Centre for Digital Media

The Centre for Digital Media is a converted multimedia facility at the Great Northern Way Campus in Vancouver, British Columbia, [http://mdm.gnwc.ca/?q=cdm Centre for Digital Media | Masters of Digital Media Program - Interdisciplinary Graduate Degree in 3D, Animation, Film, Games, Virtual Worlds, Computer Art ] ] which is mirrored in Second Life as a "Virtual" Centre for Digital Media. [http://mdm.gnwc.ca/?q=virtual-worlds Virtual Worlds | Masters of Digital Media Program - Interdisciplinary Graduate Degree in 3D, Animation, Film, Games, Virtual Worlds, Computer Art ] ] [ [http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=4fae259d-f1a1-4858-b664-7ba7bebcf150 Second Life lands B.C. campus ] ] The Centre houses a Master's Degree program in Digital Media.

The facility has facilitated several publicized "blended" or Mixed Reality events. During 2007, the Centre hosted science-fiction author William Gibson, [http://mdm.gnwc.ca/?q=node/378 Centre for Digital Media hosts Second Life book launch of William Gibson's latest novel, Spook Country | Masters of Digital Media Program - Interdisciplinary Graduate Degree in 3D, Animation, Film, Games, Virtual Worlds, Computer Art ] ] British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell, [http://www.gov.bc.ca/premier/media_gallery/events/2007/sept/premier_opens_leadingedge_digital_media_centre_2007_09_14_68485_a.html Premier'S Media Gallery - Premier Opens Leading-Edge Digital Media Centre ] ] and the Vancouver Police Department. [http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/story.html?id=0c37d98d-c54f-44d3-9e72-0c19cf828565&k=56002&p=2 VPD: Virtual Police Department ] ]

Funding

The Centre, and the Masters of Digital Media Program which it houses, are primarily funded by a 2006 grant of CAD 40.5 million from the Government of British Columbia. [ [http://www.publicaffairs.ubc.ca/media/releases/2006/mr-06-021.html $40M for New Program Gives BC Competitive Edge in Digital Entertainment Industry - UBC Public Affairs ] ] The Masters of Digital Media Program has additional funding from industry affiliates including Electronic Arts. [ [http://mdm.gnwc.ca/?q=node/302 Electronic Arts Announces $1 Million Dollar Grant to the Masters of Digital Media Program | Masters of Digital Media Program - Interdisciplinary Graduate Degree in 3D, Animation, Film, Games, Virtual Worlds, Computer Art ] ]

Facilities

According to the facility web page, the Centre offers the following facilities for the use of students and faculty:

* Information Resource Centre for "video games, books, films and magazines" including "the largest collection of titles outside of Electronic Arts."
* A 10,000 square foot filming area and green screen, and other facilities for filmmaking and editing
* Classrooms including "full Dolby 5.1 capabilities, high-end wall projectors, Blu-ray and HD-DVD playback."
* Game rooms
* Wireless Internet

Educational Program

The Centre primarily houses a 20-month "Masters of Digital Media Program," which is also the inaugural academic program delivered at the Great Northern Way Campus. The program seeks to offer its students "team-based experiences focused on project learning in close collaboration with the international games and digital media industry". [ [http://mdm.gnwc.ca/?q=program_description Program Description | Masters of Digital Media Program - Interdisciplinary Graduate Degree in 3D, Animation, Film, Games, Virtual Worlds, Computer Art ] ]

Virtual Centre for Digital Media

The Centre is mirrored in the virtual world of Second Life as the "Virtual Centre for Digital Media" (vCDM), which is located at the [http://slurl.com/secondlife/University%20Project/150/84/23|"University Project" sim] (150, 84, 23). The sim was created in 2006 by a "virtual architect", Scope Cleaver. [ [http://archsl.wordpress.com/2007/01/30/39/ Centre for Digital Media: The Future Education of a Virtual Architect « The ARCH ] ] According to the literature on the official program webpage, the sim seeks to be a "centre for innovative events, conferences and knowledge sharing as well as extending the possibilities of MDM course activities".

Blended Reality Events

* On August 2, 2007, the Centre hosted science-fiction author William Gibson simultaneously in Second Life and the physical space. In an interview with Salon Magazine, author William Gibson commented on the experience of Mixed Reality: [ [http://www.salon.com/books/int/2007/08/11/william_gibson/ Now romancer | Salon Books ] ]

Apparently there's always finite space in Second Life. I was actually in a room at the Centre for Digital Media in Vancouver with a live audience so I wasn't paying much attention to the Second Life aspect, which is probably a good thing in terms of my performance. I had a laptop open so I could see it as if I was watching from within Second Life. What I saw I found a bit distracting -- people levitating and sitting on top of the microphone.

* British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell formally opened the Centre for Digital Media in a similar blended reality function in September 2007.

* The Vancouver Police Department held a recruitment event using the Virtual Centre for Digital Media in 2007. [ [http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/RTGAM.20070716.wlrecruits16/GSStory/GlobeSportsOther/ globesports.com: Recruiting real talent in a virtual world ] ]

References

External links

* [http://mdm.gnwc.ca/?q=cdm Centre for Digital Media]
* [http://mdm.gnwc.ca/ Masters of Digital Media Program]
* [http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/business/story.html?id=e72339f9-b396-4f5a-9d58-9b5c95150cc8&k=89925 Vancouver Sun article on launch of program]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkvU_vGr3ds Machinima Video of Construction of the Virtual Centre for Digital Media]