AVONDALE, ARIZ.—Students from the Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences got a three-day crash course on mixing live audio and video feeds for a sports production. The subject matter was the Fox Sports broadcast of the three-day Monster Energy NASCAR Cup Series race at ISM Raceway in Avondale, Ariz.; the students’ classroom was a 42-ft. remote production mobile broadcast trailer; and their teacher was Sports Broadcast Hall of Fame inductee Fred Aldous.

The students received the raw feed from Fox, which include all the behind-the-scenes audio discussions and directions between the directors, broadcast crews, producers, engineers and videographers. CRAS Administrator Kirt Hamm said this allowed the students to experience what a broadcast was really like. The students would then practice mixing the audio and follow the directions as they came in.

Three teams of 10-12 students each had the opportunity to train with Aldous during the three-day event.

CRAS is an 11-month program that is designed to train its students in a wide range of disciplines with professional equipment to better prepare them for their professional careers.

AVONDALE, ARIZ.—Students from the Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences (CRAS) got to go for spin in a simulation of a live broadcast of a recent NASCAR race. With the help of Fox Sports, 33 students were able to practice mixing live audio and video feeds of the Camping World 500 at the Phoenix International Raceway from the school’s remote production truck.

Three teams of 10-12 students trained in the truck during the three-day NASCAR series event. The students received the raw feed from Fox, including behind-the-scenes audio discussions and directions between the broadcast directors, broadcast crews, producers, engineers and videographers. This was designed to give them a simulation of a real-life sports broadcast, said CRAS administrator Kirt Hamm.

In addition, Fox Sports Senior Mixer and Consultant Fred Aldous lent his help to provide training for the students.

This was a part of CRAS 11-month program that trains them in the audio recording and mixing gear that is used in the professional industry.

PHOENIX—Students from the Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences (CRAS) recently had the chance to step up to the plate and handle live mixing of audio and video feeds of an Arizona Diamondbacks baseball game. With feeds provided by Fox Sports, the students trained on the simulated broadcast in CRAS’ 42-foot remote production mobile broadcast trailer.

The training session took place during a three-game series between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Milwaukee Brewers. Three CRAS teams, each made up of 10-12 students, had access to all feeds, including behind-the-scenes discussions between the crew to get the full broadcast experience of mixing the audio and following directions.

The students were assisted by Fred Domenigoni, freelance senior audio engineer for Fox Sports Arizona, along with Mobile TV Group engineers. According to Domenigoni, this was the third season the CRAS ran a training program during a Diamondbacks game.

“There are a lot of moving parts in a live sports broadcast situation, and you have to be ready for anything because there are no do-overs,” said Domenigoni. “These CRAS students get the fit and feel from industry professionals who are actually working the games.”

CRAS is an 11-month program based in Arizona that is designed to teach broadcast audio techniques for a range of industry fields

AVONDALE, ARIZ.—NASCAR races are fast, but it wasn’t just the speed of the race cars that a group of students from the Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences got to experience recently. During the three-day Good Sam 500 event at Phoenix International Raceway from March 11-13, CRAS student had the opportunity for hands-on experience of mixing live audio and video feeds from Fox Sports in the school’s 42-foot remote-production mobile broadcast trailer.

The students were divided into three teams of 10-12. They received behind-the-scenes audio discussions and directions between directors, broadcast crews, producers, engineers and videographers, according to Kirt Hamm, a CRAS administrator. The student then followed directions to practice audio mixing during the live broadcast.

CRAS is an 11-month program designed to teach broadcast audio, live sound, film and TV audio, music, and video game audio. The program has campuses in Gilbert and Tempe, Ariz. 

TEMPE, ARIZ.—Finding that first job after college can be tough for many recent graduates, however that was not the case for Billy Reardon. After a two-month internship with Mobile TV Group Reardon was hired for a full-time position with the mobile production company . Reardon credits a part of this to the Conservatory of Recording Artists & Sciences.

Billy Reardon

CRAS is an education program that was developed with the help of Fox Sports Senior Mixer and Consultant Fred Aldous to properly instruct, train and prepare students for the broadcast industry. With two campuses in Gilbert and Tempe, Ariz., CRAS teaches broadcast audio, live sound, film and TV audio, music, and video game audio. The 11-month program allows every student to learn and train in all areas and requires to complete a 280-hour industry internship to graduate from the Master Recording Program II. For many, like Reardon, this can lead to full-time employment.

For more information on CRAS, visit www.audiorecordingschool.com.