Multimedia Lab

We are located on the ground floor of Cherry Parkes in CP 005 (just behind Indochine)

Our facility is available to all UW Tacoma staff, faculty and enrolled students. Current HuskyID will be verified.

We specialize in helping you complete dynamic, multimedia-rich projects.

• Video and audio editing
• Image and photo editing
• Integration of multimedia into presentations
• Preparing media for web uploading
• Video and audio dubbing (VHS to DVD, miniDV to DVD, HDD Camera to DVD, miniDV to VHS)
• Scanning of images, documents and slides

You cannot load software onto the computers. Commercial work cannot be produced here and the Multimedia Lab abides by copyright laws, specifically the Fair Use Guidelines and the Teach Act.

• Up to 3 minutes or 10%, whichever is less, can be used from copyrighted motion media.
• 10% or 30 seconds, whichever is less, of the music and lyrics from an individual musical work.

  See UW guidelines for other parameters for use of copyrighted content.

  So, entire duplications of protected material are forbidden. While the law may permit the fair use of a copyrighted work for such purposes as teaching, scholarship, research, criticism, comment, news reporting, etc., don't assume that all such uses are "fair."

  Fair use depends on a balance of four factors:
  the purpose of your use, the nature of the work, the amount of the work used, and the effect of your use on the potential market of the work.
  
  For more, see UW's Four Factor Test regarding Fair Use of Copyrighted Materials.

Yes.
YouTube is the most commonly used sharing platform used by our students. Students also deliver files via their UW Google Drives and their UW OneDrive for Business cloud storage. The Multimedia Lab does abide by U.S. Copyright laws.
Please see YouTube regarding use of copyrighted content.

The Multimedia Lab suggests not using copyrighted materials (even within Fair Use guidelines) for Facebook, YouTube, web sites, etc. simply because many sites need to legally protect themselves and you could easily receive a notice to takedown your material.

If you decide to still post to YouTube using Fair Use guidelines, consider these tips:
Embed Commentary Into the Video: Don't rely on text and images around it to make your case or provide the transformative use. Take the effort to edit the video and upload your creation rather than the raw footage. It will make your case much stronger.

Use Shorter Clips: The trend on YouTube is to use clips several minutes in length. The more you take of a show or movie, the less likely the use is fair, no matter how you transform it. Stick to short clips and take only what you need to prove your point.

Have More Original Content: Though this goes hand in hand with the first bullet, the basis of YouTube is to "broadcast yourself" so put your own work into the video and make sure that the copyrighted portion makes up as little of the work as possible.

Give Proper Attribution: Be sure to give attribution fair the clip both in the video and in the notes. It may seem silly, especially when the owner of the work is obvious, but attribution often helps bolster fair use arguments by showing good faith.

Post a Disclaimer: Using such a disclaimer on your YouTube page with any copyrighted content that you are attempting to use in a fair manner may bolster your case.

Read entire article, "Why Fair Use Suffers on YouTube"

First, you'll need a current UW ID (Husky Card).
Secondly, depending upon your project, you'll need a storage device for your files and output. Bring a USB Flash drive or use your UW Google Drive or UW OneDrive for Business account.
If you are planning to leave with your finished project on DVD then please bring a DVD-R.
We do not provide, or sell, these materials.

You can make a reservation three ways:

Stop by at CP 005
Call (253) 692-5743
Send email to: tacMPS@u.washington.edu

No. Hard drives are erased between quarters. Your project may be stored until quarter's end.
If hard drive space becomes an issue then the oldest files are deleted first.

Audio and video equipment can be checked out in Media Services Equipment Checkout desk (WG 108).

There are 4 steps involved with post-production:

• Capturing/Ingestion - This is the process of digitizing or importing your audio/video into the computer and the non-linear editor.
• Editing - Trimming beginnings and endings of clips, rearranging clips, adding titles, applying color correction, improving audio, adding special effects, etc.
• Exporting to Master - This is a "hidden" step. When clips are brought into an editing program's timeline, the program is simply referring to those clips, wherever they are stored. Exporting allows you to compress your video into a preferable format and to stand alone as a movie without looking for your captured clips. The movie is now ready for QuickTime and Windows Media Player as well as for DVDs.
• Encoding for distribution - How will your audience access your movie? You'll have to burn to DVDs, decide how compressed your file will be for Youtube or prepare for viewing in PowerPoint, to name a few.

This will depend upon the complexity of your project; the amount of raw footage you've shot or are incorporating; your skill level; amount of effects; your determination; titles or filters you use; and the number of students working on the project.
A five-minute finished video may take anywhere from 2 to 10 hours of post-production, depending upon the variables listed above.

You can bring your own storage media. If you are working on video for an extended period of time, we would recommend you invest in an external hard drive. That way you can keep your project files together.
Here are a few other options:

• USB Flash Drives
• UW Google Drive or UW OneDrive for Business
• Multimedia Lab computers - Hard drives are erased at the end of every quarter. If space becomes scarce, files will be removed as needed by MMLab staff. Please make arrangements with staff regarding storage timeframes.

Staff members are primarily there to assist you with your projects. We can provide one-on-one assistance only if the Multimedia Lab is not busy.

Time, patience and, perhaps, coffee.
We can introduce you to the basics of our software and provide a source of information but there is no shortcut to developing your skill set in a particular application. We do have tutorials and on-line aids available.
Ultimately, it's the process of working through a project that improves your productivity.

Our policies can be reviewed here.

No. UW COVID-19 precautions prevent us from having food or drink in the Multimedia Lab.

If it is your own, original material on the DVD or CD, then yes. You are not allowed to copy commercial materials (CDs, DVDs, web videos/music, etc.).

U.S. Copyright Law is an assemblage of statutes designed to protect the rights of creators and users. It has its origins in the constitutional principle to promote the arts and sciences. Fair Use is a principle that limits the exclusive rights of ownership so that you, as a learner, can use other people's stuff (with certain statutory limitations) without having to ask their permission.

Only 10% or 3 minutes, whichever is less, of commercial content can be copied and used in your project.

Duplication of protected works in their entirety is strictly forbidden.

No.
Every effort has been made to configure our workstations to meet the needs of our campus. We are equipped with professional-grade hardware and industry-standard software. For security purposes, loading unauthorized software is prohibited.

We are more than happy to help you do this process yourself, but our staff does not provide digitization and duplication services to students.
If you are a faculty member and need these services, you can contact Production Services for assistance.

Send email to:
tacMPS@u.washington.edu

No.
Our duty is to connect students with the right tools for their projects and to assist them in the process. As far as personal purchases, you can find significant amounts of information and product reviews online.

Yes.
Priority is given to students with multimedia projects but you are welcome to surf the net, write your paper, perform homework research, etc.