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Brompton supports B&T Awards show in Sydney
15/02/2024
Christie projectors light up Waddesdon Manor
15/01/2024
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)
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)
WDR Filmhaus nutzt zukunftssicheres Medien- und Intercom-Netzwerk von Riedel
Der Westdeutsche Rundfunk (WDR) hat sich im Zuge der Erneuerung der technischen Infrastruktur im WDR Filmhaus in Köln für ein auf Riedel-Technologie basierendes Medien- und Intercom-Netzwerk entschieden. Die Riedel-Lösung des Hamburger Systemintegrators MCI hatte im Rahmen einer öffentlichen Ausschreibung den Zuschlag erhalten.
Das Filmhaus in der Kölner Innenstadt ist das journalistische und technische Herzstück des WDR. Rund 700 Mitarbeiter werden hier die reichweitenstärksten Programme des WDR produzieren: von WDR 2 bis zur „Aktuellen Stunde“, vom „ARD Morgenmagazin“ bis zu „Brennpunkten“, den Zulieferungen für die Tagesschau und die digitalen Kanäle.
Das bestehende Filmhaus wird grundlegend saniert, um das Gebäude an die heutigen und zukünftigen Anforderungen der Medienproduktion anzupassen, und soll neben Büro- und Konferenzbereichen auch Redaktions-, Studio- und Aufnahmeräume für crossmediale Produktion beinhalten.
Im WDR Filmhaus kommen nun Artist Intercom und MediorNet HorizoN von Riedel zum Einsatz. Die software-definierte MediorNet-Infrastruktur mit MediorNet HorizoN, MicroN UHD und MicroN erlaubt es dem WDR, Audio- und Videosignale (Baseband & IP) flexibel im Filmhaus zu verteilen und kann zudem auch leistungsstarke Multiviewing- und Processing-Funktionen abbilden.
Nachhaltigkeit und Zukunftssicherheit waren entscheidend in diesem Schlüsselprojekt; da der WDR eine Öffnung hin zu einer umfassenden Medien-over-IP-Infrastruktur anstrebt, wird Riedels hybride Processingplattform MediorNet HorizoN eine zentrale Rolle im Filmhaus spielen.
„MediorNet HorizoN gewährleistet, dass die neue Infrastruktur im Filmhaus offen gegenüber zukünftigen Technologieentscheidungen bleibt“, sagt Patrick Mandl, Product Manager Video, Riedel Communications. „Mit seinen 128 IP-Gateways pro HE fungiert es als Brücke von der SDI-Welt in die offene ST-2110-Umgebung und bietet dem WDR die Möglichkeit, in den kommenden Jahren schrittweise innovative IP-Produktionskomplexe zu integrieren.“
Das verteilte MediorNet-System erlaubt es dem WDR, die Video-Kreuzschienen direkt zu den Signalquellen zu führen, und so auf kürzeren Wegen die Signale effizienter zu distribuieren. Zudem kann der WDR mittels MediorNets integrierter Glue-Features auf eine Vielzahl von Zusatzprodukten verzichten, was den Kosten- und Verkabelungsaufwand verringert sowie die Überwachung im Fehlerfall vereinfacht.
Beim Ausbau der Kommandoanlage im Filmhaus setzt der WDR auf Artist-1024 und SmartPanels der 1200er-Serie, die mittels Trunking in das bestehende Intercom-Netzwerk des WDR integriert werden. Dieses Artist-Netzwerk umfasst alle Produktionsbereiche in der Kölner Innenstadt und ermöglicht dem WDR eine komplette gebäudeübergreifende Kommunikation am Standort Köln.
(Foto: Riedel Communications/WDR)
Christie RGB pure laser projector powers first Oma Cinema
A Christie CP4435-RGB pure laser projector is being used at a new cinema experience at Oma Cinema in Mougins, France. Inspired by traditional Italian-style opera house balconies - and resembling a futuristic sci-fi layout - Oma Cinema features innovative architecture, utilising circular seating pods as part of an auditorium concept to improve viewing. Christie partner Cinewest chose the CP4435-RGB projector to deliver advanced DCI compliant cinema projection, paired with a custom 7.1 sound system.
“We wanted to bring something different and offer viewers something special as part of an in-person visit, which couldn’t be replicated at home”, says Nicolas Chican, co-founder at Oma Cinemas. “We saw a lack of evolution in cinema design in recent decades and felt that architecture could be a powerful tool to deliver something unique.”
