UC Professor Comments on Rod Serling Documentary

September 18, 2009

Comments by H. Michael Sanders, department director and professor of Electronic Media Communications at University of Cincinnati Raymond Walters College, are included among those of other nationally known media experts in a documentary produced by public radio station WKSG in Binghamton, New York. The program, examining the radio work of famed TV writer and native of Binghamton, Rod Serling, was produced as part of the 50th anniversary celebration of The Twilight Zone to be broadcast over Binghamton’s public radio and TV stations during October 2009.

Professor Sanders commented on Serling’s education and early career in Ohio, particularly his first professional experience as a staff writer for WLW radio in Cincinnati, as well as his initial professional writing for television drama produced in 1951 on The Storm at Cincinnati’s WKRC-TV.  Serling’s early work as a novice television writer in Cincinnati is the subject of a book and documentary film project that Sanders has been working on for many years, and has been the focus of numerous presentations by Sanders at national conferences, public library events and network television programs.

The WSKG radio documentary is produced by Bill Jaker and is scheduled for broadcast at 1:00 pm on Tuesday, September 29, 2009 to kick off The Twilight Zone anniversary celebration.  Mr. Jaker noted that the radio program should be available on the WSKG web site (www.wskg.org) following the initial broadcast.

eMedia Communications Students Win Emmy Recognition (Again!)

June 10, 2009

For the second consecutive year, a student and the advising faculty from Electronic Media Communications at Raymond Walters College are being honored with one of the two Student Emmys awarded by the Ohio Valley Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) which includes television markets in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and West Virginia. Elizabeth Klein will receive her second Student Emmy Award at the 45th annual Ohio Valley Regional Emmy Awards banquet in Lexington, Kentucky on July 25, 2009. Her work, One Belongs, is a rotoscoped animation with an environmental message. Elizabeth has completed her courses at UC and has been accepted to California Institute for the Arts in Valencia, California for the fall term. Also recognized in the award’s citation are the project’s music composer, David Bailey, and the faculty of Electronic Media Communications as advisors. Department faculty include Eric Anderson, David Hartz, Dave Hubble and H. Michael Sanders. The department faculty and award winning students will attend the ceremony in Lexington to receive recognition.

Recent eMedia Communications graduate, Philip Grosvenor, has also been selected to receive the NATAS Ohio Valley Chapter’s prestigious David J. Clarke Memorial Scholarship. Letters of recommendation from a faculty member and a professional contact were required. It was noted that the letter written by eMedia Communications faculty member, Eric Anderson, “definitely helped Philip to secure the scholarship. Too often the scholarship committee sees what appear to be ‘rote recommendations’ in the student's applications. That fact that [this] letter seemed so genuine reflected positively on Philip.” Phil Dreschler, of WCPO-TV, Philip Grosvenor’s internship site supervisor from 2008, wrote the professional letter of recommendation. Philip is continuing his education to complete a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Electronic Arts at UC’s College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning.

In the past, NATAS has awarded only two student production Emmys each year. Gary Anaple, coordinator of the student Emmys and senior promotion producer at WSRT-TV, noted that the judging panel was impressed by the level of participation from Electronic Media Communications students, and said, “[the judging panel] petitioned the Ohio Valley Chapter Board of Governors to authorize an "Honorable Mention" level of recognition. Vardøger [by Electronic Media Communications recent graduate Phil Grosvenor] is one of those two Honorable Mention entries.” Vardøger is a short narrative video. Also nominated were recent Electronic Media Communications graduates Todd Uttley for his animation, Stuff, and Justin Eckstein for his documentary, Beats.

Richard Byrne, a 2004 Electronic Media Communications graduate, is also a double nominee in the professional Graphic Arts and Program Promo categories. Richard, currently at WSRT-TV Channel 64, was also nominated in 2008. The professional awards will be announced at the event on July 25, 2009.

