Loop Lab Studio Updates 2022

The Loop Lab Studio

This year, we were joined by Abhi Indrekar as the Interim Production Manager for the Studio. Abhi has more than 10 years of non-fiction/fiction filmmaking experience as a director, cinematographer and editor. He, along with a dedicated group of talented subcontractors, produced more than 40 video and audio projects this year alone. 

In the fall, The Loop Lab Studio received an opportunity to be involved in a long term project with MIT's Global Opportunity Initiative (GOI). We’re helping to create 12 podcast episodes for GOI's Beyond The Resume podcast series. Beyond the Resume is hosted by GOI Founder George Westerman. During more than 18 years with MIT Sloan School of Management, he has written three award-winning books, including Leading Digital: Turning Technology Into Business Transformation. You can listen to the first three edited podcasts here.

We are also honored to be awarded a contract with the Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture through the City of Boston to create engaging videos for 30 artists and creative workers in Greater Boston. This project will provide recent graduates of The Loop Lab Academy with an interest in film production an opportunity to learn more by assisting with the directing, filming and editing of the many pieces to come. We cannot wait to get started! Check out the announcement of the award here. 

We’ve spent much of the year assisting with an ongoing Cambridge-based project known as the Jukebox, which is a community story sharing platform made accessible through a vintage jukebox machine. Created by artist Elisa Hamilton, the Jukebox opened and released (its first) 25 audio accounts about the Cambridge neighborhood at newly renovated space The Foundry this past fall. The project is still in the production stage as there are 75 more stories to be recorded and edited with The Loop Lab Studio. You can see it in person and experience the special collection of voices or listen here. 

As transition into a new year, we are in search of additional production gigs for 2023. Whether you're looking for new marketing content, a mini-documentary film, podcast creation & editing, live streaming or otherwise, Loop Lab Studio has all the creative and innovative solutions for you and your business/projects. Please reach out to us for your video, audio, and livestreaming needs. We look forward to discussing your project over a cup of coffee or chai in the new year. Happy New Year!

Loop Lab Academy Updates 2022

The Academy’s fifth Media Arts Apprenticeship cohort started just as summer heated up in the first week of July. We were thrilled to welcome eight apprentices from the Greater Boston area into the learning space this year. Their first unit focused on audio production. During this session, they learned how to set up an audio interface, microphone and computers in order to then record and edit their voice on professional audio editing software like ProTools.

The Postcast | July

The assignment was to create a podcast that each apprentice had to produce, record and edit. Projects varied from games shows to artist interviews, movie reviews to true crimes. Once the podcasts were completed, The Loop Lab hosted an intimate Listening Session where the apprentices presented their finished project to peers, staff and community. You can listen to the finished podcasts here.

Photography | August

The second unit of the program was photography. Here they learned the basic functions of a Canon 60D DSLR camera. Once a certain level of comfort was established, the cohort were directed to develop a narrative of their choice portrayed through 8 - 16 images. They learned skills in composition, lighting, and using the camera on manual settings. Each apprentice had a chance to learn how to assemble a C-stand, lighting stands, and properly and safely store gear, like camera bodies and lenses. 

Here are the images that were submitted for their photography  project.

Narrative Video Project | September

As the Media Arts Apprenticeship came to a close, some of their final projects focused on producing narrative videos through storyboarding and filming workshops. Each apprentice developed their own narrative focused on a specific individual interest. They learned advanced filming techniques using 2 camera setup with Black Magic Cameras and complex color correction in DaVinci Resolve. Projects ran the gamut from skateboarding culture to dancing to gardening. Here are examples of the videos that were produced.

Audible Video Projects | November

Last of all, the cohort adventured out into our community, the city of Cambridge, and filmed and edited videos on different topics for Audible. Some of the topics covered were mentoring, mental health, arts as a career, and job training. Yesterday, the apprentices were joined by their instructors, TLL staff and board members, family, friends, and many community members for a celebratory screening of their films on the big screen at the Brattle Theatre. Their following discussion on the experience with moderator Jonathan Allen, Co-Founder and Director of Development at Leadership Brainery, may have been nerve wracking for many but showcased the sheer amount of growth we witnessed over the past five months. Keep an eye out for a link to the films if you missed them last night/

Congratulations to all of the apprentices that have now completed the instructional portion of the Media Arts Apprenticeship! 

Funder Spotlights 2022

Barr Foundation

The Barr Foundation focuses on three primary areas: Arts & Creativity, Climate, and Education, complemented by grantmaking to strengthen New England’s social sector, and by targeted, time-limited Special Initiatives. Along with 14 other grassroots nonprofits across

Massachusetts, The Loop Lab was selected for Barr’s Powering Cultural Futures Initiative. This multi-year initiative will explore ways that philanthropy can shift power to these agencies placing their needs first, fueling expansion of BIPOC arts via long-term flexible capital, technical assistance, network development, and attracting donors to finance these approaches. Over the next six years, each participant can consider and move toward an operating model and scale that matches its aspirations and incorporates factors including its programmatic strengths and ambitions, the hopes and needs of its community, and its mix of human, financial, and organizational resources. The Loop Lab is excited and honored to be included in this important ground-breaking Barr initiative.

Audible

Audible is the leading creator and provider of premium audio storytelling, enriching the lives of millions of listeners every day, and a driving force behind today’s audio entertainment revolution. As part of their mission to Activate Caring within their communities, since 2019, thirty-seven Audible volunteers have played a critical role supporting Loop Lab trainees to produce 17 mini-documentary style videos highlighting various social issues within the Cambridge community. These mini-documentaries are the trainee’s final projects and are meant to simulate what it would be like to work with a client to produce a video. Audible volunteers work alongside the trainees from developing the content and scripts, to conducting interviews with community members, through the final edits, and public showcasing of the projects. Audible’s commitment to amplifying the voices of underrepresented communities and to striving for social and economic justice, is a natural fit with The Loop Lab in our commitment to end inequality and racism through digital storytelling.

On behalf of The Loop Lab Board, staff and, especially the young people we serve, we thank these important Loop Lab supporters.