Access to Scripps College Equipment Rooms gives students a competitive advantage

Olivia Lutz

Students are utilizing the Scripps College of Communication Equipment Rooms to complete media projects that earn them awards, scholarships and grants. Journalism, media arts and studies (MDIA), communication studies and visual communication (VISCOM) students can check out high-end video and still photography cameras, along with their accessories, to make their projects inside and outside the classroom the best they can be. The equipment rooms are only available to Scripps College students.

“I use the VISCOM Equipment Room for class projects such as VICO 3227: Fashion & Portraiture and VICO 3221: Introduction to Commercial Photography,” said Senior Media Arts Production Major Olivia Lutz. “I also use it for the Variant Fashion Magazine Club, where I am the art director, as well as for internships, such as being the photographer for The Athena Cinema or the media intern for 51��'s Music Industry Summit.”

Lutz was the 2023 second place winner of the Ohio News Photographers Association Larry Fullerton Photojournalism Scholarship.

“I am not in a financial situation to own all of the required equipment of being both a photographer and videographer,” said Lutz. “Plus, it allows me to try out different camera bodies and see which one suits me best. I’ve figured out which lenses I am most comfortable working with and which brand I prefer. This will help me make informed decisions when making a big purchase after graduation. It also allows me to be fully creative, as there are many options to choose from while still being very technical about my choices.”

Will Custer is a senior media arts production major that uses the MDIA Equipment Room for everything ranging from small class projects to high budget short films.

“I have checked out cameras, lighting and sound equipment and even a camera crane,” said Custer. “It’s important to have access to this kind of equipment so students have more freedom to let their creative ideas flourish.”

Kweku Diaw is a graduate student studying commercial photography. He recently won a Greater Columbus Arts Council Funds for Artists grant for his final project called “.” The project explores the growing enthusiasm for Japanese anime within the African diaspora, focusing on cosplay culture. Through the photographic approach, the project visually captures black individuals embodying anime personas, accompanied by interviews revealing their narratives. All the gear he used came from the equipment room.

“My final project has opened up opportunities that I am willing to pursue in the near and far future. I have found multiple avenues for the project's continuity, so I plan on using gear from the equipment room to maintain the quality I have already produced. I'll use more lenses, gels/filters and backdrops this time around,” said Diaw. “As someone who came into the program with very little knowledge about photography and the necessary gear required for the multiple assignments and projects we work on as VISCOM students, having access to the equipment is crucial. It helped me get used to different types of gear, and by the time the summer rolled by, I knew enough about which gear would be necessary for work on my final project. I was also confident in using it by myself since I received so much advice and guidance from my professors.”

Diaw, Custer and Lutz say access to the equipment rooms is important to their growth and development and is truly invaluable.

“I would say this is a special opportunity to try and learn as much as you can. Since you or a donor is paying for college, I believe it's important to make use of every resource and opportunity available,” said Lutz. “This also allows you to add valuable skills to your resume. For example, under the skills section of my resume, I list that I am proficient in Canon and Nikon systems, as well as using lighting equipment like Profoto.”

“I'll be working on my final film in the spring and plan on using the MDIA Equipment Room again,” said Custer. “Students should 100% use this opportunity.”

“If you want to gain experience using gear for photography and videography, this is your one-stop shop,” Diaw added. “The ability to check out gear, study it, use it, and get used to it gives you a fair idea of what investments to make when you are ready to buy your own gear.”

Since the equipment rooms are only available to Scripps College students, when students enroll in Scripps College degree programs or classes, they get an email with instructions. Policies and procedures for how to enroll, make reservations, pick up gear, and return it are explained to students at that time.

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