ANCHOR INTRO: On Saturday the Media Arts Center San Diego holds an open house to introduce people to its new digital gym. KPBS arts reporter Beth Accomando takes us inside the non-profit's new facility. MACSD 1 (ba) 1:15 The Media Arts Center San Diego sponsors the San Diego Latino Film Festival and runs programs like the Teen Producers Project. Last August it moved from a small house in Golden Hill to more spacious offices on El Cajon Blvd. Patric Stillman is Innovations and Programming Officer for the non-profit organization. MACSD 1A PATRIC STILLMAN: Yeah this is 3 times larger than what we had in Golden Hill. This used to be an auto parts store so it's a huge warehouse right on El Cajon Blvd. We used to be in a quiet little neighborhood now we are right in the thick of urban life. (:12) That's right where the organization wants to be in order to engage the community. One of its goals is to provide under-served communities with the tools to tell their stories. People can come in and make use of what Stillman calls a "digital gym." Here they can workout on computers, editing software and more. MACSD 1B PATRIC STILLMAN: If you go to a gym you can understand that you have some personal goals that you are trying to reach, you've got equipment access if you are a member. If you want to spend a little bit more you can take a class with a whole bunch of people and do the same thing to reach your goals or you can even have a personal trainer. And we're kind of doing that in media arts. (:19) You can check out the digital gym and see the work created at the Media Arts Center tomorrow starting at 6pm at its new facility at 29th and El Cajon. Beth Accomando, KPBS News.
On Saturday December 17, the Media Arts Center San Diego holds an open house to introduce people to its new digital gym.
The Media Arts Center San Diego sponsors the San Diego Latino Film Festival and runs programs like the Teen Producers Project. Last August it moved from a small house in Golden Hill to more spacious offices on El Cajon Blvd.
"This is 3 times larger than what we had in Golden Hill," says Patric Stillman, Innovations and Programming Officer for the non-profit organization, "This used to be an auto parts store so it's a huge warehouse right on El Cajon Blvd. We used to be in a quiet little neighborhood now we are right in the thick of urban life."
That's right where the organization wants to be in order to engage the community. One of its goals is to provide under-served communities with the tools to tell their stories. People can come in and make use of what Stillman calls a "digital gym." Here they can workout on computers, editing software and more.
"If you go to a gym you can understand that you have some personal goals that you are trying to reach," states stillman, "You've got equipment access if you are a member. If you want to spend a little bit more you can take a class with a whole bunch of people and do the same thing to reach your goals or you can even have a personal trainer. And we're kind of doing that in media arts."
Right now, kids ages 9 to 14 can sign up for the Winter Youth Media and Tech Camp that begins on December 19th. There are also December workshops on Final Cut Pro and Adobe After Effects. The new facility allows MACSD to expand its programs.
"It's exciting because basically now because the size of the space is tripled, the number of programs is tripling," says Stillman, "We're going to have Tumbler Tuesdays, for young kids. We're going to have audio, video, and DIY tracks for all ages and even have Senior Wednesdays. So all different kinds of people in the community can engage in computers, in the Internet, social engines like FaceBook and create all kinds of new media that they might not have thought of doing before."
You can check out the digital gym and see the work created at the Media Arts Center tomorrow starting at 6pm at its new facility at 29th and El Cajon. Videos will play on a loop all evening long. There will also be food and live music. So come enjoy the party and see what the MACSD has been up to.
Here is a video I produced about the MACSD's Teen Producer Project.
