Newsletter from 06/08/2013
Sports Highlights in July: TdF - BCN - Universiade - Diamond League
MOBILE PRODUCTION
United OB12 and HOL219
United is a subsidiary of the Euro Media Group. This allows the company to combine forces with other subsidiaries, exchange knowledge and experience, and operate flexibly and effectively at a national and international level. In addition, this gives United' customers access to a very wide range of possible facilities, services and solutions. The Euro Media Group has establishments in the following countries: the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, England, France, Italy and Switzerland. Nationally the various companies are independent and have their own identity. Internationally there is a synergy, so that various partners within the group can take advantage of the combined personnel, technical and financial strength.
Get the technical specs of OB12 here
Get the technical specs of HOL219 here
Diamond League 2013: EMF in the Running
For the Areva Meeting which took place on July 6 at the Stade de France (in Saint-Denis near Paris), OB trucks XXL1 and XL2 were on duty to beam pictures internationally and to provide a private feed for Canal+. For this world athletics meeting a total of 31 cameras were deployed with a double speedtrack and four RF cameras (1 broadcast, 1 Steadycam and 2 DVS Superloupes in their new RF wireless configuration) as well as 20 EVS LSM servers for superb slowmo. On Friday July 19 the spotlight turned to Monaco, where the EMF crews were on hand to relay pictures from the Herculis Meeting, which was the 10th round of the Diamond League. For the occasion three trucks were deployed at the principality’s Louis II stadium. OB trucks XXL1 and XL2 were once again responsible for the live feed to Canal+, while XL3 took care of arrangements for Swedish channel TV4.
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Clay Paky Lights Help Rolling Stones Dazzle 135,000 at Glastonbury
Taking care of the festival house rig was head of lighting, Andy ‘Fraggle’ Porter, who chose Clay Paky’s extremely bright, effects-rich Alpha Profile 1500s and Alpha Wash 1500s to deliver dynamic beam shaping, vibrant colour and super bright effects to the long-running event. 2013’s headlining acts included: The Rolling Stones lit by Patrick Woodroffe, Arctic Monkeys lit by Andy Watson and Mumford and Sons lit by Ed Warren. Each put Fraggle’s house rig through its paces and all made dramatic and creative use of the Alpha 1500 Profiles and Washes. In addition each designer specified his own additional requirements for Clay Paky fixtures. For the main rig Neg Earth supplied 29 Alpha Profile 1500, 10 Alpha Wash 1500, 20 Sharpy and 10 Sharpy Wash 330. However Rolling Stones LD Patrick Woodroffe added more Alpha Washes and Profiles and a number of Sharpy’s to the mix.
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HD OBVan Directory 2013
The 2013 Directory will feature about 40 new HD trucks from all around the world: China, South Korea, New Zealand, Australia, Malaysia, Qatar, Cyprus, United States, Russia, United Kingdom, France, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Serbia, Belgium, Denmark, Netherlands and Germany. In addition to detailed listings of the installed equipment we will show the various working areas inside the truck as well as views of the monitor walls and the floor plan. You also will find a review on the FIFA Confederations Cup and a preview on the FIFA World Cup. We also will introduce the ANO Panorama OB fleet which will broadcast the Sochi Olympic Games to the Russian audience and report about the ongoing DTM race events accross Europe. A case study about the Al Jazeera sports channel beINSport will also be included in this year's directory.
Find 309 HD OBVans online
STUDIO PRODUCTION
Guo Hai Square Studio
The Shenzhen Stock Exchange (SZSE) is one of the People's Republic of China's three stock exchanges, alongside the Shanghai Stock Exchange and Hong Kong Stock Exchange. It is based in Shenzhen, China. The market capitalization of its listed companies was about US$ 1 trillion in 2011.Many of the companies within this market are subsidiaries of companies in which the Chinese government maintains controlling interest.SZSE runs its own video studio, the Guo Hai Square Studio, to report about business opportunities in China.
Get the technical specs of the Guo Hai Square Studio here
BT Sport Goes Live
August 1st at 18.00 BST marks the launch of BT Sport, the three-channel service from the telco that is taking the game to Sky in terms of premium sports coverage in the UK. On launch day, the service will be free for anyone with Freeview, TV from BT or Sky. BT Broadband customers who have signed up to BT Sport will be able to stream the channels live to their PC or Mac and be able to watch content again. There will be ‘match centres’ for BT Sport’s live Barclay’s Premier League games with live text commentary and match statistics. Customers will only need their BT ID and password to enjoy the action online. The website will also feature a #BTS section where people will be given the chance to interact with BT Sport in social media conversations and polls.
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Ventuz Powers On-Air Broadcast Graphics for 'Chinese Idol' Reality TV Show
Like its highly successful British (Pop Idol) and American (American Idol) counterparts, Chinese Idol searches for the best undiscovered vocalist in China based on viewer voting and participation. In-show graphics display dynamic text, 2D/3D animations and contestant images using Ventuz software. Data-driven graphics, including the results of online voting and the "Win a Ford" lottery, are automatically generated in real-time using Ventuz 3D presentation templates in a very efficient design and operational workflow.