This continues an exciting year of growth and accomplishment for Electronic Media Communications. Transfer articulation agreements were signed with UC’s College of Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning and with UC’s College-Conservatory of Music (CCM). These articulation agreements facilitates the seamless transfer of RWC Electronic Media Communications into the third year of bachelor’s degree programs – Bachelor of Fine Arts in Electronic Arts (DAAP) and Bachelor of Fine Arts in Electronic Media (CCM) – with no loss of credits from the RWC Associate degree program. In addition, Manfred K. Wolfram, PhD, retiring professor and head of the Electronic Media division at UC College-Conservatory of Music, donated over 700 books and media items from his private collection to the RWC Library to support research and production activities in RWC Electronic Media Communications programs and courses.

UC RWC eMEDIA STUDENTS TRANSFER SEAMLESSLY TO UC CCM

June 10, 2009

Manfred Wolfram, CCM E-Media Division Head and H. Michael Sanders, RWC E-Media Communications Director sign the new RWC-CCM transfer articulation agreement while CCM Dean Douglas Knehans and CCM Interim Associate Dean Frank Weinstock look on.

A transfer articulation agreement has been formally signed between the University of Cincinnati’s Raymond Walters College and the University of Cincinnati’s College-Conservatory of Music. The agreement stipulates the requirements for transferring to the CCM Bachelor of Fine Arts in Electronic Media, following completion of the RWC Associate of Applied Science degree in Electronic Media Technology. It provides for seamless transfer into the third year of CCM’s Bachelor of Fine Arts in Electronic Media with no loss of credits from the RWC Associate degree program.

The agreement was developed by H. Michael Sanders, professor and director of Electronic Media Communications at RWC and Manfred Wolfram, Ph.D., division head of CCM’s Electronic Media division. Dave Hubble and Eric Anderson, faculty of RWC eMedia Communications, and Kevin Burke and Peter DiPietro, faculty of CCM E-Media, also contributed to the review of the agreement. This articulation was negotiated during spring quarter 2009. The signing formalizes the articulation agreement effective June 15, 2009 through September 1, 2012.

According to Professor Sanders, “The formal agreement was developed in the spirit of the UC|21 Academic Plan at UC in placing students at the center and forging key relationships and partnerships to facilitate student success. It is also proactive recognition that the State of Ohio is moving toward a more integrated and transparent University System which should help create clearer educational pathways for students.” Sanders added that this was the first step in continuing collaboration with CCM to develop both academic and media production opportunities for students and faculty in both colleges.

The combination of a thorough technical foundation from the AAS in Electronic Media Technology and the production and theory coursework from the BFA in Electronic Media creates a strong platform for professional accomplishment and prepares students for a wide array of communications employment options for the new century.

Manfred Wolfram, CCM E-Media Division Head, Douglas Knehans, CCM Dean, Frank Weinstock, CCM Interim Associate Dean, and H. Michael Sanders, RWC E-Media Communications Director with the signed RWC-CCM transfer articulation agreement.

Dr. Wolfram, retiring professor and head of the Electronic Media division at UC College-Conservatory of Music, remarked, “This articulation agreement will allow RWC Electronic Media Communications majors to plan ahead and prepare in advance to join the E-Media division four-year BFA program at CCM on the uptown campus. We are looking forward to accepting the best students RWC eMedia Communications produces.”

Dr. Wolfram recently donated 700 books and media items to the Raymond Walters College Library. The donation of his extensive collection will support research and production activities in RWC Electronic Media Communications programs and courses. The donation was made in recognition of RWC eMedia Communications’ quality programs and to foster future collaborations between RWC and CCM, including promoting transfer of graduates from the RWC AAS degree in Electronic Media Technology into the CCM baccalaureate program in Electronic Media.

This is the second transfer articulation agreement RWC Electronic Media Communications has developed with a baccalaureate college at UC’s uptown campus. The first, with UC College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning, provides a seamless transfer from RWC Electronic Media Technology to the DAAP Bachelor of Fine Arts in Electronic Arts. This agreement was formalized earlier during the current academic year, but students have been transferring into the DAAP Electronic Arts BFA program since 2002.

The RWC Associate of Applied Science degree in Electronic Media Technology was designed as a two-year career-oriented program, after which graduates are prepared to successfully compete for technical positions in various sectors of the communications industry. Professor Sanders noted, “Most of our graduates have incredibly strong technical skills and easily make the transition directly into the workplace, but the two transfer agreements we have negotiated within UC offer our graduates additional career options in production, design and management aspects of the industry for which the baccalaureate degree opens the door. Having those BFA degrees granted by selective, world-class colleges at the University of Cincinnati can only widen the professional and creative opportunities for our students.”

