MIX

Lights. Camera. Action! ASU film students take advantage of cutting-edge technology at new MIX Center

Amid the ever-evolving digital landscape across campuses, ASU’s hub for filmmaking and media production underwent a transformative shift of its own last semester. 

Now the Media and Immersive eXperience Center, or MIX Center, in downtown Mesa is outfitted with the latest industry-grade technology enabling students to craft Hollywood-caliber productions and bolster their professional resumes before graduating. 

After opening in fall 2022, the MIX Center has already been making waves for its innovative film and media education approach. Combining world-class infrastructure, technology and educational resources, it has quickly become a destination for students looking to explore new ways to express their creative side while developing a unique voice across various mediums. 

“I feel like the new technology and resources here [at the MIX Center] have inspired us to push the boundaries and produce better content,” said Lauren Bode, a senior majoring in film and media production in The Sidney Poitier New American Film School. “The films we're doing now have just elevated so much from a year ago.”

Bode, who is a student producer of three capstone film projects — a comedy, a horror and a thriller — said her experience learning at the MIX Center has allowed her to build her portfolio to be competitive in the world of film and media production. 

“The equipment has just elevated our experience so much,” Bode said. “We have a lot more resources and just amazing all-around technology to help us create.”

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Beyond the hundreds of learners taking courses at MIX, the center is home to The Poitier Film School's production and post-production programs, with additional classes in digital media technology, worldbuilding, experience design and gaming from The Design School and the School of Arts, Media and Engineering — both, like the film school, part of the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts — as well as from the Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering and the College of Global Futures.

And to build this state-of-the-art creative hub, ASU joined forces with the city of Mesa on the overall design, construction and equipment. 

The joint investment has provided students with the resources they need to create groundbreaking new films, games and extended reality (XR) projects. This includes access to over 8,000 square feet of professional sound stages, a three-story immersion space for extended reality demonstrations, Dolby Atmos recording studios, fabrication and set design labs, a Foley stage, two commercial-size movie theaters for student showings — and it doesn't stop there.

“It's not just a step up — it's like an escalator up,” said Jason Davids Scott, the associate director of The Poitier Film School. “And the students are just completely blown away, it’s like walking into a candy store for creative arts students.”

ASU’s Enterprise Technology was part of the build process. In addition to partnering to ensure the state-of-the-art spaces were equipped with the right technology and digital infrastructure, Enterprise Technology also implemented the network connections that allow the building and its residents, learners and visitors to connect to the internet. 

The toolsets ASU learners have access to will allow them to define film media for their generation,” said Sean Snitzer, part of the Network Infrastructure Expansion team at Enterprise Technology, who managed technology aspects of the project. “The Center’s computing and network power likely far exceeds that of any undergraduate program across ASU and many research programs.” 

“We coordinated the design and integration of MIX’s audio-visual networks,” Snitzer said. “And provided additional technical support to connect studio spaces, theaters and classrooms using thousands of copper and fiber network connections to power the Center’s internet, security and other in-house networks.”

From screenwriting to post-production, students are given a comprehensive education in all aspects of creative discovery. The curriculum is designed to provide students with hands-on experience, working on real-world projects alongside industry professionals.

“Here at the MIX center, you have everything you need in one building,” said film student Laura Sandoval. “You have the sound and audio on one floor, production design on another — and supportive teachers at every level.”

Janaki Cedanna, clinical assistant professor at The Sidney Poitier New American Film School, also emphasized the Center’s ability to provide a one-stop-shop film production pathway. “As the nature of a film gets made, you kind of go floor to floor, twisting around the facility.”

“The workflow is extremely important,” said Cedanna. “It’s very important that we have one foot in the professional industry. Otherwise, we would be doing a disservice to our film students if we didn’t teach them the efficiency of professional workflows to help them get a job and a career.”

Beyond its plethora of resources, the MIX Center is a place where ASU students can go to harness their creative intuition and collaborate with other visionary learners. It’s also the unique relationship between student curiosity and MIX faculty expertise that transcends typical creative arts institutions.

Moreover, the MIX Center is a creative safe haven, a destination for students and alums to call their own, providing the best possible learning experiences and opportunities.

“It's about being able to provide the space for our students to do the things they love and move forward,” Cedanna said.

Written by Kevin Pirehpour; Photos by Mike Sanchez