Newsletter from 08/05/2012
El Clásico in HD & 3D - Bexel continues Multi-Million Dollar Upgrade
MOBILE PRODUCTION
Dome Productions Equips New 3G Mobile Production Trucks with EVS Systems
Leading production facilities provider Dome Productions has invested in a number of EVS solutions for its two new fully-3G mobile production trucks named Pacific and Atlantic. The Toronto company, which has been in business for over two decades and is a long-time user of EVS equipment, has purchased XT3 servers, XFly portable storage systems, IPDirector suites and XF2 removable servers, among other tools. Dome Productions is already using EVS servers for tapeless production and NLE integration for Canada’s Got Talent. Dome chose EVS’ XFly portable storage platform to help improve its tapeless workflow for such shows. It will also reduce the amount of USB drives that producers have to carry to and from live events by storing up to 140 hours of HD material. After a live shoot, operators can easily transport the entire production, including program feed, multi-camera angles, best shots and highlights, in a single storage case. Editors can then plug XFly into their edit suite and start working straight away.
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Paris Marathon 2012
EMF’s HF teams, whose ‘savoir-faire’ and experience in the coverage of marathons (La Rochelle, Cassis, Olympic Games) is internationally recognised, were once again present (and have been present since 1992) at the annual Paris Marathon broadcast on France 3. Today, the Paris Marathon is one of the 5 most important marathons in the world (behind New-York, London, Berlin and Chicago), as much as for the number of participants, for the equipment put into place, as for the performances of the athletes (the 2 marathon records- men and women- were beaten this weekend). An HF1 OB truck and another HFR OB truck completed the technical equipment on the ground, whereas in the skies a relay plane handled the broadcasting and a helicopter equipped with a Cinéflex ball filmed aerial views of Paris.
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London Marathon 2012
The London Marathon was founded in 1981 by former Olympic champion Chris Brasher and Welsh athlete John Disley. The event starts in Blackheath, heads east through Charlton and Woolwich, then turns west to pass the Cutty Sark in Greenwich. It crosses the Thames at Tower Bridge and loops around east London, past Canary Wharf in Docklands, before heading west again to Parliament Square and the final corner in front of Buckingham Palace. The event is currently sponsored by Virgin and has raised well over £450 million for charity since its establishment. Six Eyeheight CC-2M modular multi-rate colour correctors went into action during the 2012 London Marathon on Sunday 22 April. This year’s winner, Wilson Kipsang, completed the 42.2 kilometre (26 miles and 385 yards) run in two hours, 4 minutes and 44 seconds, just 4 seconds short of the course record.
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RTW's TM3 Supports Loudness Monitoring For RTL Formula One Coverage
The three RTW units are part of Wige Broadcast’s extensively preconfigured mobile production system, which the company flies from race to race, setting it up on site. Despite the considerable workload the equipment must handle, Tobias Vees, executive manager for technical systems and business development at Wige Broadcast, says the units operated flawlessly. For the Formula One broadcasts, Wige Broadcast used the TM3 TouchMonitor as a component of the on-site edit suites. The signal inputs of the TM3 are extremely flexible and provide a number of formats, including analog (balanced and unbalanced), AES3 and S/PDIF—features that Vees appreciates. “When it comes to selecting input sources, the TM3 is extremely flexible,” he explains. “Fast integration of the devices into existing setups is simple and straightforward.
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Mediapro Deploys EVS’ Latest Technology for World Class Coverage of El Clásico
The OB vans were equipped with more than 25 EVS video servers, including the new XT3. The servers were controlled by LSM remote controllers and/or EVS’ IPDirector content management suite. The LSM remote controllers were essentially used for live editing functions, clipping and the creation of playlists, as well as the production of instant replays, including live Super Motion replays in 3D. IPDirector was used to control ingest of multiple feeds, and to create highlight packages for halftime and post-match analysis. The XT3 servers were configured in eight HD/SD channels for the international signal and in six 3D channels for the 3D production. All action shot on the eight ISO and five Super Motion cameras, was simultaneously streamed on two EVS XFly portable storage devices to facilitate the exchange of content between OB facilities at the venue and GOL Televisión’s broadcast centre.
