UNM’s degree programs have become increasingly geared toward a digital world, and the creation of a state-of-the-art digital media building is a harbinger of that shift.
Miguel Gandert, director of the new building located across from Albuquerque Studios on Rio Bravo, said the digital media center acts as an incubator for digital media students to gain knowledge about using professional digital equipment.
“The digital divide is so great there is a different world out there for digital media,” he said. “This program is meant to generate more real-world experience in the media field with students.”
The center is three stories high and houses a variety of up to date media production equipment.
It was funded through initiatives backed by former New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson at a cost of $11 million.
James Linell, dean of the fine arts department, said Richardson wanted to see the infrastructure of the movie industry grow.
“The governor had a vision of linking education to the infrastructure of the movie industry,” he said. “Governor Richardson saw education as the component to training students with the broad skills and from a variety of backgrounds to take those digital media skills out into the world and do a number of different things.”
The new facility contains a 120-seat movie theater for students taking film classes or creating their own films.
Gandert said the building is open to other UNM departments and is not just affiliated with digital media.
“The support that the media center has had from other programs has been great,” he said. “The College of Engineering, Anderson School of Business, Arts and Sciences, College of Fine Arts and Communication and Journalism are all also affiliated with the involvement of this new project center. There won’t just be digital media students using the full potential of this building but there will also be students from all of these different programs who will utilize the center also.”
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