Oma Cinemas in Mougins is the first ever Oma install, and features 160 seats, with five individual pods, as well as orchestra seating. Designed by architect Pierre Chican, the patented concept’s “vertical” seating structure is designed to concentrate seating pods in the optimal viewing area, moving the traditional “first row” seats further back in the theatre, and the “back row” seats closer to the screen. Due to this design, the projector is also able to be installed mid-centre to the screen, eliminating image distortion.
Christie CP4435-RGB features CineLife+ electronics and Real Laser illumination as a compact, all-in-one projector. “We’re delighted that Cinewest chose the Christie CP4435-RGB for this exciting project at Oma Cinemas in Mougins”, says Adil Zerouali, senior director of sales, EMEA Cinema, at Christie. “We believe that cinema delivers a shared experience like no other, and we want to inspire and engage moviegoers together with our partners. It’s great to see innovation in the industry.”
The Oma concept is fully customisable, and is available to be rolled out to other screens across the globe, to either renovate existing theatres, or be built from scratch. Each pod features its own unique access point, and is customisable with different seating configurations and comforts. It is also possible to incorporate a stage beside the screen to allow an Oma room to be used for live events and conferences.
Rear access ensures no visual distractions - such as signage or other exits - intrude on the viewer’s perspective. Due to the more vertical seating structure, space is saved at the rear of the screen, providing room to locate dedicated food and beverage areas and lounge bars. The first public screening at Mougins will take place on April 24, 2024.
(Photo: Cinewest)
Christie cinema projectors power new Chilean multiplex Muvix Talca
Chilean cinema chain Muvix has equipped all seven theatres of its new multiplex in Talca, Chile, with CineLife+ cinema projectors from Christie. The new complex has a capacity of 1,313 seats across seven theatres with screens that range in size from ten metres (33 feet) to sixteen metres (52 feet) wide. Auditoriums are equipped with Christie projectors that deliver brightness of 9,000 to 22,000 lumens.
Theatre 7, called Aera, includes Dolby Atmos sound and a sixteen-metre (52-foot) large-format screen powered by a Christie 4K projector. Muvix and its sister chain, Cine Star, belong to Grupo Syem, the only Chilean-owned exhibition company in the country. In addition to Muvix Talca, the company also has twenty Christie projectors distributed in its various cinemas throughout the country.
(Photos: Christie/Muvix)
BCC Live uses AJA Bridge Live for encoding/decoding across productions
Boulder, Colorado-based live production company BCC Live helps organizations like Ironman, Rock’n’Roll Marathon, and others deliver broadcast quality coverage of niche sporting events and conferences to global audiences. To support a broad range of encoding/decoding demands, BCC Live invested in an AJA Bridge Live IP video workflow bridge.
“AJA Bridge Live is helping us navigate challenges across the board. With it, we can take in nearly any type of feed and send out whatever end format is required”, shares BCC Live President and Event Technician Dave Downey. Whether broadcasting or running tests, BCC Live deploys Bridge Live nearly every weekend to support a range of production demands (i.e., 1080i or 1080p, 50 or 60 frames, Secure Reliable Transport, etc.).
They also leverage it to send SCTE markers to customers for triggering breaks. In the case of 70.3 Ironman competition broadcasts during which a production company partner runs the ad breaks - like the Ironman European races - BCC Live will tap into Bridge Live’s ability to send SCTE metadata down to the broadcast channels so that the production team can trigger ad breaks.
BCC Live provides services spanning production through post - including animation and graphics - so every project is different. At the start of each project, BCC Live ensures all the right people, assets, and equipment are in place as a first step, then builds out custom event graphics. The BCC Live team often receives live event feeds from a production company, then mixes the content, adds graphics, and broadcasts it to viewers via YouTube or other online video platforms. They also package the content into 45-second highlight reels for social media platforms. Regardless of where content is produced, anything broadcast or streamed by BCC Live comes into its Boulder studio before distribution to viewing platforms.
SRT and RTMP are frequently requested by clients, as are SDI and NDI. With Bridge Live, BBC Live can support many formats with one device. “The fact that Bridge Live supports so many connectivity types, video codecs, and protocols has significantly reduced the volume of equipment we use”, explains Downey. “It allows us to go in and build a new profile for any project, so we’re set for the broadcast without a lot of stress.”
