NW Valley Times

Canyon Creative, a student agency at Grand Canyon University (GCU), has launched CAM PLAY, a new streaming platform that serves the university community. CAM PLAY provides access to creative content originated from GCU's College of Arts and Media, similar to popular streaming services like Netflix and Hulu but with a focus specific to GCU's creative output.

"As a faculty member, I was wondering about all these films the film students end up making. Where do they go?" Associate professor of design Chris Murphy said. "Sometimes you make something and you forget how much of it goes into creating that item and product. We have to start doing a better job of documenting our students’ work."

Murphy proposed the idea to Canyon Creative, and it quickly gained support. The platform will host various student projects, including short films, music videos, and plays. Projects are sortable by department, allowing easy access for users.

Junior web designer Bryn Miller expressed enthusiasm about the project, saying, "It’s been exciting to work on this project. If I was a freshman and had this website, I would be very motivated to have my projects featured on this website. It would be a goal to work toward."

The platform aims to connect prospective students and families with the university's creative culture. It will allow out-of-state families to watch their students' performances remotely.

Sophomore multimedia designer Haley Hughes remarked, "It’s great seeing it go from an idea we weren’t sure would work to it is now a live website. I think this is going to open up a lot of creativity, and it would almost be a crime not to do it."

The launch coincides with CAM PLAY's streaming of "Thursday Night Live," an event inspired by "Saturday Night Live" and orchestrated by audio engineering professor Andy Zulla. The event includes contributions from various college programs and performers, with coverage by videographer Sam Jerrell.

“The long arms of GCU creativity are so extensive that we didn’t have a place to gather it all," College of Arts and Media Dean Dr. Craig Detweiler said. "In a sense, CAM PLAY is like getting all of these amazing Easter eggs in one basket, in a platform that everybody can discover."

GCU staff writer Izabela Fogarasi can be reached at [email protected]