Standard Operating Procedure, Graduate Studio & Equipment Bookings
Department of Cinema & Media Arts, School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design
The CMA Equipment Room staff typically services over 650 bookings in an academic year and growing (430 class assignments, 3 dozen camera/lighting/sound workshops, and production packages for over 190 grad and undergrad films). Each of these bookings requires preparation to put together, check out, check in, and follow-up equipment maintenance
To ensure the necessary equipment is available when needed is based on academic priority to ensure we are able to balance needs with available resources.
To reserve equipment
https://cmaequipment.getconnect2.com/
Stephanie Adamson email: sadamson@yorku.ca
Equipment Room Technicians:
Marcos Arriaga (days)
Gilbert Kwong (evenings/weekends)
For CFT, AMPD and other University space booking requests:
https://film411.ampd.yorku.ca/cft-space-booking-form/
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AMPD Manager, Facilities, Health & Safety and Technical Services: Terry Wright
Equipment Bookings
- Equipment must be booked through the online reservation system (https://cmaequipment.getconnect2.com/ ) at least 48 hours in advance of pick-up.
- For Course Assignments, Thesis Workshopping and Thesis Film Shoots, Supervisor must send The Equipment Administration Coordinator an email confirming their support of the booking (sadamson@yorku.ca)
- Grad Equipment bookings are for Course Assignments (typically 2 per course max), Thesis workshopping (within limits and pending availability) and Thesis production (ideally, in spring/summer months). Equipment cannot be booked for non-York-related projects.
Equipment for Course Assignments & Thesis Workshopping
Typically, an MFA production course (like Documentary, Short Narratives, Process or Hybrid Fiction) requires that grads produce 1-2 assignments, to be made outside of classroom hours: a small exercise (using minimal equipment) and a short (5-7 min) final project (again using minimal equipment). Bookings per assignment can be for up to 3 days, plus 1 day pick-up + 1 day return, pending availability.
Example of an acceptable or typical equipment request
(for a course assignment or thesis workshopping shoot, in the summer/fall/winter):
- 1x camera (pending availability) + standard lenses
- 1x tripod
- 1x light kit (up to 3 lights)
- 1x set sound (mic, lav kit, recorder)
NB Items such as HD Monitors, doorway dollys, C-stands, large lighting and grip requests, walkie talkies, etc. are reserved for thesis work and will not be available for assignments/workshopping.
*equipment types subject to change
Thesis Film Shoots
The larger, higher-end camera packages are available to Grads for their thesis shoots during the April 1-Aug 31 summer window, for a single block of up to 5 days (plus 1 day pickup + 1 day return), and in special cases, approved by the GPD, for a maximum of 2 blocks of up to 5 days each (plus 1 day pickup + 1 day return).
Students wishing to travel with York U gear to shoot must contact the equipment room directly for availability and approval at least 3 weeks ahead of their scheduled pick-up.
The DOP must be approved by the Supervisor & GPD. Email the Equipment Administration Coordinator (sadamson@yorku.ca) with their CV and short statement of their training/experience, cc to supervisor and GPD, as well as email approval from supervisor, and a production plan that indicates you have adequate crew, vehicles, production insurance, and well-planned shooting schedule to support these large packages.
Studio Bookings
Space booking requests for CMA, AMPD and other University spaces can be made here: https://film411.ampd.yorku.ca/cft-space-booking-form/.
Cinespace booking requests can be made here: https://yorkumotionmediastudio.ca/booking-request-form/
Production Studios can be booked for up to 2 days at a time for Course Assignments and Thesis Workshopping during Fall/Winter terms, and up to 10 days at a time in April 1-Aug 31 period for thesis shoots. Sound and Online suites can be booked in up to 2 blocks per year of up to 4 consecutive days for each block.
Annual Priority for Access
Sept 1- Dec 31: 4th year BFAs have equipment/studio priority
Jan 1-April 15: 3rd year BFAs have equipment/studio priority
May 1-Aug 31: MFAs have equipment/studio priority
Production Studios
- CFT 115 – 800 sf w black curtains, lighting grid, one room standing set
- CFT 104: – 800 sf w black curtains, lighting grid,
- CFT 130 – 2000 sf w black curtains
- Cinespace (Kipling, shared with rest of AMPD) — 4000 sf studio w/ 2-room standing set; 3000 sf studio w/ motion capture facility, 2 classrooms
Post-Production Studios
- CFT 129 — Mixing/Foley w sound booth, mix board,
- CFT 137A — Mixing w mix board
- CFT 126 L & M: online w/ Avid, Final Cut, Da Vinci
- CFT 109 – Grad Edit corridor (Avid, Final Cut, Adobe Premiere, Pro Tools)