Equipment Room (“The Vault”) 

Operational Procedures

 

A Privilege to Students
Broadcast students are privileged to check out equipment so long as certain procedures get met. Each broadcast class is assigned their own equipment, which in most cases amounts to 3 or 4 camera kits along with accessories, such as microphones and sun guns. In addition, there are 3 light kits available for separate check out. Students must be trained in the use of all equipment and sign their agreement to the equipment policies before they will be allowed to check out gear. 


Fees
Based on student feedback, to assure that students can get the cameras they signed up for, when they need them, we have decided to implement fees if cameras are not returned properly. Starting at $10 these fees will increase the longer the camera remains unavailable to students who need it and can max out at $30 a day. Fees will acquire again at the start of a new check-out day, and so on. Fees will also be charged to students who return gear that is packed improperly. If equipment is damaged or fees, students will be charged the cost of the item. However, as long as you take proper care of the equipment and you take responsibility for returning it on time, then you will likely never be charged a single fee. Therefore, take good care of the equipment.


24-hour Check Out Maximum

Check out is limited to a maximum 24-hours, with the exception of weekends. However, we prefer that you check out the camera in 3-hour blocks. Extensions must be approved by a professor, and only when the equipment isn't reserved for other uses. As said before, equipment check-out is a privilege, but one that can be curtailed if common courtesy is not exercised. Please be considerate of your peers, making certain that the equipment is returned on time and in good condition.

Students are required to reserve the equipment and use it only on the date for which it is reserved. They can only reserve equipment that is assigned to their class (unless they get authorisation). Students reserve equipment on the clipboards located outside the equipment room, located in Armory 214. The equipment must then be returned within the prescribed due date. Otherwise, students who are late will be charged fees (see above), which can even lead to a loss of check-out privileges, block their course registration and could even impact their grade. Furthermore, equipment that is returned damaged, missing or packed incorrectly may also result in the student being charged and/or blocked from checking out equipment and even charged for replacement costs. 

The following procedures are in place to ensure that the equipment meets the needs of all students. Please handle with care.


  • Students can only check-out equipment that is assigned to their class. All other equipment is off limits except with special permission.
  • Broadcast students can check out cameras only if they reserved them on the camera check out clip-board.
  • Equipment cannot be shared or given to anyone outside of the assigned use without permission.
  • Students can only check-out/check-in equipment during the Vault’s operation hours. Plan ahead.
  • Only 2 batteries are given per camera bag at check-out. Students must confirm that the batteries are fully charged before they leave the building.
  • Students need to confirm that all of the gear in their camera kit is present and operational before they leave.
  • Students are directly responsible for equipment that is checked-out under their name. The student will be responsible for replacing lost, stolen or damaged equipment.
  • Equipment is to be returned only to the Vault, and only to those who are authorised to receive it. Never leave the equipment unattended outside the door of the Vault, in classrooms, or anywhere else for that matter. 
  • Equipment is to be officially checked-out/checked-in via the Equipment Check Out Database. No hand-written notes will be accepted, and check-out/check-in will be conducted by an authorised person who has access to the check-out database.
  • Equipment can be checked-out for no longer than 24-hours with the exception of weekends. Anyone who needs equipment longer must renew their check-out and get permission. 
  • Longer check-out periods (for special projects) must be authorised, via e-mail, by the professor.
  • Late fees will apply to students who have not returned equipment promptly or with items in the camera kit (or other kits) that are not bagged properly. A student who receives a late notice must return the equipment immediately.

Take Proper Care of the Equipment
Whilst the equipment is checked out in your name, you are ultimately responsible for it. Take precautions to prevent accidents from happening:
  • Make sure you hold the camera with a solid grip when mounting it to the tripod;
  • Make sure that the tripod is balanced on good-footing before you mount the camera;
  • Don't expose the camera to extremes in temperature or expose it to moisture such as rain or snow;
  • Don't leave the camera out in the open unprotected or unsupervised;
  • Keep track of accessory items. If they come in a bag, then they need to be returned in the same bag; 
  • When keeping the camera overnight, make sure it's not left in your car or in other parts of the house where other people can gain access; 
  • Treat the gear kindly - seriously. Don't be in such a rush that you're not taking the time to wrap cables correctly. Never just throw items in the bag. 
When returning a camera kit, the contents need to be packed neatly. All cables must be stored inside the zip lock bags that they were storied in.


Above - This bag is packed neatly. Students need to be tidy when they return equipment.


This is an actual picture of a camera bag that was returned by a student. Note the compartments where items should be stored. The wireless microphone are scattered in the kit. When you take an item that came in a bag (such as the wireless microphone) store the bag in the camera kit for safe-keeping. Then when you return equipment, place the item neatly into one of the camera bag's compartments. Tidy up the camera bag before returning the kit.


This is what was found underneath the camera (yes, the camera kit was actually returned in this condition)/. This is not how cables should be stored in the bag. Use the zip lock bags that are provided. Pack neatly!

 
NEVER wrap the audio cable around the hand-held microphone (yes, this picture shows a microphone that was actually returned by a student). Wrapping the cable around the microphone can damage the internal wires, making it more susceptible to audio glitches, and can dramatically shorten its lifespan. Students will be charged fees if cables are returned in this manner. 



Wrap the cable like the illustration above. Use the over/under method, which is the proper way to coil a cable. Follow the cable's natural curves rather than bending against them. For a brief over/under lesson, watch the YouTube tutorial below from Klass-Sick Entertainment TV.