Commenting on NDI in particular, he continues, “We love using NDI with Bridge Live because we don’t have to get up from our seats to send the signal in the studio; I can open the signal on my laptop in NDI, do a quality check, pull it into the TriCaster, and make sure everything is how I want. Then, I can patch it and set it up as SDI, so whenever we need it in multiple places, we can use a matrix splitter. This means multiple studios can grab what they need off NDI; it’s a simple way to split off a world feed as we get it.”
Many of BCC Live’s productions for European Ironman events start with a live premix feed provided by a production company partner. BCC Live’s Boulder studio receives that feed via Bridge Live, and it’s pulled into its video mixer via SDI and sent to a few destinations in-studio. BCC Live transmits the feed through its replay machine and sends a split into its TriCaster via SDI, where the team adds HTML5 graphics. They use a green screen background and put the video behind the hosts so it looks like they’re in the location of the event.
BCC Live then sends the feed out via Bridge Live to YouTube, Facebook, and Outside for viewers to see, as well as to Grabyo, where its client can pull content for social needs. Next, the team spins off a world feed that is sent to LiveU Studio and also transmits a mixed feed to LiveU Studio from the Bridge Live. In LiveU Studio, they might bring in remote hosts, mix in localized content, and send that off to a relevant network or streaming platform. With Bridge Live, BCC Live has cut its encoding/decoding technology needs in half, according to Downey.
(Photos: AJA Video Systems/BCC Live)
ST Engineering Antycip helps level up academic research with Europe’s first Infinadeck
ST Engineering Antycip provided and installed the first Infinadeck treadmill in the United Kingdom at Liverpool University in its Daresbury facility. The Virtual Engineering Centre (VEC), from the University of Liverpool, has been funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) to establish the UK’s first National Centre for Digital Heritage (CDH).
The project seeks to develop a solution that enables users to move freely and naturally within expansive virtual spaces, without being confined by the boundaries of their real-world environment. ST Engineering Antycip recommended an omnidirectional XR treadmill, Infinadeck, as the ideal system. Inspired by the film “Ready Player One”, the Infinadeck treadmill has evolved from its Hollywood origins to become a real-life product that now integrates into commercial spaces. This technology aligned with the VEC’s needs, offering a dynamic platform, enabling users to explore virtual environments.
“By enabling users to walk naturally in any direction, Infinadeck creates a genuine sense of being inside the digital world”, says Phil Martin, chief revenue officer at Infinadeck. “This ‘Dynamic Presence’, as we call it, elevates the engagement, evocativeness and emotional connection experienced by users within the immersive environment. Compatible with VR headsets, projection domes, immersive LED displays, or standalone use, Infinadeck provides the optimum solution for incorporating physical movement into training simulations or gamified environments.”
“VEC has always been an early adopter of technology, having embraced solutions like the 360 Hz multi-view stereo projection system that we installed more than a year ago at their Digital Innovation Facility (DIF)”, says John Mould, commercial development manager at ST Engineering Antycip. “Having seen an online demonstration by Infinadeck and ST Engineering Antycip, VEC took the leap of faith to invest in this device to enhance their capabilities for future projects.”
VEC uses the Infinadeck as a doorway to research and virtual adventures, currently focusing on uncovering how buildings and architectural styles have changed over time. Konstantin Vikhorev, chief technology officer at VEC, highlights the importance of the research: “It’s very fascinating to virtually recreate a medieval building and witness its evolution and how it’s been built. In those times, education was primarily overseen by masters without many universities and schools. This adds an interesting layer to the study, analysing the diverse architectural styles originating from different locations and time periods, providing us with unique historical insights.”
Another way VEC uses Infinadeck is by creating virtual museum experiences that allow participants to virtually explore paintings and “touch” statues. “We’ve been experimenting with the treadmill speed, prioritising the health and safety of users who are unfamiliar with this kind of equipment. By reducing speed, we’ve ensured that even those new to the technology can feel comfortable and safe enough to walk on it”, says Vikhorev.
(Photos: ST Engineering Antycip)
Powersoft Mover integrated into VI-grade’s automotive simulator
Italian pro-audio technologist Powersoft has joined forces with VI-grade, a provider of real-time simulation and professional driving simulator solutions. This collaboration introduces the integration of Powersoft’s haptic transducer, Mover, into VI-grade’s Compact FSS simulator.
VI-grade is a provider of software products and services, professional driving simulators and hardware-in-the-loop solutions designed to accelerate product development across the transportation industry. The company needed to upgrade the existing technology in its Compact FSS simulator with one that would be both more effective, powerful and realistic.