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STUDIO PRODUCTION
The RTL Comedy Week, Recorded at MMC Studio 35
The RTL Comedy Week (Die RTL Comedy Woche) is recorded on behalf of Brainpool TV in front of an audience of almost 500 people in MMC studio 35 at the Coloneum lot location. The Magic Media Company (MMC) is responsible for the studio production of the new comedy show, as well as for the set construction—including the media technology used. For the HD production, up to 8 Grass Valley (GVG) LDK 8000 cameras are used – among them are one camera attached to a SuperTechno 30-crane, 4 cameras on Vinten studio pedestals, a static camera in a fixed position, as well as a networked hand-held camera. A wireless camera of type GVG LDK 8000 is used as steadicam. The video signals are mixed on a GVG Kayenne XL (3.5 M/E) at MMC’s HD control room 13. The playbacks are handled using 4 channels of a GVG K2 Summit Server. 7 Sony XDCAM HD VTRs are used for the recordings.
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Full Points for Robe in Estonian Eurovision Selection
The event was staged in the Nokia Concert Hall in Estonian capital Tallinn. Presented by high profile comedians Tiit Sukk and Taavi Teplenkov, it was broadcast live nationwide on the Estonian public broadcasting channel ETV1 and also enjoyed by a live audience of 1800 who saw the 20 finalists battle it out. An impressive rig of 70 Robe moving lights designed by Rene Jõhve and Meelis Lusmägi of Cuu Club provided a stunning visual setting for the final round of Eesti Laul, Estonia’s 2012 Eurovision national qualifying competition. The Robe fixture count was 20 x ROBIN 300 Spots, 22 x ROBIN 600 LEDWashes, 12 x ROBIN 300 LEDWashes, 12 x ColorSpot 1200E ATs and three ColorWash 1200E ATs – all specified by Jõhve, who is a firm fan of the brand. The units were supplied by a combination of Cuu Club and E&T.
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Sky News Arabia Launches Across the Arab World
A channel committed to providing independent news, whatever the story, Sky News Arabia will offer its audience must-view content from breaking stories to sport, from business to entertainment. The channel is supported by an Editorial Advisory Committee – a first for the region – to ensure Sky News Arabia delivers balanced, accurate and consistent news. Broadcasting from its state of the art head-quarters in Abu Dhabi, the channel promises a ‘new horizon’ in the way it delivers news across multiple platforms. Servicing the tech-savvy generation, Sky News Arabia also launched its mobile apps - available on iPad, iPhone, Blackberry, and Android devices. Key features include live streaming, news photo galleries, interactive maps as well as the ability to share stories via social media. At a launch ceremony hosted by the Chairman of ADMIC and Sky News Arabia, Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, over 400 guests were witness to a live countdown of the launch from the Jumeriah Etihad Towers in Abu Dhabi.
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SPORTS
Olympic Games 2012: Shooting
Although shooting competition dates back several centuries, its beginnings in Olympic form are much younger. Olympic shooting was part of the first modern Olympic games in 1896, and although the program's size has grown and receded since then, its enduring presence clearly illustrates an appreciation of the importance of precision shooting in a world that's sometimes dominated by "spray and pray" firepower (meaning when a shooter flings out multitudes of bullets, and prays he hits his target). uring the London 2012 Games, nearly 400 competitors are shooting for gold across 15 dramatic events. The Royal Artillery Barracks provides a fitting location for Shooting with a heritage dating back to 1716 when a Royal Warrant authorised the formation of two artillery companies. The temporary shooting ranges and grandstands offer a stunning backdrop of the Barracks’ beautiful 18th century architecture.
Read the case study here
Olympic Games 2012: Swimming
Hugely popular around the world as a leisure activity and a competitive sport, Swimming has featured at every modern Olympic Games. Other than the Marathon Swimming 10km event, held in the Serpentine in Hyde Park, the Swimming competition will take place in the Aquatics Centre in the Olympic Park. Swimming was one of the highlights of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games. Twenty-one world records were broken, and Michael Phelps set the world record for the number of medals won at a single Olympic Games. Speed, strength and stamina will be key for athletes in the competition which features no fewer than 34 medal events. Olympic races in the pool are conducted over a variety of distances, from 50m (one length of the pool) all the way up to 1500m (30 lengths). The first athlete to touch the electronic finishing touchpad at the end of the pool in each race is the winner.
