Blackmagic Design Cameras Empower Youth Broadcasting Program
Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro and Blackmagic Camera app support Kids Broadcasting Academy newscasts.
Blackmagic Design today announced that Kids Broadcasting Academy (KBA), an award winning youth broadcasting program in Carlsbad, CA, is empowering the next generation of storytellers using the Blackmagic Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro digital film camera. The acclaimed program, which has trained more than 500 elementary through high school students, is using the camera, along with Blackmagic Camera app and DaVinci Resolve post production software, to elevate student produced newscasts, documentaries, interviews and more.
Run by 14 time Emmy Award winning FOX 5 San Diego anchor Andrew Luria, KBA is designed to give students real world experience in professional media production, many of whom have gone on to advanced broadcasting and film programs in college and beyond. Luria selected the Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro for its high resolution HDR sensor, intuitive controls, and exceptional value.
“We wanted something that looks professional, but is still simple enough for our students to learn quickly,” said Luria. “The Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro checks all the boxes. The image looks cinematic, the touchscreen and interface are super easy to use, and it’s an incredible value for all the additional features you get.”
“The students picked it up fast,” Luria added. “We gave them the basics, and they were off and running. It’s easy to learn, but powerful enough to create work that honestly looks college level, if not professional.”
KBA students, who range from fourth grade through twelfth, are trained to use the camera for a variety of formats, from student newscasts and interviews to short films and documentaries. In addition to its professional image quality, the camera has helped boost student engagement and confidence.
“The way it makes everything look better, whether we are filming in a classroom or outside, really gives the kids’ work that extra polish,” Luria said. “They love it and feel like they are part of a real production crew.”
To support training and familiarization, KBA students also use the Blackmagic Camera app. Its user friendly interface and Blackmagic OS, consistent across all Blackmagic Design cameras, help the students create the same cinematic look in post production from a smart phone as from the Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro.
“The Blackmagic Camera app has been a huge help,” said Luria. “It helps them get comfortable with the settings before we even shoot. By the time they’re holding the 6K Pro, they already feel confident.”
Post production at KBA includes DaVinci Resolve, which is used primarily for color grading and serves as an introduction to industry standard workflows.
“They’re learning the real process,” added Luria. “They’re not just shooting video. They’re editing, color grading, and seeing what professional workflows actually look like. And it shows in what they create.”
Footage shot by KBA students has earned the program a number of awards, such as ten iVIE (Innovative Video in Education) Awards, multiple wins at the Screen It International Film Festival, and selections at the San Diego International Kids Film Festival, One Earth Film Festival, and the Student World Impact Film Festival.
“It’s amazing to watch their growth from the start of the year to the end,” said Luria. “Not just on camera, but how they learn storytelling, shooting, and taking care of the gear. It’s a special program, and I love getting to help these kids build something they’ll carry with them for a long time to come.”
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