Ceremony to Recognize Wolfram Donation to RWC Library

Donation Honors RWC Electronic Media Communications Programs and Furthers RWC-CCM Collaboration

On Wednesday, May 27, from 1:00pm – 2:00pm the eMedia Communications department will hold a ceremony at the University of Cincinnati Raymond Walters College Library to acknowledge the donation of over 700 books and media items by Manfred K. Wolfram, Ph.D. Dr. Wolfram is a retiring professor and head of the Electronic Media division at UC College-Conservatory of Music. The donation of his extensive collection to the RWC Library will support research and production activities in RWC Electronic Media Communications programs and courses. This donation was made in recognition of the RWC eMedia Communications’ quality programs and to foster future collaborations between RWC and CCM, including promoting the transfer of graduates from the RWC associate of applied science degree in Electronic Media Technology into the CCM baccalaureate program in Electronic Media.

Dr. Wolfram’s collection of 637 books and 124 pamphlets and dozens of other media items includes textbooks, monographs, histories, technical guides, and video materials in various subject areas, including: film studies and film history, media aesthetics, journalism, media writing, broadcasting history, video production, and video history. Also included was a small collection of German language books that will support foreign language courses at RWC.

Many of the donated books will be housed in the general collection of RWC Library. More specialized titles and technical resources in electronic media will be housed in the department library of Electronic Media Communications. Media items will be included in the TV history and media archives of eMedia Communications.

A selection of the donated items is on display in a case outside the RWC Library (Muntz 117) and will be available for viewing during regular college hours until June 5, 2009. The brief ceremony and reception will be held in Muntz Hall outside M117 and in M111. The campus is located at 9555 Plainfield Road, Blue Ash, Ohio 45236. For more information call 513.936.1602.

UCTV Live Broadcast with Chancellor Fingerhut

Town Hall Meeting With Chancellor Fingerhut to be Broadcast on UCTV Beginning at 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 30, 2009, University of Cincinnati Raymond Walters College hosts a town hall meeting with State Representative Connie Pillich and Ohio Chancellor of Higher Education Eric D. Fingerhut. The meeting is designed for residents of the 28th Ohio House District to learn about current policy initiatives and to discuss issues, concerns or questions. The meeting, which is open to the public, will be held in the Flory Center, on the UC Raymond Walters College campus, 9555 Plainfield Road in Blue Ash.

UCTV will broadcast the town hall meeting live. UCTV is a broadcast service of the University of Cincinnati operated by Electronic Media Communications at Raymond Walters College. Operating on the EBS bandwidth of the broadcast spectrum, the signal is fed to the Time-Warner Public Access channels in various communities in the area through collaboration with the local media access centers.

Viewers can access programming through College Cable (UC Uptown campus channel 41), plus these cable-access centers (listed with their respective Time Warner cable channels):

• City of Blue Ash (Time Warner): Channel 8 or cable-ready 15
• Waycross Community Media (Forest Park, Greenhills, and Springfield Township): Channel 23
• ICRC (Intercommunity Cable Regulatory Commission) (Amberley Village, Arlington Heights, Columbia Township, Crosby Township, Deer Park, Elmwood Place, Evendale, Fairfax, Glendale, Harrison, Harrison Township, Indian Hill, Lincoln Heights, Loveland, Mariemont, Mason, Milford, Mt. Healthy, North College Hill, Princeton, Reading, Sharonville, Silverton, Springdale, St. Bernard, Symmes Township, Terrace Park, Woodlawn): Channel 15 or cable-ready 22
• College Cable: UC Uptown campus channel 41
• Waycross Community Media (Time Warner): (Forest Park, Greenhills, and Springfield Township): Channel 23
• Union Township: Channel 15 or cable-ready 22

The April 30, 2009 event will not be streamed live. It will be
available as a replay following the event. Check back here for more
information.

