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On Projeções supports electronic and techno music events in Brazil with Christie Griffyn projectors
27/08/2024
University of Greenwich chooses Alfalite displays for its new Hub for Immersive Future Technologies
06/08/2024
Brompton Technology fuels Distortion Studios’ LED setup across film, TV and commercial projects
10/07/2024
On Projeções supports electronic and techno music events in Brazil with Christie Griffyn projectors
On Projeções, a creative provider of visual technologies - one of the largest in Latin America, also operating in Europe - selected Christie Griffyn 4K50-RGB pure laser projectors to play a starring role at two of São Paulo’s most prominent electronic and techno music events: Time Warp Brasil and Illusionize in Saturn.
Established in 1994, Time Warp Brasil is one of the world’s largest techno and house festivals, with events in Mannheim, Madrid, New York, and São Paulo. For Time Warp Brasil’s 30th anniversary, the festival commissioned On Projeções and The Force agency to project onto the building opposite the event venue to enhance the attendees’ sense of immersion.
To achieve this, On Projeções used two Christie Griffyn 4K50-RGB pure laser projectors to map abstract images and photos onto the building’s two facades, one measuring 33 x 27 metres (108 x 89 feet) and the other 12 x 31 metres (39 x 102 feet), with a total resolution of 12,068,480 pixels.
Illusionize in Saturn, an electronic music party led by DJ and producer Pedro Mendes (also known as Illusionize), took place at Arca, São Paulo’s premier indoor venue for electronic music events. Illusionize in Saturn requested that the planet Saturn and its rings be projected where the DJ was situated.
To achieve this, On Projeções used two Griffyn 4K50-RGB pure laser projectors to cover a 30 x 20-metre (98 x 66-foot) surface with images simulating Saturn’s environment, with a total resolution of 3840 x 2160 pixels.
(Photos: Alisson Demetrio)
JVC PTZ cameras selected to livestream this year’s Filmscape Conference
Filmscape, an educational, non-profit organization that helps develop resources in the Chicago metro and surrounding areas for people pursuing careers in film and television, provides content covering all things production. To build knowledge for those working behind the scenes in the industry, the organization hosts its Filmscape Conference each year.
To livestream this year’s sessions on YouTube, the Filmscape deployed one KY-PZ510WU and two KY-PZ400NWU PTZ cameras, managed by the RM-LP100U remote camera controller, from JVC Professional Video. The KY-PZ510 was used as the primary camera to track the individual presenter, while the two KY-PZ400 cameras flanked the stage for panel discussions.
“The low profile of the JVC PTZ cameras enabled us to place them in environments that are otherwise not possible with a traditional camera setup”, says Gary Adcock, Executive Director of Filmscape. They mounted one of the KY-PZ400 PTZs on a wall, suspended the other KY-PZ400 from the ceiling, and placed the single KY-PZ510 PTZ on a large stand.
Adcock adds that the JVC PTZ cameras helped expand the floorplan, bringing the attendees closer to the stage. “Having PTZs out of the way of traffic meant we no longer had to lose those seating positions for the cameras; we were actually able to add seats in this environment”, he says. “This allowed us to livestream this content in a way that we hadn’t previously been able to do.”
JVC’s AI-enabled auto-tracking feature followed the speaker throughout the presentations. “It simplified the process for the film crew as they didn’t have to manually track the speaker”, says Adcock. “This also benefitted the speaker, as they could walk around the stage without worrying whether they were in the shot.”
The cameras enabled the staff to livestream directly to the YouTube channel. “The built-in technologies of the JVC PTZs, the ability to connect over Ethernet and control the cameras in multiple ways, is amazing to me”, says Adcock. “These features allowed the camera operators to perform at a higher level. Creating a seamless livestream can become very complicated when you have more than 1,000 people around you while you’re trying to run simple, efficient camera workflows with non-traditional camera placements.”
(Photos: JVC Professional Video/Filmscape)
Audio Animals streamlines audio production business model with Flock Audio Patch
Since 2012, UK audio production studio Audio Animals has delivered mixing and mastering services to clients all over the world. The studio established an “online-only” á la carte business model that streamlines the studio experience to focus on clients’ specific needs, allowing Founder and Lead Mixing and Mastering Engineer Paul Ashmore (pictured) and his colleagues to work more quickly and effectively.
In keeping with this mindset, Ashmore has adopted the Flock Audio Patch digitally controlled all-analog patch bays as the brains of his mixing and mastering setups, allowing him to integrate analog elements into his workflows. “With a predominantly online workflow, we saw that we could basically ‘trim all the fat’ and streamline the process for clients who were predominantly looking for mixing and mastering services”, he explains.
“By being more transparent about our services and making communication more efficient, we could accomplish much more than a studio where people are sitting in the control room with you and charge much less as a result”, he adds. “That idea was the spark of our entire business model, and during COVID when everyone had to move to remote workflows, we were already ready to go and it tripled the amount of jobs we were getting as a result.”
“We have clients at all levels, from major artists like Beyonce, Lil Wayne, and Swedish House Mafia to independent artists looking for a professional mix on their first single”, continues Ashmore. “There’s no compromise in the quality of what we offer, we’ve just found a way to do it that can work at the speed that our clients require and the industry demands.”
Although he predominantly works “in the box”, Ashmore still prefers analog processing for his mix bus and mastering chains. Seeking a way to meld his streamlined, digitally-inclined approach with his favorite analog gear, he sought out the Flock Audio Patch. In addition to giving him instant access to his favorite chains of outboard equipment, his fluid use of Patch APP DX has eliminated time-consuming recall procedures. As someone who is frequently jumping between multiple projects in a workday, this has been a major time saver.
“I can’t tell you the amount of times I’ve been asked to recall a setting from a piece of gear and had to spend hours digging through hard drives to find pictures from the session”, he explains. “The great thing about DX is that everything is in one place and all you have to do is pull up the session and you have all the photos and notes you need. Everything is on the iPad and the impact that has on a fast-moving session can’t be underestimated.”