The Compact FSS simulator, tailored for automotive OEMs, replicates a real-life car behaviour and provides full-spectrum simulator from 0.5 Hz to 20 kHz. “The haptic feedback element provided by Mover is fundamental to completing the simulation experience, blending its vibrational contributions with those of the other shakers to cover the full range of frequencies, in all depths of field, at which the vehicle is moving”, explains Gabriele Ferrarotti, marketing director for VI-grade.
VI-grade’s internal technical team, responsible for designing, testing and certifying the simulators, first tested Powersoft’s Mover on a static version of the simulator. Their positive experience during this phase solidified their decision to integrate Mover into the new simulator model.
The partnership between Powersoft and VI-grade involved dedicated support from Powersoft’s team, who addressed challenges including space constraints in integrating Mover into Compact FSS. Along with the integration of Mover, the simulator now also uses two new Powersoft Mezzo amplifiers, replacing an old eight channel amplifier.
(Photos: Powersoft/VI-grade)
German flooring retailer enhances showroom experience with Nsign.tv digital signage
MeinBodenbelag, a 160-year-old floor covering retailer in Neresheim, Germany, has elevated its showroom experience by implementing a digital signage network powered by the Nsign.tv software platform. The system includes twenty displays strategically placed throughout the store.
“We were looking for a program for our many displays in the stationary exhibition so that we could play new videos quickly and easily every day”, explains Toni Grimmeisen, managing director of MeinBodenbelag. “It was also important to us that the contents could run automatically and be controlled from one PC.”
MeinBodenbelag contacted their IT integrator, Kutzschbach, who recommended the Nsign.tv cloud-based software platform. Nsign.tv is managing around twenty 4K UHD screens ranging from 55’’ to 98’’ placed throughout MeinBodenbelag’s showroom, as well as a 4K UHD projector. The retailer, in collaboration with a local partner, developed customised mounts for the screens in a vertical position. “The Nsign.tv players were connected to the displays, then set up on the PC using the software program”, says Grimmeisen.
Contents displayed on the different screens include daily price promotions, advertising of MeinBodenbelag’s social media channels, introductions to the company’s staff, signposts so that clients can find their way around the showroom, videos for relaxing in the showroom’s customer lounge and cartoons in a designated corner for children.
(Photos: Nsign.tv/Kutzschbach)
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AJA supports Czech Philharmonic concert productions
Prague’s Czech Philharmonic Symphony Orchestra has broadened its global footprint in recent years by transforming the Rudolfinum concert hall, where it performs, into an international stage via live video broadcast and streaming technology. Rudolfinum Technical Supervisor Dusan Bajtos is responsible for the venue’s production workflow, which supports concert broadcasts and streams to European Television channels Czech TV, Mezzo TV, Arte, and European Classical TV; social streaming platforms like YouTube, Vimeo, and Meta; and many other distribution points.
He opted to produce concerts in UltraHD HDR end-to-end and has come to rely on a host of AJA equipment for execution. “When approached for this job, it was one of the first UltraHD HDR projects in the region”, says Bajtos. “Anyone who has watched UltraHD HDR content can see the difference in quality, not to mention that most consumers already have UltraHD HDR-capable displays at home, so this path made sense. With tools like AJA FS-HDR, we can raise the caliber of our signal output.”
To provide global viewers with different perspectives during each concert stream, the team leverages four manned cameras and six robotic cameras controlled from the director’s room on-site. Ahead of each concert, they comprise a shot list that describes the angle, timing, and length of shots per camera, as well as the object or artist to be put into focus.
From the director’s room, Bajtos and his team execute the production, leaning on a collection of displays to monitor the feeds and make color and exposure adjustment calls. For signal conversion - between camera log formats, HDR and SDR, and UltraHD and HD - Bajtos uses AJA FS-HDR. The HDR/WCG converter/frame synchronizer lets the team convert the output to match each delivery partner’s requirements, be it 4K HDR, HD HDR, or HD SDR.
In addition to FS-HDR, across productions, Bajtos also leverages an AJA Kumo 1616 12G-SDI router, which is integrated into the robotic camera head system to support automatic camera switching. The pipeline further uses an AJA Helo H.264 video streamer and recorder for recording to USB drives that can be handed off to the crew and director after the production wraps. An AJA Ki Pro Ultra 12G 4K/UltraHD/HD recorder and player/multi-channel HD recorder is used for Apple ProRes backup recording.
