World Photo by Alex Powers PEG volunteer Joel Wear adjusts audio levels while taping an interview with Arlene Soto, director of the Business Development Center, on Monday, in North Bend.

NORTH BEND — Want to make your own movie, music video or public access show? Don’t go out and buy a video camera and lighting equipment.

PEG Broadcasting Services Inc. — the local public access and government television channels — recently added a new studio to allow community members, as well as its operators, to produce shows for Channel 98. 

Don Van Dyke, the PEG president, said this second studio, located in the Business Center at the airport business park, includes a stage, room for an audience, backdrops, a variety of new equipment and by early January, a new Chroma-key green screen, which will be used for special effects. PEG stands for Public, Education and Government

“To me, this is a jewel for creative, artistic people,” Van Dyke said. “I’m guessing you’d have to go to Eugene to find the equivalent.”

On Monday, volunteer Joel Wear tried out some of the equipment on Arlene Soto, the director of the Business Development Center. He recorded the red-haired woman as she spoke animatedly about starting your own business. With a red backdrop behind her, Van Dyke said Soto’s message looked more professional than what could be provided at the old studio.

“(We were) extremely limited space-wise. Having two people in a shoot was a real challenge, and just having the elbow room,” Van Dyke said.

PEG already operates out of an office at Ed Lund Park. The second studio simply provides more space, a stage and better equipment to operate. The equipment was funded through donations and a $22,000 grant from the Meyer Memorial Trust.

PEG signed papers to lease the space from the Oregon International Port of Coos Bay in November. It will open for public use in January, Van Dyke said.

PEG volunteers can operate the equipment or they will provide training.

“We don’t want to create the content, but we want the creator to have a good professional recording,” Van Dyke said.

The second studio is to provide access for citizens to come in and do recordings that will display their talents, hobbies or other interests, and to express the creativity of local organizations as well as PEG volunteers with plays and social events. Recordings made at the studio will be aired later on Channel 98 on Charter Communications and Channel 74 on ComSpan.

“The whole idea is to raise the percentage of originality for Channel 98,” Van Dyke said.

Van Dyke noted he’s already started filming an original movie written under his pen name Dann Barr, and plans to put on a couple of plays in the space, including Treasure Island and Peter Pan.

Wear, who has worked with PEG for more than a year, has his own plans for the studio. The 24-year-old said he hopes to film bands there and work on film projects, including horror flicks through Die Films, a company he co-created.

“I think it’s amazing. It’s something that I’ve always wanted to do myself — have a studio space where I can shoot,” Wear said. “ A place where, whenever I have a creative idea ... I can have my vision come to life.”

The volunteer — one of six, including Van Dyke — said the new studio should have a lot of impact on community members from a variety of backgrounds, including musicians, poets and stand-up comics who want exposure.

Opening the studio fulfills the long-held dream of Laurel Ashman, a former PEG president who died several years ago, to have a professional grade television studio for public access.

“This is actually what most cities have done, the larger cities, i.e. the bigger budgets have this availability,” Van Dyke said.

Van Dyke is pleased with the new space, but will be especially glad to get the green screen.

“We could have Hawaii. We could have the moon,” Van Dyke said.