(Photos: Audio Animals/Flock Audio)
Arkrys calls on ChamSys to power Eurosport Paris studios
The three recently remodeled Eurosport studios in Boulogne, France, that broadcast coverage of the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris blazed new paths in TV technology. Designed and installed by Arkrys, working with Georges Krystkowiak (Director of Photography), and Baptiste Arnaud-Benaïs (Gaffer), along with the TD of Eurosport France, Florent Marquer, the fully automated studios aired coverage from throughout the Olympic sites with ten commentary positions embedded in a virtual setting.
Controlling the lighting setups at the studios were the ChamSys MQ250M Stadium Console, along with two GeNetix 10Scene Gateways and two 10Scene Wall Plates. The new setups featured a broad array of features, including preprogrammed settings for greater speed, remote troubleshooting capabilities, and a media player and pixel-mapper in MagicQ. “The ChamSys solution allowed us to benefit from a high level of interoperability and to take control of the kit at any time”, says Arnaud-Benaïs.
Due to their augmented reality features, the revamped studios are able to deliver large, immersive live broadcast images. Lighting at the larger “Set A” is 100-percent automated with sixty moving heads. All these LED projectors are remotely operated by the MQ250M Stadium Console.
At the smaller B and C studios lighting is triggered in with the 10Scene Wall Plates, with preprogrammed settings. This eliminates the need for a console operator at all times. Operators use the 10Scene Wall Plates for instant access to presets with no risk of changing any settings. On set C, the media player and pixel mapper of the MagicQ console allow for pixel-by-pixel control of the light strips.
(Photos: ChamSys/Eurosport)
Pronology and Haivision streamline video production for Conan O’Brien’s podcast studio
Conan O’Brien’s podcast studio hosts a range of shows from “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend” to “Where Everyone Knows Your Name” with Ted Danson and Woody Harrelson. With a busy shoot schedule, the studio required an efficient and secure way to record its multi-camera productions. The Hollywood-based podcast studio turned to Pronology, a developer of broadcast workflow solutions, and Haivision, a global provider of mission-critical, real-time video networking and visual collaboration solutions, to optimize the video production workflow.
The studio is utilizing the Pronology StreamFile Core platform for the ingest of its multiple camera feeds and other sources in conjunction with the Haivision Makito X4 encoder that delivers video at ultra-low latency with secure and reliable streaming over IP. Prior to this new workflow, the studio team would record the cameras as baseband SDI signals with on-premise video recorders. With this simplified, cloud-based StreamFile Core workflow, the camera feeds are streamed and recorded directly to Amazon S3, saving production time and money, as one person can manage all cameras and recordings from a single web interface.
“Our new workflow has allowed us to manage the feeds from our various shows”, says Sarah Federowicz, Team Coco, VP of Operations and Chief Operating Officer. “The Pronology and Haivision teams helped us set up the video production workflow, and we have been using it seamlessly ever since.”
(Photos: Haivision/Pronology)
Omroep Brabant adopts QuickLink StudioCall for guest interviews
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Omroep Brabant, the largest regional broadcaster in the Netherlands, has integrated QuickLink StudioCall into its production workflow, enabling remote guest capabilities for live broadcasts. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Omroep Brabant used multiple video conferencing platforms, such as Zoom and Skype, to connect external guests to broadcasts. However, the station recently sought a more efficient alternative for introducing remote guests that was also straight-forward to implement for both operators and external guests.
In addition to low latency, QuickLink offers a range of configuration options to optimize the connection based on guest conditions. Omroep Brabant deploys invitations to remote guests via SMS, WhatsApp, or email. Once connected, operators have full operational control of virtual rooms and device settings from a central web-based portal, accessible from any global location. Using the remote management controls, Omroep Brabant’s operators can pre-screen, control, and manage their remote guests, including camera/microphone/speakers selection, resolution, audio mode/gain, and more.
“StudioCall allows us to fine-tune the remote guest process”, says Jasper de Bruijn, Media Technology System Specialist at Omroep Brabant. “External guests who have a somewhat poor internet connection can be identified, taken into account, and adjusted as needed.” The QuickLink solutions were provided to Omroep Brabant by CUE-Support, a Netherlands-based audiovisual provider to the broadcast and proAV industries.
(Photos: CUE-Support/Omroep Brabant/QuickLink)
University of Greenwich chooses Alfalite displays for its new Hub for Immersive Future Technologies
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The University of Greenwich, located in the borough of Greenwich in London, England, is now using an Alfalite Modularpix Pro 1.5 Orim VP XR LED Wall for its new centre of excellence for education and research in audiovisual content and process. This centre, which has been named Shift (Shared Hub for Immersive Future Technologies), aims to be a pioneer in the study and development of advanced audiovisual technologies.
The Alfalite LED Wall will provide a platform for the creation and display of XR content, which is central to the institution’s research and education activities. Mo-Sys has been responsible for the supply and integration. In addition to Alfalite’s LED Wall it has also integrated its StarTracker Max systems and other XR solutions for a complete VP XR solution.
Through this new centre, the University of Greenwich will design virtual production training programmes for industry professionals, participate in research and knowledge exchange projects to identify new products in the sector, and offer employment and internship opportunities for students in the competitive film industry.
The LED Wall at the University of Greenwich is being managed by Brompton SX40 and XD Unit LED video processors. This project therefore stands out as the only 100 percent European VP XR solution.
(Photos: Alfalite)
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Christie HS Series projectors illuminate Osmania University’s Arts College
Christie DWU23-HS laser projectors play a pivotal role in a new light and sound show at Osmania University, transforming the facade of its Arts College building into a canvas for visual displays. Located in Hyderabad, Osmania University is one of India’s oldest and most prestigious institutions of higher education. The university undertook this large-scale nighttime spectacle to celebrate and preserve its history, and foster appreciation for its heritage among students, faculty, and visitors.
Aura Bright Light India integrated the project and was instrumental in bringing this display to reality. Their team managed the installation, testing, and commissioning of the Christie DWU23-HS projectors. “This project is our first large-scale endeavour combining both visual and audio technologies”, says Shailesh Vasani, managing director of Aura Bright Light India.
The Christie DWU23-HS projectors are strategically positioned to deliver colourful imagery on the Arts College’s facade, which spans 350 feet in length (107 metres) and 60 feet in height (18 metres). With guidance from Rhino Engineers, which managed the project and provided design consultancy, and the creative content expertise of Knownsense Studios, the project was completed on schedule.
