Tulane's Digital Media Practices receives grant to upgrade equipment, expand access

Tulane University's Digital Media Practices program has received a $700,000 grant from the Louisiana Entertainment Development Fund to modernize cinema technology and expand opportunities for aspiring filmmakers.

The grant will fund the acquisition of professional cameras, sound recording devices and high-performance editing workstations – giving students hands-on experience with the tools used by today's leading filmmakers.

Independent Louisiana filmmakers will also have access to Tulane’s equipment over the summer months. Applications for the equipment package opens Sept. 1 through the Create Louisiana Film Gear Access Grant.

“This grant comes at a particularly opportune moment and allows us to ensure that our exciting new spaces will feature professional equipment."

School of Liberal Arts Dean Brian T. Edwards

The grant arrives as Tulane’s School of Liberal Arts is completing extensive renovations to the historic Newcomb Hall, where more than 6,400 square feet on the fourth floor will be transformed into state-of-the-art facilities including screening rooms, post-production spaces, a recording studio, teaching and demonstration spaces.

“This grant comes at a particularly opportune moment and allows us to ensure that our exciting new spaces will feature professional equipment,” said School of Liberal Arts Dean Brian T. Edwards. “The vision for the renovation of historic Newcomb Hall — the centerpiece of the School of Liberal Arts — is to allow for spaces where students and teachers can collaborate across the wide range of disciplines and subjects. We can now be sure that they will be working with industry-standard filmmaking equipment.”

The Digital Media Practices program is also growing its service-learning opportunities and updating its curriculum to include training in cutting-edge visual effects, 3D animation, podcasting, sound, games, interactive media and more.

“We know there are many talented independent filmmakers in our student body and in the state who will capitalize on this opportunity to tell the important stories of our time,” said Casey Beck, director of the program.