Read the case study here
Larger than Life
Sports broadcasters compete with reality by trying to give television viewers a more vivid visual experience than they could ever get at the actual event. In other words, television is expected to deliver an experience which is larger than life. This was a tall order in the early days of bulky cameras and turret lenses. Easier now given modern lightweight high-performance cameras and motorised zoom optics. But it still takes a lot of work to integrate these into practical systems that can be controlled from a distance and will operate reliably over a wide range of weather conditions. Camera Corps' efforts as a company have centred on developing remotely-controllable cameras and camera tracking systems to follow the action from every angle a programme-director could request. This kind of remote control doesn't just mean a few hundred metres away but even from one country to another.
Read the case study here
SHOWS
Clay Paky Lighting Fixtures Shine During TV Tribute to the Ladies of the Ice
The figure skating extravaganza features a roster of American Olympic medalists, including Nancy Kerrigan, Tara Lipinksi and Sarah Hughes as well as an international contingent, among them current world champion Miki Ando. The event, held at Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, comes on the heels of last year’s figure skating tribute for which Methot handled production design. Clay Paky fixtures lit up the ice and turned on the glamour when production and lighting designer Christien Methot of Design One employed a complement of Sharpy and Alpha Spot HPE 1500s on “Caesars Tribute II: A Salute to the Ladies of the Ice,” which aired on NBC on New Year’s Day. Methot devised a circular motif for the show using thee circular video screens and a circular main stage with clean, simple lines. He mounted a circular truss above the ice with 16 Clay Paky Sharpy fixtures suspended on it.
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Paying Tribute to AR Rahman with Optocore
Any concert dedicated to multi-instrumentalist and record producer AR Rahman — described as the world's most prominent and prolific film composer — requires a sound quality nearing perfection. Meeting this audio challenge at the recent Classic Incantations concerts — presented by the German Film Orchestra Babelsberg across five Indian cities — were SOUND.COM. This was the first ever tribute to an Indian composer from the western world, and working with Core Networks & Rapport Global, SOUND.COM were extremely proud to be associated with this distinctive production. The Orchestra, conducted by Matt Dunkley, performed original scores and film music written by the Indian maestro — accompanied by the choir and soloists from his own KM Music Conservatory in Chennai.
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DPA Mics Provide Versatility for Penang World Music Festival
Among the bands and instruments to be miked with the DPA 4099s during the festival were Malaysia’s Aseana Percussion Unit (Chinese fiddle and alto sax), Belgium’s Griff Trio (bagpipes), Africa’s Guinee Percussion (djembes and traditional African kora), Maite Hontele from Holland and Columbia (trumpet), Vietnam’s Phong Nguyen Ensemble (traditional bamboo instrument) and Grace Nono and Bob Aves Group from the Philippines . The annual event, hosted by the Penang State Tourism Development and Culture Office, was held at Penang’s Botanic Gardens. It featured 18 bands from as far away as Colombia and Mongolia as well as from neighbouring Indonesia, South Korea and the Philippines. The DPAs – 10 DPA d:vote™ 4099D clip mics for drums and two 4099V clip mics for violins – were specified by the festival’s technical director Niall Macaulay for their ability to be deployed across a variety of musical instruments thanks to their mounting accessories for piano, guitar and bass, as well as drum and violin.
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PRODUCTS
France Television Uses Jünger Audio Loudness Processing Equipment
France Television is a state-owned company that consists of a number of channels including France 2, France 3, France 4, France 5 and France Ô. The broadcaster, which is primarily funded by revenue from television license fees, is highly influential with more than 40% of the French population watching its programming every day. As a public broadcaster it is firmly committed to providing high quality news, sports and entertainment programming that reflects a diversity of views. The order France Television has placed with Jünger Audio is for a total of 73 loudness processors – 22 D*AP LM4 four-channel units and 51 D*AP LM2 two channel units. These are now being rolled out to France Television facilities and will eventually cover all Paris-based channels, plus all 23 regions, with each region having one Jünger Audio processor for its main transmission path and another for back-up.