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Input Media Expands with Studio People
As one of the UK's leading production companies, Input Media's clients include UEFA, the FA, BBC and the French Tennis Federation. Nick Symes, Director of Technology for the London-based production outfit, details the company's role in some of the most high-profile sporting competitions around. Responsible for delivering some of the biggest TV sporting programmes in the world, Input Media's recent expansion drafted in Studio People for the design and build. The deadline? The opening weekend of the FA Cup…
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Media Group International Completes Project for MBC Group
MBC Group, the first private free-to-air satellite broadcasting company in the Arab World which was launched in London in 1991 and later moved to its headquarters in Dubai in 2002, has grown to become a well-established media group that enriches people’s lives through information, interaction and entertainment. Based in Dubai, in the United Arab Emirates, MBC Group includes 12 television channels. The broadcaster engaged Media Group International (MGI) on the basis of the company’s established reputation for high quality systems integration and project management. MGI has over 35 years’ experience of systems integration in the Gulf region and represents many worldwide broadcast equipment manufacturers. It also serves TV channels and networks, movie studios and network operators in the region, providing telecommunications, broadcasting, integrated systems and state-of-the-art security.
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SPORTS
100th Tour de France: The Next Generation
The centenary edition of the Tour de France started in Corsica and finished on July 21, on the Champs-Elysées. A total of 87 people pulled on the Euro Media France jersey this year! The team provided three weeks of ever more stunning coverage for viewers in 190 countries, including a number of technical feats and exploits, thanks to Livetools' digital transmitters and receivers. Chris Froome, the first Tour winner born in Africa, triumphed in a race that also saw the first African wearer of the Yellow Jersey, Daryl Impey. The internationalisation of the event was also evidenced by Colombia's breakthrough in the figure of Nairo Quintana, and was confirmed on a larger scale through a new generation of cyclists, in the riders who fought for the title and the circle of sprinters.
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2013 World Aquatics Championships
The 15th FINA World Championships were held from July 19 to August 4 in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. The 2013 World Championships featured 6 aquatics disciplines: swimming, water polo, diving, high diving, open water, and synchronised swimming. The venues that hosted the events were previously used for the 2003 World Aquatics Championships:
• Palau Sant Jordi (swimming, synchronized swimming)
• Port Vell (open water swimming, high diving)
• Piscina Municipal de Montjuïc (diving)
• Piscines Bernat Picornell (water polo)
FINA was pleased to announce that a new record of participating nations was established at this edition of FINA’s premier event. No less than 181 nations had registered for the World Championships, improving the previous record of 178 countries set at the last edition in Shanghai 2011.
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Universiade in Kazan: Panorama Relies on Orad
Orad solutions enabled Panorama to display a wide range of on-field, live graphic enhancements including: virtual flags, world record line for swimming and track & field sports, distance measurements, game analysis and more. Integrated with the clocking system, Orad delivered timely and highly accurate information in a stunning visual format that was appealing to viewers. In recognition, Panorama will be presenting Orad with a commemorative plaque at IBC 2013 to thank them for their contribution to the preparation and production of the Kazan 2013 University Games broadcast. In addition to the Kazan University games coverage, Panorama will utilize the Orad solution to facilitate graphics and live analysis for their other Russian sports coverage.
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SHOWS
Robe Stampedes Summer with Mumford & Sons
Grammy and Brit Award-winning UK folk rock phenomena, Mumford & Sons, continue their action packed touring schedule, having just finished a string of Canadian and US shows… where Robe LEDWash moving lights were once again a prominent feature on the lighting rig designed by New York based LD, Ed Warren of Next Level Lights. Warren has been working with the band for the last four and a half years and the starting point for this instalment of the on-going tour was “Let’s kick some serious festival ass with true tungsten power”. For at least the past 12 months, Warren’s lighting rig for the band has contained continual evolutions based on different variants of tungsten lighting. He is a big fan of its softness, subtleties and specific qualities.
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ADLIB is Top Of The Pops With Radio City Live
Adlib & Radio City 96.7 have an association on the Liverpool Music Scene dating back over 20 years. Radio City is Liverpool’s biggest radio station & Adlib are Merseyside’s biggest music employer. Adlib began providing production to Radio City Roadshows in the days when the station started Summer events for the people of Liverpool. They have since been involved with the station’s events through the last two decades, culminating in their July and December Radio City Live events at Liverpool’s Echo Arena. Adlib’s Managing Director Andy Dockerty comments, “We always enjoy working on Radio City Live. This year it was even more special being the last with Programme Director Richard Maddock, who’s been a driving force behind the events and getting the whole community involved in Radio City. Richard is also a good Evertonian and everyone at Adlib wishes him all the best.”