UC RWC eMEDIA STUDENTS TRANSFER SEAMLESSLY TO UC DAAP

A transfer articulation agreement has been formally signed between the University of Cincinnati’s Raymond Walters College and the University of Cincinnati’s College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning. The agreement stipulates the requirements for transferring to the DAAP Bachelor of Fine Arts program with a concentration in Electronic Arts, following completion of the RWC Associate of Applied Science degree in Electronic Media Technology. It provides for seamless transfer into the third year of DAAP’s Bachelor of Fine Arts in Electronic Arts with no loss of credits from the RWC Associate degree program.

The agreement was developed by H. Michael Sanders, professor and director of Electronic Media Communications at RWC and Denise Burge, associate professor of art and undergraduate academic advisor (School of Art). Charles Woodman, associate professor of electronic art also contributed to the review of the agreement. Initially negotiated in 2002-2003, this transfer articulation was tested with numerous students over the last several years. This signing formalizes the articulation agreement effective January 30, 2009 through September 1, 2012.

Some of the students who have successfully transferred to DAAP during the testing period include: John Barnett, George Barrett, Chris Bovard, Phil Grosvenor, Ken Maxwell, Scott McKendry, and Todd Uttley. Electronic Media Communications Professional Certificate graduate, Regan Brown, was also admitted to the master of Fine Arts program at DAAP. Barnett, Barrett, and Bovard have completed their Bachelor of Fine Arts degrees and George Barrett is anticipating the completion of a Master in Fine Arts in Spring 2009.

According to Professor Sanders, “The formal agreement was developed in the spirit of the UC|21 Academic Plan at UC in placing students at the center and forging key relationships and partnerships to facilitate student success. It is also proactive recognition that the State of Ohio is moving toward a more integrated and transparent University System which should help create clearer educational pathways for students.”

Student Phil Grosvenor commented, “To say the eMedia Tech program prepared me to meet deadlines and solve technical problems would be an understatement. I'm pleased to be able to continue my education through a quality program without having to start all over because of program politics. The most trouble I had in the entire process was finding out how to get to the 6th floor of the DAAP building.”

The combination of a thorough technical foundation from the AAS in Electronic Media Technology and the design and theory coursework from the BFA in Fine Arts creates a strong platform for professional accomplishment as new media artists and prepares students for a wide array of employment options. “I feel very fortunate to have participated in the RWC eMedia Communications program and DAAP’s Fine Arts program,” says John Barnett. “The technical skills I learned from completing work within Electronic Media Communications gave me a unique perspective when I continued with the BFA at DAAP.”

Professor Denise Burge, in her role as undergraduate academic advisor in the School of Art, notes that, “The articulation agreement has been mutually beneficial. Students coming from the Raymond Walters College program bring a rich set of skills and experiences to share with the Fine Arts environment, and at the same time they are able to enrich their experience with all that a BFA requires; a wide variety of studio practices, as well as a deep exposure to art history and academics."

Students transferring from RWC to DAAP find the process seamless and agree they are well prepared for DAAP courses. “I can't believe how easy it was to complete the transfer into Fine Arts,” according to Todd Uttley. “Between Professor Sanders going over my earned credits in eMedia, then meeting with Denise Burge to review DAAP requirements, I knew exactly what courses I needed and how long it would take to complete my BFA degree.” Ken Maxwell agrees saying, “The transfer process was very easy. All it took was a trip to Clifton, my transcript and a meeting with an adviser and I was ready to go the next year. I feel that the AAS in Electronic Media Technology prepared me especially with the workload required in the DAAP Electronic Arts program.”

eMedia Communications Student Wins Emmy Award

Elizabeth KleinElizabeth Klein, an Electronic Media Communications student attending University of Cincinnati Raymond Walters College, was honored with a Student Emmy Award from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS), Ohio Valley Chapter. She received her award at the 44th annual Ohio Valley Regional Emmy Awards banquet at The Westin in Cincinnati on August 8, 2008.

NATAS presented a Student Production Award to Elizabeth Klein of Blue Ash for her animated short Green to Blue. The winning production was a stop-motion animation that humorously depicted the possible environmental impact of global warming. It was originally created as a final project for the Fundamentals of Animation course. Her project was one of only two student projects recognized by the Ohio Valley Chapter of NATAS which includes television markets in Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and West Virginia. Also recognized in the award’s citation were the project’s music composer, David Bailey, and the Faculty of Electronic Media Communications as advisors. Department faculty include Eric Anderson, David Hartz, Dave Hubble and H. Michael Sanders. Elizabeth is pursuing an Associate of Applied Science degree in Electronic Media Technology, an Animation Certificate, and a Broadcast Media Certificate all from UC Raymond Walters College.

