General information and conditions of use
Access to facilities
Depending on subjects in which they are enrolled, students are issued with security PIN access to various facilities. If you are a student having trouble accessing facilities for your enrolled subjects, contact James Hurley Ph: 02 9514 1054. UTS Staff should contact Chris Bradshaw with PIN access requests.
Student late access - Bon Marche
During semester, the Harris Street doors and the doors to the Tower walkway will be open from 8am to 10pm, Monday to Fridays. Outside those hours, students in Bon Marche have access through the Harris Street entrance via the pin-number system, from 8am to midnight every day. The pin-number must also be used to exit the building at these times. During certain peak times, the video editing facilities are accessible via PIN for 20 hours per day. Never give your PIN number to another person.
Visitors' access
You are responsible for booking your visitors in to work with you. They are not allowed into the facilities after midnight at any time. Email or write details to James Hurley, including:
- name/s
- student number/s
- dates and times of access
- project
- approved by…
All visitors must carry with them at all times a signed letter of approval.
When you arrive with your visitors, you must sign them in at the Security Office (Tower Building - Level 4).
Student late access - Tower Block
We are concerned about your safety as well as the security of our equipment when you are working out of hours. We need to know who will be working on the premises, where and when. To gain access (10.00pm to midnight on weekdays and 8.00am to midnight on weekends) to the production areas in the Tower Building on Level 2A, please email or write details to James Hurley, including:
- name/s
- student number/s
- dates and times of access
- project
- approved by…
You must follow late access procedures except for those times you are in a scheduled evening class. Please contact James Hurley if you have any late access problems.
Access for wheelchair mobile people - Tower
Access to the Video Studio on Level 2A of the Tower building for wheelchair-mobile people is through the Engineering Section Ramp, which is west of the studios and allows access from Level 2 to the Media Centre facilities down in the basement of the Tower Building. If you do not have a key to operate the ramp's roller door, or if you need to get any equipment in and out of the basement after the times that this roller door is closed, contact Security.
End of semester arrangements
Towards the end of each semester, the Bon Marche Building will be accessible for 19 hours a day, to help with the end of semester panic. During this time the building will have to be clear of students from 0300 to 0700 and there will be no pin access during that period.
The dates of this extended access will be put up on the Notice Boards in the Bon Marche Building when these dates are confirmed.
Student use of the Media Centre outside teaching periods
There are frequent requests by students to use the Media Centre and other Faculty facilities outside classes to complete work for assessments or other tasks. Students are allowed to use Faculty equipment and facilities as follows:
Priority 1:
To meet the requirements of coursework students undertaking subjects in which they are currently enrolled and for completion of approved Master/ DCA/ PhD research projects.
Priority 2:
To do limited work, such as work to complete a project. Work in this category could include:
- tests on preparatory shooting before enrolment in a specific production subject in order to alleviate a bottleneck in the system;
- community projects which are consistent with the UTS mission;
- complete work for theatrical release eg. Golden Eye Awards.
DCA and MA Research Students should complete the form 'Application for special use of equipment and facilities' (link missing, should go to Forms page) and submit it by 6 March 2006. A separate form will apply for Media, Arts & Production students. This will be added to this website in March 2006.
Permission will be granted on the basis of:
- feasibility of using the facilities at a given time;
- merit of the case relative to benefit to the student and to the Faculty;
- advice of the appropriate Media Centre staff;
- advice of the academic who supervised the project and/or the heads of department likely to be affected.
Where charges are appropriate, the Media Centre schedule of hiring rates will be applicable.
You must keep copies of all contracts and documents.
Security
The Security Officers regularly ensure that alarms are working, doors are locked, etc. You must produce your student ID Card if asked, and you must leave the area or building if they direct you to do so. Please cooperate with Security Officers - they are here to protect you. For your own personal security, you should not work alone in facilities after hours or on weekends. If you are working in the video studio, please follow the safety guidelines on the door of the studio.
Working off campus
Follow the procedures outlined in the Production Manual.
For student work experience coverage, download the form and follow the Production Manual proceedure.
Remember: health and safety is your responsibility.
Emergency Procedures
The telephones in the open areas are for your use, not only for production but for emergency communication. Internal telephones are at every main lift. Dial "6" in an emergency. Please note the location of fire exits.
Emergency phone numbers
Ambulance, Fire or Police Dial "6" on internal line to notify Security
0 000 — (from an internal phone)
UTS Doctor 1166 from all UTS telephones
Mon-Thurs 8:30am - 5:30pm
Friday 8:30pm - 5pm
On Weekends - Broadway Medical Centre open 7 days 02 9281 5085
Regent Street Police Station 0 9219 2199 (from an internal phone)
1-9 Regent Street Broadway
Sydney Central Police Station Ph: 0 9265 6499 (from an internal phone)
Assistance to wheel-chair Dial "6" on all telephones
First aid kit locations
Room
3:102 - Equipment Store
3:202 - Faculty Student Centre
3:304 - AVS technical workshop
3:321 - Kitchen
3:426 — Kitchen
3:442
3:546 - SCJ kitchen
2: Level 7 Faculty Office Kitchen
First aid officers
Rosa Bow, Faculty Student Centre, Level 2, ext. 2297
Sharon Etter, room 438, ext. 1942
John Fox, equipment store, ext. 1045
Electrical safety
Students are not authorised to alter electrical circuits or to make repairs of an electrical nature to any equipment, either portable or fixed, in the Media Centre. All faults of this type should be reported to Media Centre staff or, after hours, to Security staff on # 1192. Studio and portable lights can be used only by students who have completed a Safety Proficiency test.