(Photos: AJA Video Systems/Czech Philharmonic)
Mediaset España revamps news sets of Telecinco and Cuatro with Alfalite
The media group Mediaset España has revamped the news studios of its free-to-air TV channels Telecinco and Cuatro with Alfalite LED screens. The integrator Datos Media has been in charge of the sale and commissioning of the 844 LED panels supplied with Alfalite’s Orim technology.
For Telecinco, the most watched free-to-air TV channel in Spain, the news set was completely transformed, with 210 square metres of Alfalite LED screens, artificial intelligence and mobile camera solutions. The centrepiece of the Telecinco news set is a 31 x 2.5 metre Alfalite Modularpix Pro 1.9 Orim curved U-shaped wrap-around screen.
This display has the capacity to process up to three 8K video signals or twelve 4K video signals of up to twelve bits and more than fifty million pixels, compatible with the recreation of augmented reality environments, extended reality and virtual reality, and allows the projection in high definition of both images and graphics and infographics. A 32 x 1 metre Alfalite Modularpix Pro P3 U-shaped lintel has been integrated above this screen.
In addition, Datos Media has installed three 1.5 x 2.5 metre Alfalite Modularpix Pro 1.5 Orim mechanised mobile totems. These vertical hanging screens incorporate a motorised lifting mechanism to raise and lower them from the ceiling to the floor according to the needs of the news. As they are in vertical format, the three displays also allow the distortion-free projection of images recorded with mobile phones, published on social networks, etc.
For the Cuatro TV channel, the biggest novelty is the “L” shaped screen that starts on the floor and rises vertically towards the ceiling, in which the images can flow upwards like an endless loop and continue the movement through the side screens. This 11 x 1.5 metre display with a walkable floor is made up of Alfalite Modularpix Pro 1.9 Orim panels.
The Cuatro set also includes two 6 x 2.5 metre Alfalite Modularpix Pro 1.9 Orim screens. In addition, the set of “El desmarque”, the Cuatro news sports programme, has also been renovated by Datos Media with a 9 x 2.5 metre Alfalite Modularpix Pro 1.9 Orim screen. Orim technology gives these modules a horizontal and vertical viewing angle of 175 degrees, as well as anti-reflection, anti-static and enhanced dissipation properties.
(Photos: Alfalite/Datos Media/Mediaset España)
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Brompton supports B&T Awards show in Sydney
The B&T Awards stand as one of the most entered and respected industry accolades in Australia. Last year’s B&T Awards, hosted at the Hordern Pavilion in the heart of Sydney, revolved around the theme “Embrace the Extra-Ordinary”, with forty categories presented during the night. Collaborating with their client, The Misfits Media Co., for whom Audio Visual Events (AVE) has been the preferred production partner for five years, an LED structure powered by Brompton Technology’s Tessera LED processors was orchestrated.
“Before the B&T Awards, we assisted the Misfits team with their internal B&T & Travel Weekly programmes and agency event work”, explains Paul Keating, Director at AVE. “The brief for this year’s event, encompassing the client’s mood board, event styling, and content, featured dark backgrounds and vibrant colours. This was a perfect fit for utilising LED, allowing for deep, dark colours and contrasting vibrant ones to pop.”
The AVE team, including Eric Spencer (Senior Account Manager), Dan Quinn (Technical Project Manager), Dylan Hovey (Technical Director), and Brenton Dine (Vision Specialist), closely collaborated with The Misfits Media Co.’s Senior Producer Lachlan Russel and Project Manager Romy Bradbridge to bring the project to life.
“We built a central LED screen, 12 m wide by 4 m high, flanked by two vertical pillars, each measuring 1.5 m wide by 3 m high. This gave us a total of 15 m in width to play back the custom content B&T created for the show”, says Keating. The main LED wall comprised 192 Unilumin UpadIII 2.6 panels and was powered by a 4K Tessera SX40 LED processor with four Tessera XD data distribution units. Simultaneously, the two vertical pillars, which required an additional 36 tiles, were driven by a Tessera M2 LED processor.
The Misfits Media Co. developed custom content for the event in-house, including opening videos, looping backgrounds, awards presentations, and a range of alphas. All of these utilised the entire LED canvas, and the AVE team time-coded the LX. Pre-event, AVE hosted the Misfits team for content checks, aiding in establishing muscle memory for the show’s flow and ensuring the content was perfect during the show.