The show features music by Indian composer and playback singer Vandemataram Srinivas, and voiceover by South Indian actor Sai Kumar. Inaugurated by India’s Tourism and Culture Minister, G Kishan Reddy, the 20-minute performance runs on weekends.
(Photos: Aura Bright Light India)
Riedel Networks unterstützt DEL2-Spielübertragungen bei Sportdeutschland.TV
Riedel Networks ist Connectivity-Partner von Sportdeutschland.TV. Die Partnerschaft zwischen dem Netzwerkprovider und der für Sportereignisse eingerichteten Streaming-Plattform schließt die Connectivity für die Übertragung sämtlicher Spiele der Deutschen Eishockey Liga 2 (DEL2) ein.
Mit Beginn der Saison 2024/25 sind die Spiele der DEL2 ab September live und on-demand auf Sportdeutschland.TV verfügbar. „Bei den DEL2-Produktionen wirken unter anderem viele ehrenamtliche Helfer der Vereine mit. Es ist uns eine große Freude und Ehre, deren Engagement in bester Qualität in die Wohnzimmer der Fans zu bringen“, sagt Timo Koch, CCO der Riedel Networks Media Division.
Im Rahmen der Connectivity-Partnerschaft zwischen Riedel Networks und Sportdeutschland.TV werden sämtliche DEL2-Standorte an den Riedel-Networks-Backbone angeschlossen. Mit dieser Anbindung gewährleistet der Netzwerkprovider eine dedizierte Verbindung, die unabhängig vom lokalen öffentlichen Internet operiert.
Der Content der DEL2-Spiele wird mittels eines Secure-Reliable-Transport-Protokolls (SRT) vom Veranstaltungsort an die Streaming-Plattform Sportdeutschland.TV übermittelt. Da der Content am Veranstaltungsort unabhängig vom lokalen öffentlichen Internet übertragen wird, kann das Risiko von Netzwerküberlastungen, wie sie typischerweise bei Veranstaltungen auftreten, vermieden werden.
Sollte es dennoch zu Störungen kommen, verfügt Riedel Networks über ein eigenes Network Operations Center (NOC), welches alle Verbindungen rund um die Uhr überwacht, um bei Auffälligkeiten sofort zu reagieren.
(Foto: Riedel Networks/Sportdeutschland.TV)
Brompton Technology supports “Tiffany Wonder” exhibition in Tokyo
Celebrating 187 years of craft and creativity, “Tiffany Wonder”, the latest brand exhibition by Tiffany & Co., takes visitors on a visual journey through hundreds of the company’s works. Complementing the diamond creations, the immersive show is brought to life through LED installations powered by Brompton Technology LED processing.
Held at the Tokyo Node gallery within Toranomon Hills Station Tower, one of Tokyo’s tallest buildings, AV/ICT specialist Takenaka Co. Ltd and system integration expert Ark Ventures, both part of the Symunity Group, worked with Tiffany & Co. to create LED walls for three rooms in the ten-room exhibition.
The “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” room, “Wonder of Celebration” room, and “Diamond Kings” room all feature LED walls composed of ROE Visual LED panels driven by Brompton’s Tessera processing. The “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” room includes a rotating central seating area, with two LED screens measuring 3.5 m x 3 m and 3 m x 3 m ROE RB1.2 LED panels. One screen shows a visual recap of the film “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”, while the other displays snippets from other films featuring Tiffany jewellery.
The “Wonder of Celebration” room boasts a 5 m x 3 m curved LED wall comprising 54 ROE RB1.9 LED panels. The “Diamond Kings” room includes four LED screens, each measuring 1.5 m x 3 m and made up of 18 ROE RB1.2 panels. The entire setup is driven by eight 4K Tessera SX40 LED processors and eleven Tessera XD 10G data distribution units.
“Tiffany Wonder” opened at Tokyo Node gallery on April 12, 2024, and ran through June 23. The next location of the exhibition will be announced in due course.
(Photos: Tiffany & Co.)
Christie technologies freshen up learning at Luanda Science Center
Christie technologies are powering immersive educational experiences at the Luanda Science Center (CCL) in Angola. The CCL, built on the site of a former soap factory, features audio and visual technology inside and out to engage visitors and inspire future generations.
An auditorium at the CCL has been equipped with two Christie Griffyn 4K35-RGB pure laser projectors and Vive Audio speakers to deliver educational content, while eight Christie D20WU-HS 1DLP laser projectors power a permanent outdoor video mapping attraction on the building’s facade. The project was carried out by Christie partner Proavit and consultant Muse for Athena Swiss AG.
The 146-seat auditorium features a 180 square metre (1937.5 square feet) screen that measures 15.5 metres (50 feet) wide by 11.65 metres (38 feet) high, totalling more than twelve million pixels. Special effects include vibration, water and air, which are synchronized with the on-screen content. The auditorium is also equipped with Dolby Atmos with 32 audio channels, powered by 34 Christie Vive Audio speakers and nine Powersoft Quattrocanali series amplifiers.
Outside the CCL, eight Christie D20WU-HS 1DLP laser projectors were installed discreetly in ventilated watertight cabinets to map onto the facade of the building and create a 114 metre (374 feet) wide by 11 metre (36 feet) high canvas. This nighttime projection was created by design studio Ocubo and aims to bring learning to life, highlighting topics such as Angolan culture, the human body, planets, fauna, flora and science.
(Photos: Athena Swiss AG)
Brompton Technology fuels Distortion Studios’ LED setup across film, TV and commercial projects
Supported with funding from Creative UK and in partnership with iMAG Displays, Bristol-based Distortion Studios is the first permanent Virtual Production studio in the South West of England. The 200 sqm facility is part of Distortion Creative Group Limited, which includes Studio Giggle and Distortion Productions. Distortion Studios is utilising Brompton LED processing to power its ROE Visual LED volume.
