Video Production & Film Teacher in Need of Heeeeeeelp!!!

[amazingspanoman]

Hello Thar!

I have a fine art degree in digital media which encompasses a variety of media formats from web design to graphic design to motion graphics. I was originally a graphic arts teacher at the High School level and have not recently (2 years ago) moved to the Middle School level to create and teach an 8th grade video production class.

I have used many Film Riot videos to aid me in teaching my students about coverage and camera angles etc. and they have helped me very successful in the progression of this new-ish class. This year I have been tasked with starting our very own production studio which would be used to pre-record and play our video morning announcements.

Anyway... before taking over the coarse one of our tech guys purchased a Roland V-8 and a 6 channel Peavey audio mixer along with two Audio Technica wafer table top microphones. I also have some consumer grade Canon Hi Def SD media video cameras that have HDMI output. I also have a lighting grid with no lights or control unit.

I have been given a fair budget this year to get this studio up and working. I am looking at creating the best set up (with or without the equipment I already have). Even though this is a Middle School program I am a firm believer in providing the students as close to real life experience in my classes and do not want to just put some stuff together that will just "get the job done"

I have been looking at BlackMagic Design's ATEM TV Studio because of the ease of use and ability to record the live footage directly into the computer that will be sending the announcements out to the classrooms in the morning. I'm not 100% sure of using this as my setup being all the complaints I have been reading about the audio input and the delay it causes in the recording. The idea is to mainstream this process as much as possible with preventing the need for post-production editing. I've also looked at the Roland VR-8 which looks promising.

Does anyone have any suggestions? I'm open to any suggestions that can get this working and as true to a real set up with a school budget in mind.

Sorry for the long winded explanation but I wanted to be sure I got all the info out. Thanks!