The LED wall also provided a backdrop for the after-party, with the AVE team using it to play custom VJ loops, with a a custom-made DJ surround rolled in and featuring new lighting fixtures. “This ensured the event evolved whilst still using the Brompton-driven LED wall backdrop as the main feature”, says Keating.
(Photos: Audio Visual Events/B&T Awards/Brompton Technology)
Swiss university modernizes AV workflows with AJA gear
Technology plays a key role in the educational process at the University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland (FHNW). Comprising nine schools, with each containing various institutes focused on a specific study, the university’s AV needs are diverse and complex. To help modernize its setup, the institution has invested in AJA’s OG-Dante-12GAM opengear audio embedder/disembedder and Bridge Live IP video workflow bridge.
“We are extending AJA’s OG-Dante-12GAM audio embedder/disembedder for every purpose possible because it enables us to extract all the audio to the in-house broadcast, the audio networks plus to mix in the video mixer or the audio system”, says Suresh Surenthiran, Head of Media and Broadcast Infrastructure at FHNW. “We just inject it into the frame in the server room and connect it to ethernet, and we can manage the frame from any location virtually.”
The broadcast needs of the art and design university run the gamut, from student-created content akin to a television show or a TED-style talk with colored lights, DMX systems, and polished visuals, to graduation ceremonies or other presentations. FHNW event locations are connected by fiber networks, which allow for multi-source ingest to bring together data from desktops, laptops, camera signals, video mixers, etc. for editing. Each year the fashion institute within FHNW hosts fashion shows, one of which prompted Surenthiran to evaluate Dante 12G networks.
Due to space challenges, the event was hosted across three locations spanning nearly 500 meters. The three-part event was filmed using a mix of twenty-two broadcast and PTZ cameras, which were primarily mounted to minimize any audience disturbance. Each location had one dedicated camera person and the rest of the cameras were operated through remote control systems. Mixed feeds from each location were simultaneously broadcast in-venue via various displays, giving attendees insight into what was happening across the event, and to the central editing system for external distribution using AJA Bridge Live.
Operators managed the audio across buildings remotely with OG-Dante-12GAM audio embedder/disembedders, which allowed them to bring in the audio microphone, any video conference feeds, and a local microphone system into the Dante audio setup and into the main mixer. From there, they extracted the audio using OG-Dante-12GAM, then sent it into a Powersoft Amplifier, which enabled them to manage and distribute the audio across the building.
“We’ve adopted this setup as our standard for auditorium event productions. We installed eleven fixed cameras that are remotely controlled, and now capture each of our weekly events with them”, says Surenthiran. “We have an 8K video mixer, and 4K, full HD, and PTZ cameras; we route the video sources through MediaNet to AJA Bridge Live using its four SDI inputs. This allows us to do parallel streaming in different formats, either for multiple events or to stream multiple feeds of the same event; if we wanted to stream an event in German, English, French, and Italian, we can do this with Bridge Live. It’s fast at transporting all the protocols like SRT, UDP, SLS, and RTP.”
While many universities dictate media workflows like classic IT infrastructure, Surenthiran prefers a more native approach. His background in the broadcast industry informs his priorities, which include automating complicated workflow aspects to broaden access to high quality implementations. “At both the broadcast and university levels, we produce content the same way, even if the context is different”, he explains. “I really advocated to have our own fiber channel networks and having that connected network is a great advantage.”
“We’re facing a shortage of media engineering expertise in Switzerland, and colleagues in Germany, France, and Italy have expressed similar challenges”, he concludes. “Solutions like OG-Dante-12GAM help us solve for this challenge, as does cloud-based technology like Bridge Live. We can simplify the technology management process.”
(Photos: Foto Nuccio/AJA Video Systems/FHNW)
Hippotizer drives “Unikko” projections at Lux Helsinki festival
The Lux Helsinki light festival took place at venues across the Finnish capital during January 2024, with a highlight being the specially created projection mapped visual display onto the intricate facade of the National Gallery Ateneum. The looping, five-hour graphic animations formed a 8000 px-wide canvas and were projected by six Barco UDX 4K32 projectors and driven by Green Hippo Hippotizer Montane+ RTX and Karst+ Media Servers.