Producing video and animation is a good fit with Elizabeth’s dedication to the Fine Arts. “I’m a very visual person and creating vivid and colorful animations is a way to express myself,” she said and believes her past experience with set design that allowed her to construct the engaging set for her animation. Elizabeth was able to tell a complex message in a simple and entertaining way, saying “When I do a project that would appeal to children I like to work with bright colors and materials to draw them in and help tell a story with images.”

Elizabeth’s artistic expression takes many different forms that include creating paintings, sculptures, and now videos and animations. Video and animation are new mediums for Elizabeth and she feels that Electronic Media Communications is giving her the skills she needs. Reflecting on the winning production, she said “I didn’t hope to achieve anything outside of getting a good grade for the assignment. It was my first stop-motion animation and I’ve learned so much more from all my different classes since I made it. It won the award, but I see room for improvement. I know I can do even better now!” Green to Blue was also submitted to the 2008 Film Your Issue competition and was chosen as the National Award Winner by the Sierra Club and The National Resource Defense Council. Elizabeth was flown to Los Angeles to receive that award. In addition, an untitled stop-motion animation created by Elizabeth was the first place winner in the national I “Heart” Tap Water video contest sponsored by Take Back the Tap. Her creative approach on tap vs. bottled water usage promoted the message in a humorous and informative manner.

The department’s faculty has high hopes for Elizabeth in the future and will be working closely with her as the department production intern for 2008.

For more information about the Electronic Media Communications degree and certificate programs, visit http://www.rwc.uc.edu/rwcmedia/ or telephone

eMedia student recieves Spirit of Community Award

Electronic Media Communications student Philip Grosvenor has been named a co-recipient of the 2008 RWC Spirit of Community Award.

Recipients of this University-level award "exemplify a high standard of contribution to student life both within their college [as well as university] and their community. In helping to reinforce the efforts being taken within the institution to develop a better sense of community, the aim of recognizing these students is to identify those who have stood out in their contribution." Philip recieved his award at the University Recognition Ceremony on May 18, 2008 in TUC's Great Hall.

Philip's involvement within UC|Blue Ash and outreach beyond the college community are to be applauded. Philip has been described as a "great guy" who is a "mentor to many [King's High School] students" and a "continual inspiration" as well as a leader who is "remarkable in his efforts, dedication, and consistency." Philip has volunteered his services both within the Raymond Walters College community and the greater community at large. He has volunteered for the eMedia Communications Department in support of many different projects; including camera operator and audio engineer for Tree of Life; camera operator, talent and lighting technician in the current "untitled" production featuring the mythological character Lilith; director of an episode of XSN, a UCTV series, as well as technical director and audio engineer of future episodes. Philip gives back to his community by working with the King's High School percussion ensemble and volunteering at the Kidd Center with the Hamilton County Board of MRDD. He also performs and holds a leadership position in the internationally-renowned competitive marching percussion ensemble Matrix. He has been honored with awards of excellence in both media writing and media production, and he has been elected to "Who's Who Among Students in American Junior College's." It is with our respect that we honor Philip Grosvenor today with this presentation.

eMedia Communications Faculty Wins Regional Emmy Award

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 3, 2007

Professor Eric AndersonEric Anderson, assistant professor and production director, University of Cincinnati Raymond Walters College Electronic Media Communications, was presented with a regional Emmy Award on June 23, 2007 The award was in the Editor: Program category for the Documentary Passion Works: A Story of Flying which he shot and edited for the Athens, Ohio television station WOUB. The program showcases a studio that introduces the arts to people with disabilities. It was distributed nationally by PBS in 2006.

Anderson joined the Electronic Media Communications department in 2005. Since joining, he has developed the Broadcast Media certificate program and has created many new video classes including Video Studio Production, News and Documentary Production and Advanced Post Production. In addition to video production Anderson teaches classes in Web Site Production and Digital Design.