Distortion Creative Group has a long-standing partnership with iMAG. Together, they have delivered various projects for clients such as Ovo Energy and CVC Capital Partners. “When the group decided to launch a specialist virtual production studio, which is the only one in Bristol and the only permanent setup available west of Reading, we approached iMAG to partner with us on the project to supply the LED wall and Brompton Technology LED processing for the studio”, says Distortion Studios Managing Director Jonathan Brigden.
iMAG’s MD and Technical Director, Alex Strachan, worked closely with Brigden and Nick Diacre, Distortion Studios’ Technical Director, choosing the combination of ROE Visual and Brompton Technology. The setup features a Brompton 4K Tessera SX40 LED processor and two Tessera 10G data distribution units, with the team considering adding a second SX40 to accommodate the growing demand for high-speed commercial shooting.
The Brompton LED processing drives an 11 m x 4 m curved LED Volume comprising ROE Black Pearl 2 V2 LED panels and two 2 x 3 m mobile LED panels. Additionally, the studio offers two Stype RedSpy tracking systems and Stage Precision as part of its equipment lineup. Distortion Studios offers Virtual Production technology for diverse creative content, from filmmaking and documentaries to TV series and commercial projects.
(Photos: Brompton Technology/Distortion Studios/Andre Pattenden)
Multicines installs Christie RGB pure laser projection in new Ecuadorian multiplexes
The Ecuadorian cinema chain Multicines opened two new multiplexes in Quito and Guayaquil, which have been equipped with Christie RGB pure laser projectors, installed by CES+. “Our new cinemas are equipped 100 percent with Christie projectors”, says Gonzalo Lopez, CEO of Multicines, a long-standing customer of Christie. “We want to continue growing hand in hand with the best allies, and Christie is certainly one of them.”
The first of the two multiplexes to open, Multicines Quicentro Shopping in Quito, is 4,266 square metres (45,919 sq. ft.) and extends over two floors. It has six VIP movie theatres with a seating capacity of between 50 and 335 seats. The six screens are fitted with Christie CP2420-RGB and Christie CP2309-RGB projectors.
The second multiplex is located in San Marino Shopping Mall in Guayaquil and offers ten theatres with a total of 1,019 seats, including VIP screens and 4D immersive experience formats. The largest theatre, with a 14 x 7.56-metre (45 x 24.8 foot) screen, is equipped with a Christie CP4425-RGB projector. In the remaining nine auditoriums, Christie CP2420-RGB and Christie CP2309-RGB models have been installed. All of them incorporate CineLife+ electronics and RealLaser illumination technology.
Multicines began operations in Ecuador in 1996 as a cinema pioneer in the country using modern technology in its multiplexes. It currently operates 163 movie theatres in 22 complexes located in different parts of the country.
(Photos: Multicines)
Cittadino und Trendyol kooperieren bei der Fußball-EM
Vor und nach dem Viertelfinalspiel der Türkei gegen die Niederlande im Rahmen der Fußball-Europameisterschaft 2024 hat die E-Commerce-Plattform Trendyol eine Werbeoffensive auf den Screens des DooH-Medienanbieters Cittadino gefahren. Die Kampagne startete am 5. Juli parallel zur Anreise der Fans.
Die Anhänger der türkischen Nationalmannschaft wurden bereits an den deutschen Flughäfen über das Addressable Gate TV von Cittadino sowie auf dem gesamten Weg nach Berlin an den Autobahnraststätten mit Botschaften von Trendyol begleitet. Der Sponsor der türkischen Nationalmannschaft setzte dabei auf das Motto „United by Passion“.
„Wir sind stolz darauf, dass wir nach dem erfolgreichen Achtelfinale diese emotionale Kampagne für Trendyol kurzfristig und pünktlich zur Anreise der Fans zum nächsten Spiel umsetzen konnten“, sagt Gian-Luca Ferralis, Projektmanager Sales & Cooperation. „Das ist ein Beispiel dafür, wie schnell DooH reagieren und aktuelle Ereignisse aufgreifen kann, um ein breites Publikum gezielt anzusprechen.“
Aktuell bietet Cittadino, ein Tochterunternehmen der Tank & Rast Gruppe, Addressable Gate TV auf insgesamt über 900 Screens an neun deutschen Flughäfen im Abflug-, Ankunfts- und im öffentlichen Bereich an und ist bundesweit an rund 370 Autobahnraststätten präsent.
(Fotos: Cittadino)
Beaudry Interactive and Christie create virtual putting areas at Las Vegas’ Atomic Golf
The Las Vegas Strip has a new attraction: Atomic Golf. Opened at the end of March 2024, the four-story venue is spread across 99,000 square feet with over 100 golf bays and eight virtual putting areas. The virtual putting areas were created and designed by Los Angeles-based experiential design and production studio Beaudry Interactive, with 32 Christie GS Series laser projectors, selected by Coherent Design to illuminate the areas.
These areas are located outdoors, with an environmental enclosure over the top, where the projectors are housed. Each green is 10 feet wide by 20 feet long, with 200 ft-L of luminance (visible light) achieved by four Christie DWU1100-GS projectors. The image is bright enough to use the areas day and night and the content also punches through the bright ceiling lights, with playable time reaching up to twenty hours daily.
There are currently three inaugural putting games to choose from. Guests hit targets to score points, instead of aiming for a cup, while cameras track each player’s ball on the green in real time. “The project started off with an R&D effort. We were curious to see if we could track any golf ball - with or without a marker and regardless of colour - and then do a gameplay overlay”, explains David Beaudry, principal, Beaudry Interactive. “That was about half our efforts for the first year: building the math and the technology in the camera arrays to be able to track golf balls over a course of any size.” The R&D resulted in the ability to track balls within a few millimetres of their location on a putting green.
Infrared cameras track the balls on the greens. The cameras run at 170 frames per second to minimise latency, and the projectors feature a low-latency mode, minimising the delay between tracking and projection mapping to enhance performance and ensure seamless execution. “The other half of our R&D effort was all the maths that brings it together, to ensure that a golf ball moving along the putting green is seamlessly transitioned from one camera to the next”, says Beaudry. Additionally, the system is designed to distinguish between players’ balls, allowing for competitive head-to-head play on the same putting green.
