Batavia school district OKs purchase of new cameras for video production, fine arts center

The Batavia District 101 School Board approved the purchase of new high-tech cameras for the Batavia Fine Arts Centre and video production facilities at the March 21 board meeting.

“It is five Panasonic pan-tilt-zoom cameras with robotic arms. Three of those would be installed in video production and two would be installed at the Fine Arts Centre,” Batavia Fine Arts Centre manager and District Theater manager Dominic Cattero said. “Two Panasonic PTZ camera controllers would be installed at video production as well. Those could control independently the studio cameras, or control the BFAC cameras at the same time, and then students could do live remotes from the stage.”

The cameras and equipment will cost $51,491, according to meeting documents.

Cattero said there is still a lot of interest in having events at the Batavia Fine Arts Centre and Batavia High School livestreamed.

“In the last 30 days, 12,175 minutes have been watched at home,” he said.

Documents showed BFAC productions generated $40,000 in DVD and Blu-ray sales during the pandemic.

“In an effort to retain that revenue into the future, we would like to improve the cameras,” Cattero said. “This would allow for future rentals and future Blu-ray purchases to in essence fund the purchase of these cameras for the future.”

Cattero said modernized cameras are needed to replace Batavia High School video production cameras, which are not as suitable for a live environment.

“Industry equipment is important for our students to learn on,” he said. “This is the type of equipment they’re going to engage with when they are entering college or when they’re going into the world to do this kind of work in these fields.”

The board also reviewed details about the $140 million facilities referendum question that will appear on the April 4 consolidated election ballot.

If the referendum is passed, the district will make sweeping changes and updates to district facilities, including the demolition and replacement of H.C. Storm and Louise White elementary schools.

“What we can say to the taxpayers is that this master plan that we’ve developed is designed to save taxpayer dollars to the extent practical and directing as much money as possible toward our educational programs and minimizing those construction costs so that we can get the best bang for our buck,” CFO Anton Inglese said.

More information about the referendum can be found here.