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dbn are Live at Jodrell Bank
A fabulously sunny weekend welcomed around 6000 music fans per day to the first of two ‘Live’ weekender events staged by Ear To The Ground. Nick Buckley, dbn’s Project Manager comments, “It was great to be back working on this really special site. The atmosphere was fantastic and it’s an event with a real difference of which we are very proud to be a part”. The stage was a 16 metre wide Serious Stages’ Orbit, three bays deep, into which dbn installed three lighting trusses – front, mid and back – all fitted to the curvature of the roof to make the most of the height. A fourth truss was utilised to fly the 8 metre wide by 4.5 metre high LED screen, made up from their new 12.5 mm Eastar surface.
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Brilliant Stages Helps Robbie Williams Take the Crown on Tour
Brilliant Stages’ General Manager, Tony Bowern was tasked by the tour’s production manager, Wob Roberts, to oversee the design, construction and delivery of elements including a series of replicas of Robbie Williams’ head, on-stage tracking solutions, a multi-tiered main stage with protective roofette and a curved header topping the massive back wall. In collaboration with a number of key partners, including fellow Prolyte Group subsidiary Prolyte UK, Brilliant delivered an exceptionally conceived and constructed product to the specifications of artistic designer Willie Williams and the late stage architect Mark Fisher.
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PRODUCTS
IBC Previews: BTS, Calrec, Custom Consoles, EVS, Dalet, I-MOVIX, Orad, Studiotech, Vislink
More than 50,000 professionals from over 160 countries engaged in the content creation, management and delivery of electronic media and entertainment will convene at IBC2013 in Amsterdam this September, ready to challenge, direct and set the industry's agenda through our world class conference and vibrant exhibition. Uniting everything and everyone you need to know, IBC Amsterdam is the perfect forum to network and exchange ideas.
Get the nine press releases here ...
RecordLab TV & Media GmbH Selects Grass Valley Live Production Solutions
“Grass Valley offers a one-stop-shop for live production and enables us to kit out our new OB van from top to bottom with great quality solutions,” said Markus Maschke, RecordLab. “Grass Valley’s experience and expertise in the broadcast market, along with its flexible and future-proofed products, means we can have complete confidence in our new OB van delivering high-quality content.” At the heart of RecordLab’s OB van is the Karrera Video Production Center with K-Frame™, which delivers a new modular approach to production switchers. With an intuitive, easy-to-learn control panel, touchscreen side panel interface and full 3G 1080p50/60 HD support, the lightweight and upgradeable Karrera uses 50% less power than other switchers of its kind.
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Camera Corps Q-Ball Captures Reaction to Birth of Royal Baby
BBC Television positioned the system to capture high-definition footage of the entrance to St Mary's Hospital, London, on 22 July, and of reporters, television camera crews and photographers covering the event. Images both of the hospital entrance and the assembled newsmedia were televised live and recorded for subsequent broadcast, including nationwide news coverage the same evening. "Camera crews attending this type of event traditionally find themselves working in conditions comparable with a rugby scrum," explains Camera Corps Managing Director Laurie Frost. "Q-Ball gave the BBC crew much greater freedom in where the camera was positioned. The pan/tilt/zoom head was mounted on a lamp post, ensuring stability and a clear field of view.
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3D/4K ARISING
ATEME and 4EVER Consortium Report 1st Year HEVC Progress
On the one-year anniversary of the creation of the 4EVER Consortium, ATEME, a global leader in advanced video compression solutions for the broadcast industry, announced today the accomplishments and future plans of the project. The 4EVER consortium was formed with the primary goal of paving the way for delivering an enhanced television experience to viewers regardless of the viewing context, such as in the home, on the go, as well as in public areas and cinemas.
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United Records Muse Concert with 4K Cinema Cameras
The cameras which brought the concert to screen were sixteen Sony PMW-F55 CineAlta 4K cameras. This combination of cinema and multi-camera recording was a milestone, according to Operational Manager, Bolke Burnaby Lautier. “It’s very special that we have brought the quality of film to a multi-camera recording. This combination of elements has never been done before.” The scale of the project was also exceptional. “It’s usual to work with six to eight cameras. Here, we worked with sixteen film cameras, with a variety of cinema lenses, including 5 Angenieux 24/290’s, an Elite 120/520 and a number of Optimo 14/52’s. Usually these lenses would be equipped with film zoom/focus controllers, but for this hybrid we converted them so that these film lenses were fitted for ‘video’ zoom/focus demands.”
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SMPTE and Insight Media to Add 4K/UHD Demonstrations to Symposium
The one-day SMPTE Symposium will be held Oct. 21 in Hollywood, Calif., in conjunction with the SMPTE 2013 Annual Technical Conference & Exhibition. The symposium will feature separate technical and business tracks, as well as a 4K/UHD display demonstration area that gives visitors a unique opportunity to view the same content on side-by-side 4K/UHD displays and to compare the quality of different manufacturers' scaling/upconversion engines.
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