Coherent Design selected 32 Christie DWU1100-GS 1DLP laser projectors for the putting areas, based on years of experience working with Christie technology. Featuring laser illumination and WUXGA resolution, the DWU1100-GS delivers 11,850 ISO lumens (10,000 ANSI lumens). Coherent Design worked with Christie to determine the number of projectors needed, the brightness, and the portal glass for the enclosures. Las Vegas’ Simply Connected installed the projectors.
(Photos: altf.com)
Tateside supports MoneyGram Haas F1 Team with managed AV services
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London-based AV and IT integrator Tateside has announced an ongoing project in collaboration with the MoneyGram Haas Formula 1 Team. Tateside is set to support the F1 team’s digital signage requirements throughout the 2024 racing season. Having been introduced to the Haas team back in 2018, Tateside has provided installed solutions both within the team’s factory in Banbury and trackside.
MoneyGram Haas F1 Team sought to rebuild and update their garage in 2023 and the team’s Creative Services Manager, Peter Julian, enlisted Tateside to support the team in distributing its marketing visuals and live-streamed data across the garage. “We were looking for a solution for displaying content, such as sponsorship material or timing data, on the garage screens”, says Julian.
Tateside opted for a networked ecosystem of Brightsign Players, each serving an LG 55’’ video wall display. “Using a combination of XD1035 and XD235 players, we can deliver synchronised and scheduled content across the front and back of house garage screens”, explains Jack Cornish, Technical Manager at Tateside. “These screens need to display a variety of material, from sponsorship stacks and animations to the main live feed and timing data, critical for the in-garage mechanics and engineers.”
Joby Morris, Project Manager at Tateside, works closely with the marketing and IT trackside team to ensure the correct content is uploaded, programmed, and displayed in advance of the race week. “The Brightsign players are programmed to run multiple presentations for the various race week events, such as qualifying or free practice sessions”, he says. “During these sessions, the Brightsign players display various content and data. This functionality is triggered via UDP commands, using a custom application built by the team.”
2024 will mark the first full race season of Tateside managing AV services at the MoneyGram Haas F1 Team. “Having been involved in the AV side of the garage upgrade and supporting the latter races of 2023, we’re looking forward to supporting the team during this busy upcoming season”, continues Morris. “Through our Managed Services department, we’re on hand to provide contracted support.”
(Photos: Tateside/MoneyGram Haas F1 Banbury)
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DraftKings Sportsbook “cascades” TVOne Coriomaster2 processors to feed video walls
DraftKings’ new Sportsbook facility has opened in Scottsdale, Arizona, featuring 3,400 square feet of video walls driven by two TVOne Coriomaster2 video processors. For the first time ever, two Coriomaster2 units are being “cascaded” to offer DraftKings more inputs and outputs than ever before.
Constructed during 2023, the Scottsdale DraftKings Sportsbook is located adjacent to the 36-hole TPC Scottsdale golf complex. The building offers 13,000 square feet of indoor space, which includes 32 betting kiosks, six windows to place bets, and wraparound LED screens, allowing customers to watch live sports action and related video from practically any seat or space.
Agility AVL’s Art Martinez and his team were engaged to specify and install a complete AV solution for the project, designing and delivering audio, LED, control, video processing and displays. “This was a first of its kind for DraftKings and PGA in terms of partnering to build a completely standalone Sportsbook which is not attached to a casino or hotel”, says Martinez. “With the large amount of video wall space, we chose the Coriomaster2 as our video processing solution.”
Martinez specified Transtech LED for all the screens, installing twelve 2.4 mm pixel pitch screens ranging from 11.8’ x 7.8’ to 53’ x 9’ in size. A further eleven 3.9 mm pixel pitch screens are rigged ranging with the largest measuring 21.3’ x 4.9’ and including seven 10’ x 9.8’’ tickers. They were sourced from Wright Hospitality and US Distributor Legends. “We chose AMX as our control system because of its reliability in the market”, adds Martinez.
“Being a Sportsbook, the primary focus of the displayed content is sports, via DirecTV”, he continues, “but they are also using media servers for their marketing as well as other content. Initially, there were challenges in relation to the number of inputs/outputs that they needed, but we challenged TVOne to do something they never had before with the Coriomaster2 - cascade two machines.”
The day-to-day operations at the Sportsbook are being taken care of by the venue’s technical team, which involved a training period by the Advanced LED and the Agility AVL team. “We provided service support both locally and remotely”, explains Martinez. “The Coriomaster2 video processors are running the entire video system with 32 DirecTV receivers, four Cox receivers, and twelve NUC PCs.”
Art Martinez thanks Nick Frush at TVOne, Mark Wright from Wright Hospitality Group, Keith Hanak at Legends Hospitality Group, Transtech LED’s Engine Xu, and Tony Zxu, Kerri Zimmerman at Newline Displays, Steve Gorski at SG Western Group, the DraftKings team including Frank Kunovic, Carmen DiMichele, Joel Soukup, Jillian Hawkins and Meahgan Manzi, and all of the installers and technical team including Josh Martinez, Mack Montoya, Adam Perez, Nate Vitelle, Ryan Bentley, Darrin Oxford and Lucas Beck.
(Photos: TVOne)
Sterling Event Group streamlines live event productions with AJA
Sterling Event Group provides sound, lighting, video, sets, stages, and other live event production services to clients across corporate, private, public, sporting, and live music event productions in the UK and overseas. When working on a project like the British Small Animal Veterinary Association’s (BSAVA) Congress in Manchester, which wrapped in late March 2024, Sterling Head of Vision Joseph Timmons often uses AJA Ki Pro Go and Ki Pro Ultra 12G recorders.
“Ki Pro Go has become our hardware of choice for HD video recording because we can record synchronized, multi-channel video with flexible encoding settings”, says Timmons. “The fact that we can also use ‘off the shelf’ media and Ki Pro Go generates compact clip file sizes means our clients can access footage immediately after an event finishes.”
A multi-space conference and exhibition, BSAVA brought together veterinary professionals from across Britain. Throughout the event, Sterling was tasked with producing sessions in small breakout spaces, as well as larger-scale panels and talks in 1000-seat halls. Timmons tapped AJA Ki Pro Gos to record live footage in H.264 and content from nine separate event spaces to a centralized NAS drive using the network (SMB) recording feature.
