LEARN MORE ABOUT THE EDITING LABS
If you have questions please contact the Film at Mason office, below.
Mason Film students have 24-hour access to state of the art editing labs including the Sage Room, Film/Game Lab, and Cyan Lab.
Software Update Policy
Film at Mason strives to keep its labs in working order. To do so, software and operating system upgrades are strategically initiated at specific times in an academic year, which is between semesters ONLY and never during a semester. Updates are fully vetted and recognized to be compatible before completed.
Per post-production best practices, upgrades are never done immediately after new software and OS versions are released. We encourage you to follow these same practices with your own systems. It is never a good idea to update your editing software or operating system while in the middle of editing a project. We encourage you to complete your project first, back up both the project and your system (as always) and then perform software updates. Following Apple guidelines, updates should never be done without backing up your system and files first.
For more information on the software and versions currently running in our labs, please see below. Note: The systems run Deep Freeze so all freeware that is installed or updated is erased at midnight. To report system or software problems please send an email with your questions and/or concerns.
Hardware
Please note: students are required to purchase one external hard drive. For best practices, we encourage students to purchase two; one drive should be transported to classes and to the labs, and one drive should remain home as a media storage backup. The drive you bring to classes and editing labs must be portable.
While there is no laptop requirement for Film students, we do recommend students purchase an Apple Mac Book Pro. Please read through our complete Computing Recommendations 2020.
Film at Mason editing labs are currently running the software versions listed below.
Supported Software Fall 2021
Adobe (Premiere)
Adobe Creative Cloud
If you are interested in purchasing Adobe Creative Cloud for use at home, please visit the student page on the Adobe site.
Creative Cloud Desktop Application: 5.2.1
Video Specific Applications:
- Prelude - Version 10.1.0
- Media Encoder - Version 15.4
- Premiere - Version 15.2.0
- Audition - Version 14.4.0.38
- After Effects - Version 18.4.0
Other Creative Cloud Applications:
- Animate Version 21.0.7
- Bridge Version 11.1.0.175
- Character Animator Version 4.4
- Dimension Version 3.4.2
- Dreamweaver Version 21.1
- Fuse Version 2017.1.0
- Illustrator Version 25.3.1
- InCopy Version 16.3.1
- In Design Version 16.3.2
- Lightroom Version 4.3
- Lightroom Classic Version 10.3
- Photoshop Version 22.4.3
- Premiere Rush Version 1.5.62
- Scout Version 1.1.3.354121
- XD Version 42.1.22.4 64
Blackmagic Design (Da Vinci Resolve)
Da Vinci Resolve Version 17.2.2 / Released 1 Jul 2021
Find more information and download Blackmagic Design's DaVinci Resolve.
*Note Da Vinci Resolve makes Beta Versions of its software available to the general public. Please do not download any beta software, as it is an unproven update.
Every version of Da Vinci Resolve can be accessed on the Blackmagic Design Support Page. Navigate to Da Vinci Resolve> Latest Downloads > Search by version number or date listed above.
Final Draft
Final Draft Version 12.0.1
Microsoft Office
All Mason Students, Faculty and Staff have free access to Microsoft Office. Download Microsoft Office for use on your computer.
Additional Software
Below is a list of additional software our program uses. We have made these products available on some workstations in our labs.
For up to date specific version information, or other resources related to the software below please reach out to Film @ Mason Technical Coordinator Andrew Jorgensen.
- Avid Media Composer
- Avid ProTools
- Apple Logic X
- Apple Final Cut Pro X
- Apple Motion
- Celtx
- Entertainment Partners Movie Magic Scheduling
- Entertainment Partners Movie Magic Budgeting
- Red Pro Cine-X
- Make MKV
- Handbrake
- VLC
- DCP O-Matic
Lab Locations
Sage Lab (Performing Arts Building, PAB 3019)
The Sage Lab is an editing and meeting room open to all Film and Video Studies majors and students enrolled in film production courses. It is located on the third floor of the deLaski Performing Arts Building. The room is open at times the deLaski building is open (view schedule info below). In addition, the Sage Lab will be closed periodically for meetings and classes. Please see the room for any notifications of closure. For card-swipe access or to book the space, please email Film at Mason Academic and Program Manager, Samantha Beach Sinagra with your G#.
