Women’s Audio Mission Upgrades Production with Blackmagic Design
Blackmagic Studio Camera 4K Plus G2 helps audio nonprofit meet demand for professional video.
Blackmagic Design today announced that nonprofit Women’s Audio Mission (WAM) has implemented Blackmagic Studio Camera 4K Plus G2s and ATEM Mini live production switcher to support video production as part of its podcast workflow, as well as for live streamed events and workshops. With 15 to 20 paid studio projects a month, including multi day band recordings, audiobooks, and podcasts, WAM has seen the demand for video increase by 50 percent in just the last year.
Dedicated to the advancement of women and gender expansive people in music/audio production and the recording arts, WAM provides 2,500+ people each year from under resourced communities with music production classes, hands on training, and mentoring with access to WAM’s professional recording studios, built and run entirely by women.
“What makes the WAM studio unique is the wide breadth of projects we work on and opportunities that we offer,” said Arielle Flinkman, studio manager and engineer at WAM. “Our studio can not only be rented out for commercial use by bands, artists, podcasts and more, but our world class facility also hosts hands on training opportunities for women and gender expansive adults and youth through year round classes, workshops, and internships. We provide thorough studio training for 60 up and coming engineers per year on average via our internships and more than 1,500 students via our adult and youth education programs.”
With two studios at its San Francisco location, including a new Dolby Atmos certified studio, WAM has recorded projects from clients including Kronos Quartet, Neko Case, Toro y Moi, Tune-Yards, David Sedaris, The New York Times, National Geographic, Penguin and more.
“We’ve had many podcast clients come through our studio, and in the past year the demand for video podcasts has really grown. Whether for posting full video episodes or using short form video for social media reels, it’s clear that video has become an important aspect of podcasting and marketing to audiences. Being able to offer this service at our studio not only attracts new clients but allows our current clientele to expand their offerings,” explained Flinkman.
Two Blackmagic Studio Camera 4K Plus G2s capture the podcast sessions and record directly onto external SSDs. “We often have two guests in the studio and will use both cameras to capture a close up of each guest,” noted Flinkman. “The footage is then edited and synced with external audio in DaVinci Resolve, which exports the footage with ease. For live streamed events and workshops, along with the cameras, we incorporate the ATEM Mini to seamlessly switch between multiple camera angles.”
Having originally implemented the ATEM Mini at the beginning of the pandemic for its virtual WAMCon Recording Arts conference, WAM quickly found itself broadcasting out of its San Francisco studio on a regular basis and continues to do so. “The ATEM was so simple to implement and gave us the ability to provide multiple high quality video sources to the live stream,” said Flinkman.
The team at WAM also appreciates the Blackmagic Studio Camera 4K Plus G2’s ability to save setting presets, which allows them to quickly and easily recreate their podcast setup in the studio. “The camera is able to capture clear, pristine video without having to invest in excessive amounts of additional lighting, and the built in color corrector offers deliverable video right off the bat with minimal editing needed,” added Flinkman.
“We really needed to upgrade our video capabilities in our studios to meet the increased demand for podcasts that require video, and the Blackmagic Studio Camera 4K Plus G2s have allowed us to reach the professional video quality to match our high audio standards,” noted Flinkman. “Now, because of Blackmagic, we offer video training for podcasts for our interns as well. Being well versed in both audio and video has become increasingly important for today’s engineers.”
“Blackmagic is our most trusted source for video. Not only because the camera quality is unmatched and has leveled up our video offerings immensely, but because of the accessibility and ease of use for both recorded podcasts and live streamed events,” concluded Flinkman. “Being able to help clients’ creative visions come to life in the studio is so rewarding and always full of excitement and learning. Having access to a professional studio and the extensive audio training and supportive environment that we provide, can make all the difference for the next generation of audio engineers trying to break into the industry.”
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