Centre for Digital Media
Encyclopedia
The Centre for Digital Media is a converted multimedia facility at the Great Northern Way Campus
in Vancouver
, British Columbia
, which is mirrored in Second Life
as a "Virtual" Centre for Digital Media. 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
, British Columbia Premier
Gordon Campbell, and the Vancouver Police Department
.
.
. 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".
as the "Virtual Centre for Digital Media" (vCDM), which is located at the "University Project" sim (150, 84, 23). The sim was created in 2006 by a "virtual architect", Scope Cleaver. 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".
Great Northern Way Campus
Great Northern Way Campus Ltd is a private limited company and educational enterprise located in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It is the offspring of a consortium of four local academic institutions that has attracted...
in Vancouver
Vancouver
Vancouver is a coastal seaport city on the mainland of British Columbia, Canada. It is the hub of Greater Vancouver, which, with over 2.3 million residents, is the third most populous metropolitan area in the country,...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
, which is mirrored in Second Life
Second Life
Second Life is an online virtual world developed by Linden Lab. It was launched on June 23, 2003. A number of free client programs, or Viewers, enable Second Life users, called Residents, to interact with each other through avatars...
as a "Virtual" Centre for Digital Media. The Centre houses a Master's Degree
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
program in Digital Media.
The facility has facilitated several publicized "blended" or Mixed Reality
Mixed reality
Mixed reality refers to the merging of real and virtual worlds to produce new environments and visualisations where physical and digital objects co-exist and interact in real time...
events. During 2007, the Centre hosted science-fiction author William Gibson
William Gibson
William Gibson is an American-Canadian science fiction author.William Gibson may also refer to:-Association football:*Will Gibson , Scottish footballer...
, British Columbia Premier
Premier of British Columbia
The Premier of British Columbia is the first minister, head of government, and de facto chief executive for the Canadian province of British Columbia. Until the early 1970s the title Prime Minister of British Columbia was often used...
Gordon Campbell, and the Vancouver Police Department
Vancouver Police Department
The Vancouver Police Department is the police force for the City of Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several police departments within the Metro Vancouver Area and is the second largest police force in the province after RCMP "E" Division.VPD was the first Canadian police force...
.
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. The Masters of Digital Media Program has additional funding from industry affiliates including Electronic ArtsElectronic Arts
Electronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...
.
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 ArtsElectronic ArtsElectronic Arts, Inc. is a major American developer, marketer, publisher and distributor of video games. Founded and incorporated on May 28, 1982 by Trip Hawkins, the company was a pioneer of the early home computer games industry and was notable for promoting the designers and programmers...
." - A 10000 square feet (929 m²) 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
Kimak 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 CampusGreat Northern Way Campus
Great Northern Way Campus Ltd is a private limited company and educational enterprise located in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. It is the offspring of a consortium of four local academic institutions that has attracted...
. 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".
Virtual Centre for Digital Media
The Centre is mirrored in the virtual world of Second LifeSecond Life
Second Life is an online virtual world developed by Linden Lab. It was launched on June 23, 2003. A number of free client programs, or Viewers, enable Second Life users, called Residents, to interact with each other through avatars...
as the "Virtual Centre for Digital Media" (vCDM), which is located at the "University Project" sim (150, 84, 23). The sim was created in 2006 by a "virtual architect", Scope Cleaver. 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".
kie belen
- On August 2, 2007, the Centre hosted science-fiction author William GibsonWilliam GibsonWilliam Gibson is an American-Canadian science fiction author.William Gibson may also refer to:-Association football:*Will Gibson , Scottish footballer...
simultaneously in Second LifeSecond LifeSecond Life is an online virtual world developed by Linden Lab. It was launched on June 23, 2003. A number of free client programs, or Viewers, enable Second Life users, called Residents, to interact with each other through avatars...
and the physical space. In an interview with Salon Magazine, author William GibsonWilliam GibsonWilliam Gibson is an American-Canadian science fiction author.William Gibson may also refer to:-Association football:*Will Gibson , Scottish footballer...
commented on the experience of Mixed RealityMixed realityMixed reality refers to the merging of real and virtual worlds to produce new environments and visualisations where physical and digital objects co-exist and interact in real time...
: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 PremierPremier of British ColumbiaThe Premier of British Columbia is the first minister, head of government, and de facto chief executive for the Canadian province of British Columbia. Until the early 1970s the title Prime Minister of British Columbia was often used...
Gordon Campbell formally opened the Centre for Digital Media in a similar blended reality function in September 2007.
- The Vancouver Police DepartmentVancouver Police DepartmentThe Vancouver Police Department is the police force for the City of Vancouver in British Columbia, Canada. It is one of several police departments within the Metro Vancouver Area and is the second largest police force in the province after RCMP "E" Division.VPD was the first Canadian police force...
held a recruitment event using the Virtual Centre for Digital Media in 2007.