio programmes just like the professionals.
You could bring a whole class to the CLC for a Radio Day and, working in small groups on any curriculum topic, the pupils can produce their own 15-minute radio show, which can then be uploaded to a site ready for pod casting or accessing from home.

So, basically the whole school, pupils, teachers and support staff can get involved with the radio station either as direct participants creating programs, jingles, recording interviews, presenting and writing scripts, or as indirect participants listening in.

 

Recording Studio

There is a fully equipped recording studio in which individuals or groups can be recorded. The studio is also linked to the Theatre so recordings can be made direct from that space.
The equipment in the studio consists of:
•
• A Soundcraft Ghost 24 channel mixing desk
• A Roland V-Drumkit
• Line 6 bass and lead effects pods
• A Roland Phantom F6 Keyboard
• Genelec Studio Monitors
• Carillon Windows based PC
• Cubase SE4 Recording Software
 

Chameleon Theatre & Performance Hall

The theatre space has been designed to give flexibility of use, and the raked seating for 204 can be moved back to give a large space suitable for group work or for arranging tables to seat approximately 150 for special functions.

In its normal configuration it provides a general performance space measuring 15 metres by 8 metres with a one-metre access space behind the curtains on two sides. Eighteen stage blocks can be used to create height and depth on the floor. Access to the performance area is from a “green room” facility off to one side. The technical specification is stunning for a small theatre, with a 15 metre square lighting rig containing 73 fixtures, including 12 intelligent moving lights. There is a top quality sound system in the theatre, and the facility to give presentations on the six metre by 4 metre screen.

As well as being used by local schools for a variety of projects, the theatre space is available for hire, and is very popular with local community groups as it is an ideal place to stage dance shows and drama presentations.