The setup eliminated the need to collect and distribute physical media from each space, and Timmons was able to deliver footage immediately to off-site editors. With the latest firmware update for the device, his team was also able to remotely monitor all live event videos in real time. Built-in Ki Pro Go support for redundant recording to USB media provided the team with a physical backup should the need arise.
Sterling has grown considerably over the last several years and plans to continue scaling to accommodate new growth. As it does, Timmons is paying close attention to trends like AV over IP and higher resolution workflows: “Whilst we still see live event signal flow predominantly running in HD, the demand for 4K/UltraHD is increasing, and AV over IP is going to help facilitate improved transmission of high-bandwidth standards while providing interoperability, versatility, and reliability.”
(Photos: AJA Video Systems/Sterling Event Group)
Christie Pandoras Box and Widget Designer power new immersive experiences at Wonderland Science Fiction Exploration Hall
Christie Pandoras Box and Widget Designer power the visuals of an immersive entertainment experience targeted at teenagers and young adults. Located at the ZGC Science Fiction Industry Innovation Center in Beijing, China, this new attraction aims to engage guests through an interactive adventure.
Visitors at the Wonderland Science Fiction Exploration Hall are transported into a sci-fi adventure set in deep space. Divided into two themed experiences, Space Rescue and Space Dinosaur Base, participants must engage in specific tasks and games to successfully complete their mission. Space Rescue tasks participants with piloting a replica return capsule, docking with a space station, and restarting a control system at a biological base, all while wearing astronaut attire. Meanwhile, Space Dinosaur Base participants explore a chaotic space dinosaur base.
By utilising advanced film industry technology and digital interactive tools from Christie Pandoras Box, the attraction pioneers the fusion of digital and real spaces, creating an immersive experience. Pandoras Box Software and Widget Designer were supplied and installed in this facility by Christie’s trusted partner Beijing De Yi Jia Chuang (Audiovisual) Ltd.
Christie Pandoras Box facilitates the transition of distinct gaming scene effects for both immersive adventures, integrating multi-scene audio and video content with Widget Designer’s control algorithms, which adapt to various environments. The software is installed in two customised multimedia servers, each dedicated to immersive audio and visual integration for the respective themed experiences.
“This setup allows for precise control of multi-scene storyline effects and efficient network distribution, ensuring unified reception of multi-channel input/output signals and control of game modules”, says Daiyuan Wang, general manager of Beijing De Yi Jia Chuang. “This empowers the operator to achieve real-time and precise playback control of various audio and video content.”
(Photos: Wonderland Science Fiction Exploration Hall)
Christie projection set to deliver cinematic experiences at Festival de Cannes
Christie will power screenings at the 77th Cannes Film Festival, from May 14-25, 2024. This marks the 18th year Christie has partnered with Cannes, and its projectors, both RGB pure laser illumination and its new series 4 Xenon-based systems, will be used in 24 spaces throughout the festival, including at the flagship Grand Théâtre Lumière room.
“It’s been our pleasure to support the film festival for nearly two decades”, says Adil Zerouali, senior sales director, Cinema EMEA, Christie. “The Festival is amongst the most well-loved on the global stage, and this year, we will be able to showcase the latest releases using a broad range of technologies. We continue to work with the Festival and the Commission Supérieure Technique de l’Image et du Son (CST).”
Christie CP4435-RGB pure laser projectors have been installed in the Grand Théâtre Lumière and Debussy rooms, as well as at La Plage, the festival’s picturesque outdoor theatre on the beach. Xenon-illuminated CP4420-Xe projectors will power screenings at Bazin, Bunuel and Varda rooms, and CP2306-RGBe projectors will be used throughout the festival.
(Photo: Mathilde Petit)
Nocturne Drones und Insglück inszenieren Drohnen- und Tanz-Performance für Eröffnungsfeier der Hannover Messe
Während der Opening Ceremony der weltgrößten Industriemesse, der Hannover Messe, hat Nocturne Drones seine neueste Innovation enthüllt: die Flying Screens. Die Performance der Videodrohnen wurde in Kooperation mit der Hannover Messe und der Agentur Insglück präsentiert.
„Der Einsatz dieser neuen Technik, die intuitive Interaktion der Tänzerin Aischa Dawn Ibrahim mit den Drohnen, die komplexe Choreografie und die eigens dafür produzierte Musik haben ihre ganz eigene Faszination entfaltet“, freut sich das Konzeptions-Team Rebecca Hutter und Damián Barnett von Insglück.
„Ein großer Dank geht an unsere Special Units Nocturne Drone Shows und Nocturne Special Projects sowie deren Ingenieure und Softwareentwickler, die das System entwickelt und umgesetzt haben“, ergänzt Jens Hillenkötter, CEO von Nocturne Drones.
Die Verwendung von Industriedrohnen dieser Größe bei einer Indoor-Veranstaltung stellte hohe Sicherheitsanforderungen, was intensive Abstimmungen - nicht nur der Gewerke untereinander, sondern insbesondere mit den Sicherheits-Behörden - erfordert habe. Die Flying Screens sind für In- und Outdoorshows geeignet und ab sofort bei Nocturne Drones verfügbar.
(Foto: Christian Drost/Kai-Uwe Knoth)
FashionStock Productions elevates runway filming with cameras from JVC
For more than three decades, FashionStock Productions has been a trailblazer in capturing the essence of fashion runways and events across the globe. As the owner of the production company, Anton Oparin looks to keep his video quality as pristine as possible, using a selection of cameras from JVC Professional Video, a division of JVCKenwood USA Corporation.
Included among these are a trio of JVC GY-HC500 Series Connected Cam handheld production cameras, which he deploys alongside other JVC camcorders. FashionStock Productions boasts an archive of over six million images and more than 10,000 hours of video, spanning iconic fashion week events in New York, London, Milan, Paris, Miami and Los Angeles.
The company will be on the runway in South Beach, May 29 to June 3, at Miami Swim Week 2024 with a variety of JVC solutions, including Oparin’s three GY-HC500 series cameras. “This season, we will completely upgrade our live video shoot, edit and broadcast to a 4K/60p format. This multi-camera broadcast setup does not exist anywhere else in the fashion world, and we look forward to seeing the plans come to life”, says Oparin.