He received a Bachelor of Fine Arts in Applied Media Arts and Film from Edinboro University of Pennsylvania and a Master of Arts in Interactive Multimedia from Ohio University. Anderson was previously a videographer and producer of broadcast journalism for both commercial (WNWO-TV Toledo, OH and WICU-TV, Erie, PA) and public television stations (WOUB-TV, Athens, OH). This is Anderson’s third Emmy and his work has also garnered many other awards from the National Press Photographer¹s Association and he was named Best Videographer four years in a row by the Ohio Associated Press.

The Ohio Valley Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) presents the prestigious Emmy Award to television professionals in thirteen markets from Ohio, Indiana, Kentucky and West Virginia. Honoring the best in television and multimedia, the Ohio Valley Chapter of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences encourages and empowers creative professionals to meet the highest standards.

UC Raymond Walters College Student Photo Exhibit

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 15, 2006

Student show image by Jannis SchelenzTen Years of Student Photography from Electronic Media Communications will be on exhibit at the University Galleries on Sycamore from January 3, 2007 through March 9, 2007. The photographs are by students at the University of Cincinnati Raymond Walters College and the show is a celebration of the tenth anniversary of the Electronic Media Technology program at Raymond Walters College. The opening reception is in the gallery from 5pm until 7pm on January 5, 2007. University Galleries on Sycamore is located at 628 Sycamore Street in downtown Cincinnati.

Over 125 photographs will be displayed as prints in the gallery with more than 750 additional images displayed as digital slide shows on four video screens. The student work selected for exhibition was drawn from an archive of approximately 9000 images collected over the past ten years by Professor H. Michael Sanders. The work was generated in a variety of courses including Photographic Principles & Lighting, Digital Photography, and photo seminars such as Tao of Photography, Studio Photography, and Pinhole Photography. The work was selected from this enormous archive by Professor Sanders and a group of Electronic Media Communications students including Drew Bowen, Lauren Bowser, Brandon Farmer, Melissa Kyrlach, Jason Levy, Brittany Lindenschmidt, Mike McKeown, and Kristen Santel.

The images selected for the show were digitally prepared by Electronic Media Communications production manager and adjunct instructor, Pete Bender, with the assistance of Kerrie Leigh, producer/director, and student staff members Joe Bou, Ashlee Lyons, Camille Sheets, Todd Uttley, and Rick Yerigan.

As curator of the exhibit, Professor Sanders noted that the wide range of visual style and technique used, and the technical quality evident in the work is impressive. He added, “The core of our photographic studies in Electronic Media Communications is gaining technical control over the processes of exposure, lighting, and depth of field. The fact that the design and aesthetic qualities of the student work is so well developed clearly suggests that they have learned more than just which button to push. They’re thinking about how images communicate and express ideas. It’s clear that the technical work accomplished is laying a good foundation to proceed into the realm of artistic expression.”

Student Show Image by Brittany Lindenschmidt

Sanders was also impressed with the dedication and hard work of the handful of students working with him to curate the exhibit by reviewing the thousands of images archived over the past ten years. The group screened 35mm slides or digital image files, and pored over prints in portfolio books all last summer to evaluate almost 9000 photographs produced by Electronic Media Communications students since 1997. All of the images to be considered for the final review by Electronic Media Communications faculty were then digitally scanned and prepared for either printing or use in a digital slide show format. “The amount of logistical organization, technical preparation, and decision-making to contend with was boggling,” said Sanders. “The student curatorial team accomplished this monstrous task with dedication, professionalism and immense good humor. I am extremely proud of what they have accomplished to help make this exhibit possible.”

The poster for the show includes a photograph of over twenty students representing all ten years of the photography program reflected in the exhibition. A catalogue of the exhibition will be published on DVD by Electronic Media Communications, which will include all the exhibited prints and digital slide shows, along with a list of participating photographers, an essay about the exhibit, and promotional materials for the show. Details about the exhibition catalogue, including price and ordering information will be available on the department web site [www.rwc.uc.edu/rwcmedia] in January, 2007.

More information and selected images are available at the Electronic Media Communications web site [www.rwc.uc.edu/rwcmedia] or contact the department or curator 513-745-5717