Columbia College Chicago's Media Production Center

On Friday, February 5, 2010, Beth Silverman invited me to help with the ribbon cutting ceremony taking place in the new Media Production Center at Columbia College Chicago. Being a student at Columbia, I’ve heard the buzz surrounding this building for months and I was excited to see if it lived up to the hype.

Located on 1600 S. State St., the enormous building is eye-catching with its multi-colored windows and giant Columbia sign displayed proudly above the front door. The Production Center is also LEED certified and contains a 50% green roof, radiant heating and cooling in sound stage spaces, and lighting fixtures that progressively increase as natural outdoor light decreases.

Once inside, Beth gave me a quick tour while we waited for people to arrive. Every corner we turned seemed to amaze me in a new way-the building looks exactly like a professional film studio. Everything in the building was designed for a specific use; even the lobby and mezzanine provide a gathering place for students to watch films. Next we visited the spacious motion capture studio, where there were giant screens and wires where the actors would be hooked up and then converted in to a 2D or 3D computer animated character.

My favorite part was the sound stage located in the rear of the building because it’s about three times the size of the sound stages located in Columbia’s film building. The soundstage gives the building a professional air and it was exciting to see a scene being shot by Columbia students in this space. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to see the open air theater or the outdoor rooftop, but that means I will just have to go back again!

When the event got rolling, I stood in the lobby to greet guests that arrived and direct them to the press table. I didn’t get to see the ribbon cutting, but I did shake Mayor Daley’s hand which was an exciting moment for me. I also got to meet Columbia’s public relations department, work with a fellow student, and see what a publicist does during events they worked on. Overall, it was a great learning experience and a neat way to get acquainted with a new addition to Columbia