The 500 Series Connected Cam production cameras bring advancements that are beneficial to FashionStock, including a 28-300 mm branded lens with continuous auto-focus and multiple face recognition options. Oparin highlights the importance of these features in capturing dynamic runway shows where fashion models move rapidly.
“The auto-focus and face recognition options make it possible to follow the models no matter how fast they’re moving down the runway, especially when a solo operator needs to adjust for light and dark clothing quickly”, he says.
At New York Fashion Week, Oparin’s team livestreamed multiple shows in challenging lighting conditions. “With live productions, it is important to have reliable remote controls - this is where the JVC Connected Cam features really excel”, he explains. “Being able to control and monitor the camera over IP with any mobile device or computer has been great.”
“The possibility to correct exposure or color for remotely rigged cameras using Wi-Fi is beneficial because many times the team has to rig the cameras prior to the lighting aspects of the space being set up”, he continues. “We can also start/stop recordings remotely, which brings peace-of-mind and saves space on memory cards or the internal SSD drive. We sometimes do not have direct access to the cameras throughout a shoot, so having reliable remote controls is essential.”
Some of Oparin’s other favorite features include the end-to-end streaming capabilities with the Connected Cam models and built-in LCD screen, which eliminates the need for an external monitor.
(Photos: JVC Professional Video/FashionStock Productions)
Hippotizer unmasks visuals for “The Masked Singer South Africa”
Hit TV series “The Masked Singer” kicked off its second season in South Africa in April 2024 with sixteen celebrities battling it out in flamboyant costumes to hide their identities. The production team ramped up the staging, lighting, and visuals for the 2024 contest using TVOne’s Green Hippo brand of Hippotizer Boreal+ MK2 Media Servers alongside a GrandMA3 console to create projections and LED screen animations.
On stage, a 11 m x 4 m 2.9 pixel pitch Absen LED main wall backed each performer, displaying custom-made content designed in collaboration with “The Masked Singer South Africa” Creative Director Barry Pretorius and Set Designer Michael Gill. In addition, there were two 2 m x 4 m LED walls for Unreal Engine 3D effects rigged behind two stage left and right mask-shaped surfaces, which were projection mapped using the Boreal+ MK2 via four Christie projectors. Behind the judges’ table the team also rigged an 8 m x 2 m LED wall.
Blond Productions supplied all technical equipment for the show, including sound, lighting, LED walls and playback for the clue package (VTs designed to hint at each performers’ identity) and studio phases respectively, operators and the Unreal Engine. The team also used their own Hippotizer Boreal+ MK2 Media Server, which was purchased from DWR Distribution.
“The Boreal+ MK2 was perfect for this production”, says Ryan Lombard, Head of Department Show Lighting at Blond Productions and Co-Owner of Blond Digital, who co-designed and operated the show. “It has 4 x 4K outputs and ours was fitted with a dual capture card to receive SDI and DVI. The SDI input was used for the broadcast feed and the second was used to run Unreal Engine on the LED walls behind the masks. We ended up using seven outputs and two inputs from one device.”
For the production, the team needed to manage various feeds and graphic elements, including the show graphics, live feed and visuals from the Unreal Engine. All content was created by Digital Union, with each song graphic crafted based on direction given by Pretorius.
“In the clue package phase, we played back graphics from Digital Union”, explains Lombard. “In the studio elements we had graphics made for the general look and feel for the holding state and logos and elements specifically made for each song. Songs included graphics for the main LED wall and the masks being projection mapped, fed from the Boreal+ MK2. Each mask had two projectors allocated and aligned to them. The clue packages were sent from a Tricaster and fed to the Boreal+ MK2. These were playbacks of the clue packages we had previously shot, or sometimes clips that came in last minute that needed to be fed in. We also fed Unreal Engine into the system to create a set extension behind the masks, and this world was created and managed through us.”
The team used many of the built-in effects from Hippotizer, most of which were used to create some flare and interest at the end of show sections. “There were so many moving parts in this production and having a single media server solution driving all these different elements with ease and being able to control it from a lighting device simplified the process immensely”, says Lombard. “On the main set we used the Hippotizer’s ability to scale outputs for pixel perfect fits to the LED walls, bypassing the need for LED wall scalers. Some layers had to be alpha keyed as the show heavily relies on layers to build perfect looks. We also used the masking tool to mask out the projectors on the masks to minimise light bleed on the set, and masks were also heavily used on VS show graphics to blend certain graphics together.”
“The Masked Singer South Africa” is produced by multimedia company Rose and Oaks, under licence from Primedia and format owner Fremantle, and broadcast on SABC channel S3.
(Photos: TVOne/Rose and Oaks/SABC)
Marshall cameras deliver hybrid courtroom video conferencing and streaming solution for S&L
S&L Integrated Systems has recently transformed courtroom experiences throughout Georgia and the surrounding region with the integration of the CV503, CV504 and CV-355-10X POV cameras from Marshall Electronics.
The video conferencing and streaming solution has been implemented in over a hundred courtrooms, with an additional fifty installs scheduled for 2024. This initiative enables a hybrid approach that accommodates remote participation while maintaining the integrity of the legal process.
“The onset of the pandemic disrupted court proceedings, leading to delays, extended incarcerations and financial implications for several counties and personnel involved with the legal process”, says Stan Mobley, Senior Account Executive at S&L Integrated Systems. “Overnight, there was an immediate need to adapt to the changing environment within the court system, where traditional in-person proceedings faced significant restrictions due to social and physical distancing requirements. In response to the changing environment, the Supreme Court implemented changes allowing video appearances, sparking the need for an efficient video conferencing solution in courtrooms.”
S&L Integrated Systems collaborated with Marshall to develop a four-camera video conferencing solution tailored to the unique needs of courtrooms. The key innovation involved using two Marshall CV503 and/or CV504 fixed lens cameras and two CV-355-10X cameras strategically placed for capturing dedicated views of the judge, witness, prosecution and defense. The quad view arrangement ensures that participants always have a front-facing video feed, offering high-quality visuals and audio.
