Since its inception in 2009, Digital Media Practices — a coordinate major in the School of Liberal Arts that culminates in a student-produced, professional-level media capstone — has given Tulane students the chance to explore and develop critical “soft skills” in an ever-evolving selection of media and genres. On top of these benefits, program initiatives, including documentary filmmaking and screenwriting, audio and podcast production, animation, and game design, allow students to not only interact with the unique creative landscape that is the city of New Orleans but also to impart their learned skills and resources on the community. Now, a new 3-year grant from the Louisiana Entertainment Development Fund will expand those possibilities.
The $700,000 grant will modernize the program’s cinema technology, upgrading and expanding filmmaking equipment offered to students and other aspiring filmmakers. Through a partnership with #CreateLouisiana, these industry-standard resources — including professional cameras, sound recording devices, and high-performance editing workstations — will be made available to independent filmmakers in Louisiana at no cost.
“We have an opportunity to create a robust pathway connecting our rich, local community to Tulane’s innovative resources, thus elevating local storytellers and cultivating the next generation of cinema in this unique cultural landscape,” said DMP program director Casey Beck.
The new equipment will also support DMP service-learning initiative courses like “The Independent Film Ecosystem in New Orleans,” connecting Tulane students to the vibrant independent film landscape of New Orleans through collaborative partnerships with six local organizations, and “Digital Media for Community Health and Well-being,” allowing students to produce short documentaries and PSAs about local non-profits.
School of Liberal Arts Dean Brian T. Edwards notes that the grant comes at a particularly opportune time, coinciding with the extensive renovation of historic Newcomb Hall. DMP’s new home on Newcomb’s fourth floor will include 6,400 square feet of state-of-the-art screening rooms, a recording studio, post-production spaces, and teaching facilities.
“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,” remarked Dean Edwards. “This grant allows us to ensure that our exciting new spaces will feature professional equipment.”
The grant will also jump-start a curriculum expansion at DMP. Using a tool called UnReal Engine, the program will offer specialized training in visual effects and 3D animation, increasing opportunities for interactive storytelling and virtual production.
"We are so excited to continue to expand DMP and create new opportunities to access industry-grade equipment for our students and the greater Louisiana filmmaking community,” Beck continued. “We know there are many talented independent filmmakers in our student body and in the state who will capitalize on this expansion to tell the important stories of our time."
Louisiana-based filmmakers interested in accessing the Tulane equipment package can apply through the #CreateLouisiana Film Gear Access Grant.