Editing a video usually involves adding and removing tape. But in the case of Hamilton Hall, in order to edit, a room had to be added.

Discussion began last fall on how to better use an open room in the basement of Hamilton Hall, which was being used as storage space.

John Eighmey, head of the journalism and mass communication department, said the department has decided to turn the room into an editing space for students.

“This room will fill a longstanding need of a place where electronic media students can edit their work,” he said.

Funding for the new editing room was provided by the department, and construction began in the summer.

The room will be divided into three areas. The majority of it will be filled with three editing suites for student use.

In addition to the suites, Eighmey said two other needs of the department will be accommodated.

“There will be an open area with small tables for student and faculty meetings, as well as office space,” he said.

Dom Caristi, head of electronic media studies, said a variety of editing equipment will be used in the suites, ranging from primitive to state-of-the-art.

“We will be installing a non-linear editing facility in which the students will be able to edit their work right on the computer,” he said.

This is a process where the students will dump their film onto a hard drive and work from there, Caristi explained.

“This is the kind of editing equipment the industry is heading for,” Caristi said.

In addition to the non-linear machine, the department will purchase an industry-standard editing machine for the second area.

Because the high cost of the non-linear machine won’t allow the department to buy another new machine, Caristi said a primitive editing machine which the department already owns will fill the third suite.

“Of course we’d like to load the room with three state-of-the-art machines, but that is just not possible,” he said.

Caristi said students need training on all the machines, even the older models.

“Students are getting jobs where all these machines exist. For this reason we need to continue using them,” he said.

Eighmey said although this room will emphasize the needs of electronic media majors, a variety of students will benefit from its services.

“We expect this room to be used throughout the curriculum of all emphasis of mass communication,” he said.

The room should be open for student use by January.