MAX Room Capacity 12
Schedule, Fall 2021
Open 7 Days A Week 6am-12am
(may be closed during campus closures for holidays & extreme weather)
Features
- 6 27" iMacs for video editing, each with an external monitor and second chair for collaboration.
- 65" Samsung TV for collaboration
- Meeting Table Seats 8.
- Whiteboard
POST PRODUCTION SUITE A (Performing Arts Building, PAB A109A) – NEW!
(Formerly known as the Cyan Lab)
Our primary mixing and mastering space for advanced productions. With one system dedicated to color correction, and one to audio mixing and mastering, the suite is set up so students can patch their projects into a 75" 4K TV and studio grade speakers. Suite A is open to all Film @ Mason Students.
If you are interested in reserving this suite please email Film @ Mason Technical Assistant Evan Bowen - ebowen5@gmu.edu
MAX Room Capacity 4
Schedule, Fall 2021
Open 7 Days A Week 6am-12am
(may be closed during campus closures for holidays & extreme weather)
Features
- 2021 Mac Pro, 2x4k Benq Monitors, Da Vinci Resolve Studio and Black Magic Color Wheels
- 2021 iMac with Pro Tools and 16 Channel AVID S1 Controller
- 4K 75” Samsung TV with Yamaha Studio Monitors
- Blu Ray Player
POST PRODUCTION SUITE B (Performing Arts Building, PAB A109F) - NEWLY UPDATED!
(Formerly known as the Advanced Edit Lab)
Suite B is set up as a single edit bay, so students have a space they can go to when they know they have a lot of work to get thru and not be easily distrubed. The Suite has dual monitors and studio monitors so students can work with out headphones if need be. Suite B is open to all Film @ Mason Students.
If you are interested in reserving this suite please email Film @ Mason Technical Assitant Evan Bowen - ebowan5@gmu.edu.
MAX Room Capacity 2
Schedule, Fall 2021
Open 7 Days A Week 6am-12am
(may be closed during campus closures for holidays & extreme weather)
Features
- 2013 Mac Pro with Adobe Creative Cloud, and Da Vinci Resolve
- Studio Monitors
- 3 way color wheels
Film/Game Lab AB 2001 (Art and Design Building)
The Film/Game Lab is where a majority of our post production courses are held. All the iMac computers in the classroom run both windows and mac OS to support both Film and Game Design Instruction. The Film/Game Lab is open to all students after classes during hours in which a lab monitor is present. It is located on the second floor of the Art and Design Building. Access to the room is only available when a lab monitor is present.
Please see the schedule posted on the door for up to date hours. To book the space e-mail Mary Bean in Game Design.
Schedule, Fall 2021
Lab Hours: Monday - Friday 7pm-11pm
(Hours may vary based on Lab Monitor availability, see schedule posted on the door for up to date hours or changes.)
Features
- 25 - 21" iMac Workstations for student use
- Focusrite Audio Interfaces at 16 workstations
- 3 - 50" TVs spread across the room, mirroring the instructor workstation
- Dimmable Lighting
IN 233 (Innovation Hall)
Innovation Hall Room 233 is a University Classroom. A significant number of Film and Video Studies courses are held in this classroom. It is available to all students when class is not in session, and the building is open.
Schedule, Fall 2021
Lab Hours: Daily 6am-10:30pm when classes are not in session.
Features
- 25 - 27" iMac Workstations for student use
- 70" TV for class instruction, with stereo sound.
Star Lab (Johnson Center)
STAR Lab is a state-of-the-art multimedia computer and equipment checkout facility that provides the space and resources to complete creative projects. STAR Lab offers Mac and PC stations equipped with specialized video, multimedia, and game design software. This facility also has a variety of video production equipment available for checkout, as well as a video production studio. Student mentors with specialized knowledge of operating systems and applications are on hand to assist with troubleshooting.
Schedule, Fall 2021
Monday - Thursday 10am-10pm
Friday 10am-6pm
Saturday - CLOSED
Sunday 12pm-6pm
Features
- 12 Video Editing Workstations (Mac OS)
- 12 Multimedia Workstations (4 Mac OS / 8 Windows)
- 5 Game Design Workstations (1 MacOS / 4 Windows)
- Video Production Equipment Rental
- Small Studio Space with Green Screen