Audio video suites
The audio video suites are private work spaces open to all Fine Arts students. They are open 24 hrs a day every day of the week. If you have reserved the sound recording suite, please watch this guide. Please email Phil Hawes, if you have any questions about the access rules or suites.
Reserving the CDA AV Suites
Any registered Fine Arts student at Concordia can reserve and work in the CDA AV suites. To reserve the suites you must have CDA account. This is free. Create a CDA account on this page if you do not already have one. After you have created the CDA Account, log in to the Patron Portal to make the reservation. Select the "Fine Arts Audio Video Studios (EV5, EV10, MB8, OPCH)" checkout centre. Then select the "EV5 Audio Video Suites" option.
Pick up the key for the suite at EV security in the EV building lobby. Show your Concordia ID and ask for the key number (identified in the Patron Portal) not the room number. The key must be returned to EV security when you are finished your reservation.
Fine Arts undergraduate students can reserve 14 days in advance and may make up to four reservations per week. Fine Arts graduate students can reserve 28 days in advance and may make up to five reservations per week. MFA students may request extended bookings by emailing evdepot.finearts@concordia.ca.
Summer Session Access
Any Fine Arts student registered in the previous Winter semester may have access to the CDA AV suites during the summer. Use the Patron Portal to reserve the rooms, as normal. You do not have to be registered in a summer course to reserve the suites.
Holiday Access
MFA Fine Arts students automatically have access to the suites on holidays. Reserve the suites as usual and show your ID at security. Undergraduate Fine Arts students who want holiday access must email Phil Hawes in advance of their holiday reservation to be placed on a key list. It is not enough to simply reserve the suite on the Patron Portal.
Responsibilities
The person who has reservered the suite is responsible for the conduct of any guests that they bring into the space. They may have their access to the suites barred if their guests break any Concordia building rules or engage in any anti-social behaviour.
User Accounts
In the AV Suites, user accounts are deleted on Friday mornings at 6 AM. Overnight rendering is available on request.
About the CDA audio video suites
- All 11 standard suites are dedicated video and sound work environments. They all have good graphics cards and faster and more powerful computers as well as near-field sound monitors.
- There is one sound recording recording suite (VS 12) with a soundproof booth suitable for voice recording, foley or small intruments.
- There is also one sound mixing suite (VS 10) for either stereo or multi-channel (5.1) mixing with ProTools HD, Logic X, Audition and Izotope RX.
- Suite VS 06 has extra audio plug-ins and software.
- VS 00 is a colour correction suite with a FSI color correction monitor and a Tangent control surface for Resolve Studio.
- All rooms support video formats from SD to 4K, but certain suites have better computers.
- Displays are color calibrated in all the rooms (excpetion of the mixing room and recording room).
- Technical help is available during daytime CDA opening hours.
Working in the suites
- The video and sound editing suites are only to be used for class-related projects using video, sound or graphics. You may be asked to leave if you are not working on an audio or video related project.
- If you are working with video we encourage you to get your own external drive. User accounts are deleted every Friday morning at 6 AM. If you are working on a longer RAW or higher bandwidth video project you can ask for local RAID storage from Phil Hawes but you will be restricted to using one particular suite.
- Remote support is available in the suites. Use the chat on the CDA site or email Phil Hawes for more detailed support. Support is also available for hardware (cameras, audio recorders, lights, display devices) and software.
Booking the Audio and Video Suites
- Check the calendar for availability
- Make your reservation via the Patron Portal