Accidents and follow-up
Report any accident, injury or near-miss on UTS premises, via an Incident Report. Students must report to a staff member. Staff must report to their supervisors.
Bring any problems about unsafe equipment to a Production Coordinator or Equipment Store staff, and any questions about work practices to your Coordinator. Become familiar with the location of fire extinguishers; expect periodic fire-drills; and know where the fire exits are. Do not use the fire exits as convenient short-cuts - they are alarmed.
Move equipment safely
Health and Safety is your responsibility!
When lifting:
- Bend at your hips and knees, not your waist.
- Avoid twisting your back.
- Use your leg muscles to lift.
- Carry loads close to your body.
- If the case has two handles, two people can carry it more easily than one.
- Be careful with C-stands, tripods and power cords.
- Carry tripods in the bag on your shoulder with the feet at the front, the top of the tripod legs on your shoulder.
Doctors
Medical staff are available 8:30 am to 5:30 pm weekdays (8:30 am to 5 pm Thursdays) at the Student Services Unit on Level 6 of the Tower Building, telephone 9514 1166.
On Weekends - Broadway Medical Centre open 7 days 02 9281 5085
Evacuation procedures for Bon Marche
From time to time, the University practises building evacuation procedures. It has also evacuated the building in response to bomb threats. The signal for evacuation is a siren over the public address system, followed by instructions. Do not expect to be told the reason for the evacuation order. Occupants are usually told to leave the building via the fire stairs. Evacuations should be supervised by the Fire Warden for each floor, however, the member of staff who takes on this voluntary duty may not be present. Therefore, when the signal for an evacuation comes, each person has two responsibilities:
- to ensure that people working in sound-proof areas near you are aware of the evacuation order; and
- to tell the Security Office on level 4, Tower Building # 1194, the location of people who cannot or will not evacuate, and then to wait for instructions.
Where circumstances dictate that a building should be evacuated by ALL occupants, the following procedures will be adopted.
- In the case of fire, the Evacuation system will be automatically activated by various systems. On the activation of a smoke detector the Fire Brigade is automatically called. This alarm also activates the EWIS (Evacuation System). This system consists of two tones:
- Standby tone:- a long high pitched siren sound (Prepare to Evacuate)
- Evacuate tone:- a shorter, harsher sound accompanied by a voice message advising evacuation of the building.
- Do not attempt to combat the fire - this dangerous task is to be left to professionally trained personnel.
- Staff are to take any students or visitors with them during an evacuation of the building. Provided no delay will occur, staff, students and visitors should take their immediate belongings with them.
- Evacuate the building via the fire stairs or signed exits. Do not use lifts!
- Move Quickly - Do not run!
- Assemble in the designated assembly area.
- Do not return to the building until the all clear is given. This would normally be advised by the Security Officer on duty on the advice of the Emergency Services Personnel in attendance.
In an emergency, Dial '6'
Safety on sets and locations
The film and television industry has had a number of very serious accidents over the past decade, a number of them resulting in serious injuries and fatalities. Because of this, the industry has established a safety protocol which has been accepted nationally regarding safety during every production and which involves the writing of Safety Reports on any production script which contains any shots which might be considered hazardous to crew or actors or put people and property at risk in any way. The current "Film Industry Recommended Safety Code" suggests, and now demands, that a Safety Report is required for any production containing any sequences that involve:
- anything that resembles a stunt - and this might be as simple as a fall, a chase or even a simple shot simulating an accident eg. a twisted ankle;
- anything to do with moving vehicles - either crews shooting from a vehicle or shots taken of people within a moving vehicle;
- any aerial shots;
- any shots with animals;
- any shots which contain special effects such as explosions,
- fire simulations, construction collapses, or the use of any special chemicals to create colour or smoke illusions;
- any shots which contain firearms or ammunition - including the use of plastic imitations of those firearms;
- the simulated or actual use of any drugs or alcohol in a scene;
- the use of any special rigs for mounting cameras and crew;
- the use of any special make-up or wigs, and using special costumes that might present a fire or other hazard to the wearer.
Although UTS does not suggest that you do not use any of the above, the University strongly advises that should any scenes containing any of the above appear in a script, these scenes must be discussed fully with your lecturer or with the film and video co-ordinating producer before proceeding with the production. If your production does contain any of the above and you do decide to proceed without discussion with your supervisor, and then should anything go wrong, it could result in litigation that will not be covered by the University in any of its insurance coverage for student activities or normal liabilities. If you do have scenes that include any of the above and you feel they cannot be avoided, you must contact the University's insurance department and discuss a special insurance coverage with them before proceeding with the production.
Other services
Audio Visual Services (AVS)
This University-wide service is located in the Bon Marche Building in room 3.208.
For any bookings for video playback services, for teaching only, call their store on 9514 5252, or 9514 3574.
AVS hours are 8.30am to 9pm Monday to Thursday, and 8.30am to 6pm Friday.
AVS staff do not have keys to production rooms - seek out a Production Coordinator if you need access.
If in doubt, speak to a production person before contacting the staff of AVS.