One of the key features of the solution was the integration of a fifth Marshall CV-355-10X camera dedicated to live streaming. Controlled by the judge’s touch panel, this camera facilitates on-demand live streaming of court proceedings, addressing the legal requirement for open court accessibility. The system ensures that the public can follow hearings remotely while adhering to social distancing measures.
“The courtroom has evolved into a hybrid environment, with an emphasis on convenience for judges to continue utilizing video conferencing and live streaming even when physical attendance is possible”, adds Mobley. “The ability to trigger individual cameras, such as focusing on the judge or witness greatly enhances the system’s flexibility and user-friendliness.”
“The Marshall cameras have successfully standardized courtroom solutions across multiple jurisdictions in the area”, concludes Mobley. “The implementation includes comprehensive training sessions for court personnel and a client care service agreement, ensuring ongoing support and maintenance from S&L Integrated Systems. The project has not only facilitated court proceedings during the onset of the pandemic but has also become a long-term solution for efficient and convenient legal processes.”
(Photos: Marshall Electronics/S&L Integrated Systems)
WePlay Studios transforms future of live event storytelling with AJA gear
By 2032, the esports market is expected to grow to $9.29 billion, bolstered by a global player count and fan following that both continue to climb. The 2023 League of Legends World Championship Tournament alone drew in an audience of over 6.4 million.
Considering esports’ massive fan following, many of whom tune in via dedicated live streams, the pressure to deliver live productions that align with fan expectations is real for companies like WePlay Studios. With dual headquarters in Kyiv, Ukraine, and Los Angeles, California, the content production company fuses gaming, technology from companies like AJA Video Systems, and storytelling to craft gaming shows and esports tournament experiences for top-rated titles like Dota 2, CS:GO, Valorant, and Rocket League.
But, as WePlay has uncovered, there’s also a huge demand for expertise in live event productions like The VTuber Awards, which WePlay’s team completed a full virtual production for last year. Hosted by Filian in partnership with talent management agency Mythic Talent, the five-hour event celebrated the top virtual creators online. WePlay Studios helped bring the event to audiences worldwide with a virtual broadcast by blending physical production facilities and equipment with extensive virtual production engineering and design.
“Storytelling and technological innovation drive every show we do, and we pride ourselves on creating iconic content that leaves a lasting viewer impression”, says Aleksii Gutiantov, Head of Virtual Production. “While we’d previously incorporated AR into live esports productions, this show marked our first foray into a fully virtual event managed with virtual cues; it’s the most challenging technological endeavor we’ve ever taken on.”
To successfully pull off the event, Gutiantov managed and coordinated the production in Los Angeles remotely from his laptop from Europe, using intercom communication with more than a dozen team members and orchestrating eight days of pre-production to deliver the broadcast. His team first created a real-time rendering of an entirely virtual Filian to incorporate into the live production using motion capture (mocap) technology. They tapped twenty witness cameras for full-body performance capture, including precise finger movements, and combined it with additional technology to stream facial mocap data.
The live event stream included a vast virtual arena, but Filian’s character was located on a smaller stage, encircled by a digitally reconstructed version of WePlay’s physical LA arena. To ensure every physical pan, tilt, and focus pull translated directly into the virtual render environment, WePlay Studios’ camera operators managed three cameras that were synced to virtual cameras. Camera operators in the practical/physical set were then able to switch among various angles within the virtual stadium using iPads connected to virtual cameras, creating the illusion of using a dozen cameras instead of three.
To make the production look more authentic, WePlay Studios connected the physical stage lights to the corresponding virtual lights, which allowed the team to manipulate the virtual stadium’s lighting environment through the activation of a real environment via a lighting control console. Video playback was also integrated into the virtual world, with software for live event visuals connected to the virtual venue used to launch and control the graphics displayed on the virtual stage’s screens. AJA Kona 5 video I/O boards played a crucial role in the 12G-SDI signal chain, and the final SDI feed was forwarded to an AJA Kumo 3232-12G video router for availability across the entire broadcast pipeline.
“Our Kona 5 cards were instrumental in allowing us to receive 12G-SDI signals, integrate them into an Unreal Engine 5 environment, and composite the final in SDI”, says Gutiantov. “And, our Kumo routers let us build infrastructure for large remote and on-site productions like this one and manage everything from a single web interface thousands of kilometers away.”
Kona 5 enabled WePlay Studios’ team to use Unreal Engine to create a comprehensive virtual production hub capable of handling 12G-SDI workflows. This allowed them to fully harness the potential of AR technology, from camera tracking to motion capture and data-driven graphics, while ensuring live virtual production broadcasts without technical mishaps in compositing. It also allowed them to produce UltraHD fill and key signals from one card in all known formats, using Pixotope as a keyer for 4K with the failover features known from FHD workflows.
In addition to Kona 5 and Kumo, WePlay also used a cluster of AJA Ki Pro Ultra 12G recorders to meet the recording standards demanded by the project without any interruptions. “The devices allow us to support multi-channel HD recording or single-channel UltraHD, and we can swap out recording media on the fly, which is convenient and reliable, especially for long-format live broadcasts and when clients require high-bitrate UltraHD materials for post”, says Gutiantov.
Due to the special setup of WePlay Studios’ Los Angeles facility, the team developed a preview infrastructure comprising a series of Mini-Converters to facilitate 12G-SDI signal down conversion and forward 3G-SDI signals to their AJA Kumo video router. Using AJA HD5DA SDI distribution amplifiers, the team then spread preview signals across all arena monitors for more straightforward management of all preview signals.
The setup, which also used Salvo routing configurations for SDI signals regardless of the data source’s nature, enabled precise control over the view of the production that WePlay Studio provided to its partners, talent, camera operators, motion capture team, and the entire production crew at any moment. AJA ROI-DP DisplayPort to SDI Mini-Converters proved a key part of this preview infrastructure design, allowing the team to duplicate computer monitors into the broadcast pipeline to manage conversion with region-of-interest scaling.
WePlay Studios plans to open up a new virtual production studio in Los Angeles this year that will feature a screen area larger than 2,500 sq ft with a 1.8 mm pitch and the first-ever Pantone-certified LED color pipeline, utilizing advanced flip-chip technology - which will be dedicated to film and entertainment projects beyond gaming and esports.
(Photos: AJA Video Systems/WePlay Studios)