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Bexel Maintains Commitment to Live Event Production
Bexel, a leading worldwide provider of broadcast services and solutions, announced its recent acquisition of eight EVS XT3 six-channel production servers with 900GB drives, three EVS XS six-channel production servers and a host of IPDirector suites, 24x900GB SAS Expansion chassis, XStoreSE 20TB storage and support equipment. The new equipment purchase is part of Bexel's million-dollar server upgrade, designed to meet industry demand and provide its clients with the latest and fastest platform system on the market today. With its flexible eight-channel SD/HD architecture and six-channel 3D/1080p configuration, the new generation of XT servers combines the EVS series’ world-class speed and reliability with ultimate capability and performance. XT3 integrates today’s top IT and broadcast technologies, offering broadcasters and producers unparalleled motion control and adaptability. All of the EVS XT3 and XS servers will have 900GB SAS disk drives for increased storage capacity.
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Matrox MC-100 in a League Of Its Own for European Football Tournaments
Whilst recently working on a HD graphics production project for live European football matches, deltatre needed some hardware to monitor the broadcast signals delivered to their clients and was looking for a simple SDI to HDMI converter to display their broadcast feeds on inexpensive displays. When the project requirements increased, especially in the 3D and video switch fields, they chose the Matrox MC-100 mini converter recommended and provided by dealer D1 Group, experts in the broadcast industry from production to post-production and video editing. The MC-100 matched deltatre’s project requirements perfectly in just one small, single box. When the European football tournaments kick off this year, deltatre’s digital sports vans will be covering the action and Matrox MC-100 mini converters will be on board.
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Subfrantic Choose the V-1600HD for In House Video Quality
Established in 1993, Subfrantic started off supplying only sound equipment but now offer full production services, as well as design, sales and installation. Up until recently, video services had been subcontracted, but company owner Steve Davies was keen to find a way to bring video directly under his control so that he could guarantee the quality of the work matched that of the sound and lighting for which they had built up such a good reputation. The product that they were looking for had to be suitable for use in a number of applications from festivals and tours, to house of worship and corporate events – and have the features to produce consistent high quality results whilst coping with different video input formats. The V-1600HD ticked all of the boxes and after seeing the product at BVE and having a demo, Steve knew it was right for the job.
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3D ARISING
3ality Technica @ NAB 2012 - A Review
At this years NAB the showcase included the new Helix™, which is the result of the combined efforts between the former designers and engineers from 3ality Digital and Element Technica. 3ality Technica’s engineering team has combined magnesium, carbon fiber and aluminum into functional, cutting-edge art with the Helix. “The Helix has all the precision, automation and refinement of the TS5 with the configurability and user-friendliness of the Atom,” said Stephen Pizzo, SVP 3ality Technica. “It offers complete functionality when coupled with the Stereo Image Processor™( SIP).” The Helix was designed from the ground up to take advantage of the new IntelleSuite™ enhanced control and automation software, making the Helix the most intelligent system of professional 3D camera platforms. Also on show were 3ality Technicas proprietary software applications including IntelleCam, IntelleCal, and IntelleMatte. Coupled with 3ality Technica’s sophisticated hardware, these applications fully automate the hardware, giving DPs and live sports broadcasters smart technology that eliminates setup time and production costs.
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CPG @ NAB 2012 - A Review
CAMERON PACE Group (CPG) unveiled its latest solutions to make 3D profitable for broadcasters and filmmakers. ShadowCam, FrameLinking, Smart Rigs, and ShadowVision are all proven technology products where the need for additional personnel is significantly reduced. As a solution provider, CPG creates integrated products that work seamlessly with the 2D production. At CPG's NAB booth "Zero Delta" was the term of the show. But the zero delta, or the point at which producing a 3D telecast adds no additional cost or disrupts none of the traditional workflows in the 2D production, is not just a hollow marketing term. CPG Co-Chairman Vince Pace believes it is a true possibility and is essential to the maturation of the 3D-production business. Led by co-founders James Cameron and Vince Pace, CPG is creating a methodology for world-class 3D by developing products, solutions, and creative tools for use across all media channels. Supporting networks, studios, broadcasters, filmmakers, and creative teams globally, the company’s unparalleled expertise helps content producers realize the full potential of 3D as a powerful and immersive storytelling medium.
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