7 Cinematics Celebrates Sold Out Drive-In Concert And Video Stream With The Avett Brothers

posted:

04/09/2020

7 Cinematic’s Gerard "Gripp” Richardson operates the 32’ jib camera, to capture soaring images of the band during a recent Avett Brother’s live stream concert event at the Charlotte Motor Speedway. The August 29th event was streamed to more than 10,000 fa

Over 1,500 Ticketed Cars and 10,000 Pay-Per-Views Prove a Profitable New Model for Live Music During COVID-19

The music industry celebrated a milestone last weekend when the video production company 7 Cinematics collaborated with The Avett Brothers to live stream a concert from the Charlotte Motor Speedway.

More than 10,000 fans purchased the pay-per-view digital ticket via Nugs.net, and 1,500 vehicles packed the infield of the speedway, where in-person fans watched the band perform on a stage positioned under a giant LED screen.

“There wasn’t a bad seat in the house, whether fans were seated at home or at the speedway,” said Adam Paul, CEO of 7 Cinematics.

The company offers a range of video and film solutions, bridging the gap during this time of socially distanced concerts that have struggled to yield profits comparable to traditional shows.

“This new model proves there is a profitable and safe way for artists and fans to connect during the pandemic,” Paul explained. “The world has never seen something like this before. We broke new ground on this production.”

Paul’s vision was to create a visual experience as epic as the setting for the concert: the backstretch of the 1.5 mile super-speedway, with the sun setting as the stage lights fired up.

The production called for many of 7 Cinematic’s tools of the trade: 6K RED cameras, 5K Black Magic cameras, Hollywood-style cinematic lenses, jibs, sliders, a steadi-cam, and drone. Covid-related safety protocols were also in place, a standard operating procedure for his team of full-time crewmembers.

7 Cinematics beamed its signal to Nugs.net for a live-live broadcast around the world, while simultaneously sending the stream to the speedway’s 200-foot long LED screen. Crystal clear audio was broadcast via radio signal to each car within the speedway.

Following strict guidelines, the Charlotte Motor Speedway was able to safely direct the cars to their designated areas, with concert-goers complying with social distancing by remaining in or on top of their vehicle for the entirety of the show. At the end of the concert fans stuck to the protocol to achieve a smooth and timely exit for all attendees.

The Avett Brothers had tapped Paul to produce video content numerous times previously, including the music film currently airing on PBS, The Avett Brothers at Red Rocks. Other projects include a music video, and an earlier live stream for which Paul won an Emmy Award.

A reporter for The Charlotte Observer, Théoden Janes, echoed sentiments of fans at the of the concert, writing: “if this is how it’s going to have to be, at least for the time being, I can’t imagine drive-in concert-going gets much better than this.”

ABOUT 7 CINEMATICS
7 Cinematics is a three-time Emmy Award-winning production company, known for producing the world’s foremost live-music broadcasts and video streams. With hundreds of live shows produced to date, the company has redefined an industry, by creating and producing groundbreaking broadcasts, including: The Red Hot Chili Peppers Live from the Great Pyramids, Kayne West’s Sunday Service, The Brothers 50 at Madison Square Garden, The Raconteurs (Jack White) Live at the Ryman Auditorium, Dead and Company Live at Folsom Field. The company’s work has aired on NBC, Direct TV, PBS, CBS, Netflix, YouTube and other streaming platforms. Headquartered in Greensboro, North Carolina, the company also has studios in Nashville and Los Angeles.