Center for Research on Vermont

The Center for Research on Vermont (CRVT) is an interdisciplinary network of scholars and community members who celebrate Vermont research, foster collaborations and engage college students in Vermont research.

Since 1995, RETN and CRVT have partnered to record and share over 200 presentations of original work by scholars in the fields of agriculture, anthropology, archeology, economics, English, environmental studies, history, politics, science and more. This collection is now available digitally and on-demand.

Re-making a feature film connects Vermonters

JEFF BOTAS, Systems Administrator

The way everyone pulled together as an organization for Crowdsourced Cinema VT was impressive. We did a lot of work, and have a lot to be proud of.

JUDE DOMSKI, Production Technician

Attending the Crowdsourced Cinema VT Drive-In, seeing the film, and realizing how many hours it took to create. I loved how people worked collaboratively and created connections.

GIN FERRARA, Community Engagement Manager

I looked forward to my weekly sessions with the UVM Public Communications Action Team, a group of 5 seniors with great skills. It was a fun and creative experience creating new engagement ideas like the viewing guide and bingo card for Crowdsourced Cast Away.

PATRICK HELTZ, Distribution Coordinator

A favorite program of mine was “Love and Rockets and Alternative Comics,” a presentation on the seminal graphic novel series, filmed in February, one of the last First Wednesdays recorded live.

DREW FRAZIER, Content Manager

I’m proud of our work supporting the Quarry Project - finding ways to make a site-specific live performance continue during covid-19. We created a remote editing workflow to project short films onto a cliff face!

Memorable productions in an unusual year

WENDY ERIKSON, Production Technician

A highlight for me was working on the Vermont Youth Orchestra’s Fall Concert, an event designed with adaptations for social distancing and Covid-19 in mind, including recording the show in four parts.

MARCY WEBSTER, Production Coordinator

Recording and editing some of our first Zoom events, the Artist Talks with Hannah Dennison, Maia Vota, Andrea Grayson, and Matt Heywood, was inspirational and fun.

RICHARD GIBBS, Production Technician

It was good to return to the Media Factory space and get to connect with people again. Providing 1:1 tech support and curbside reservations, and hearing people’s appreciation for it.

Building and maintaining relationships remotely

ATHENA KAFANTARIS, Radio and Outreach Coordinator

Changing my communication style to reach out to individuals more during the pandemic resulted in becoming more connected to people, which was an unexpected benefit.

ROSS RANSOM, Education Coordinator

Some of my most memorable moments were working with workshop attendees and having small groups and 1:1 exchanges online. I especially appreciated reconnecting with folks who had attended live events in the past.

Making connections at the studio

EMILIO FORNATORA, Production Technician

Recording Superintendent Yaw Obeng’s message to the BSD school community, the last day our studio was open before the lockdown was a humbling experience.

JOEY PALUMBO, Production Manager

It was great to get back into the Media Factory studio to work with Reverend Ramona Guadalupe to record The Promises of God / Las Promesas de Dios. That was our first studio recording since COVID-19.

Keeping representation and community voices in remote meetings

KEN FRENCH, Municipal Services Manager

Setting up Zoom school board meetings with the Winooski School District, and seeing all the hard work of creating a multi-camera meeting come together was rewarding.  It felt good to make an event with a complicated agenda and complex engagement look great.

COLIN CONNOR, Production Technician

A highlight for me was adapting production for municipal meetings, like the Winooski School District meeting on 7/15 when students formed a committee for anti-racism, seeing 10-20 people speaking, and watching young people take the reins.