WALLA WALLA UNIVERSITY The Ultimate Outdoor Church

STUDENTS FLOODED BACK ONTO CAMPUS ON SEPT. 26 TO BEGIN A NEW SCHOOL YEAR AT WALLA WALLA UNIVERSITY. MANY OF THE OPENING EVENTS WERE HELD AT A NEW LOCATION ON CAMPUS — THE OUTDOOR STAGE.

Centered on Centennial Green, this temporary stage was initially envisioned in the fall of 2021 as a way to allow socially distanced events and worships. Again this fall, teams from across campus collaborated to construct a four-sided stage surrounded by seating that accommodated 1,500 people. The outdoor cathedral included a sound system, lights, chairs and an elevated stage all assembled underneath large trees just beginning to turn red and gold. “The stage is impressive in its youthful vibe,” said John McVay, WWU president. “It just feels fun.”

Events such as Friday evening vespers, Mosaic Church, CommUnity and week of worship all met in the impressive space. Speakers and student musicians joined in offering inspiration and sparking insight, conviction, engagement and community. Exceptional education at WWU began in this close-knit community with an integration of faith and learning. Finding a new space to draw together, hundreds of students assembled to discover, pray and lift songs of praise to our returning King under the canopy of the star-filled night sky.

KELSI NASH WWU university relations supervisor

Studio Refreshed For Innovative Film Techniques

PARTS OF THE FILM STUDIO at Walla Walla University were revamped to allow students to discover innovative film techniques related to virtual production.

Virtual production is a new process in the filmmaking industry that allows special effects and backgrounds to be filmed in-camera instead of created in post-production. “This is one of the biggest changes to film since the beginning of the film medium,” said Jerry Hartman, WWU professor of communication.

WWU students now have the ability to explore this innovative technology thanks to updates in the film studio. Three projectors cast images onto a curving floor-to-ceiling wall freshly painted white. A custom-built computer senses where the camera is in relation to the wall and allows the projectors to adjust the background in real-time.

Matt Webster, WWU production and facilities coordinator, said virtual production has quickly developed in the last three years. He said, “This puts us on the leading edge of teaching what is being used in the industry.” Students explored the implementation of this relatively new technology most deeply in the Interactive and VR Storytelling class this fall.

To learn more about studies in film and media at WWU, visit wallawalla.edu/comm-lang

KELSI NASH

WWU university relations supervisor

More online at NWADVENT.ST/117-7-WWU-24