The festival was staged by Events Helsinki, which brought in Capital AV to deliver technical production and visual consultancy for the Ateneum projections. In temperatures plummeting to minus 20 Celsius, the Capital AV team set up a warm trailer next to FOH position and the three projector towers. The animation work was designed by Katri Tikkanen and commissioned to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Finnish clothing brand Marimekko’s design pattern “Unikko”. Marimekko and Ateneum joined forces as major sponsors of the festival, making the projection project a reality.
A music score was composed by Matti Ahopelto, with the piece coming together as projected visuals that danced on the front of the building. “We deployed two Montane+ RTX and three Karst+ Media Servers to drive the projected visuals as we needed a reliable solution in the cold weather and with enough power for the large canvas, amount of graphics and the five-hour loop”, says Capital AV’s Max Lapinsuo-Sylwén. “The Hippotizers ran the show for the entire five-day festival without any issues.”
The show was projected using the six projectors, with three double-stacked each side in the projection tower and connected to the Hippotizer Media Servers using Luminex fiber cables. The Hippotizers were supplied by Capital AV, with subsidiary Capital Creative delivering the project with Max Lapinsuo-Sylwén and Timo Kesonen at the helm. It’s estimated that more than half a million people braved the cold to enjoy the Lux Helsinki festival this year.
(Photos: Petri Anttila/Green Hippo/Capital AV)
WSDG and Blaze Audio design new Hudson Valley screening room
Upstate Films will celebrate the opening of The Mark, its new screening room, beginning on March 15, 2024. Located upstairs at the Orpheum Theatre in Saugerties, New York, The Mark is an intimate 99-seat space housing cinema audio and live sound systems. The theater was designed by the acoustic consulting and architectural design firm WSDG, based in Highland, New York.
The Mark features a Dolby Atmos sound system, engineered with WSDG and cinema specialist Dave Berti. The live sound system has been designed by WSDG in partnership with Blaze Audio. The Mark’s Grand Opening celebration runs March 15 through March 20, with a special program exploring the room’s acoustics on April 10. The festivities include three open house events featuring Atmos short films, a silent film with live accompaniment, comedy, the launch of “All Singing, All Dancing” (a new series of classic musicals), and new and classic Atmos films.
On April 10, The Mark hosts a special event specifically highlighting the theater’s acoustics and Atmos sound system. “The Magic of the Mark: An Evening with John Storyk and Elliot Scheiner” features the eight-time Grammy-winning producer and engineer Scheiner and WSDG founding partner and award-winning architect and acoustician Storyk hosting discussion on immersive sound mixing for Atmos. The program will include examples from Scheiner’s work on the “History of the Eagles” documentary.
The theater is named in honor of the late Mark Braunstein, the founder of Markertek, member of the mid-Hudson Valley arts community and generous philanthropist. “We are immensely proud to be part of this project”, says John Storyk. “Communities need theaters more than ever, and this theater will rival professional executive screening rooms anywhere in the nation. This is a project my dear friend Mark Braunstein would have loved to have supported - he understood the importance of gathering together to celebrate the arts and culture. It is an honor to dedicate our work to Mark.”
(Photos: WSDG/Blaze Audio/Upstate Films/Orpheum Theatre)
ACE Sports deploys JVC system for UHD stadium video board
ACE Sports offers video/scoreboards, audio and production equipment for sports across North America, including at the high school, collegiate and professional levels. For the company’s recent installation at Nashville High School in Arkansas, JVC Professional Video provided a complete, glass-to-glass production solution, featuring two of its GY-HC500UN Connected Cam Handheld Production Cameras and a full complement of the brand’s workflow tools.
In addition to the cameras, ACE Sports also provided the school with JVC’s KM-IP8S4Pro Connected Cam vMix Studio Switcher, which can manage up to four SDI inputs and eight NDI inputs using vMix 4K licensed software, along with the brand’s RM-LP450G Replay Control Surface and RM-LP350G Desktop Connected Cam vMix Control Surface, which works with the KM-IP8S4 to enable traditional-style switching.
Using JVC’s solution, Nashville High School can livestream and present instant replays with image quality in 4K UHD to its video board, which is one of the largest installed in America at this level. “Since the new video display has a resolution of around 200 million pixels, the school needs to use cameras that provide the same video quality, otherwise the content being presented on the video board could appear blurry or out of focus for the live crowds in attendance”, says Mark Bridges, Director of Business Development, ACE Sports.
With ACE Sports’ incorporation of the JVC system at Nashville High School, sports spectators have been provided with enhanced footage of the game, which they may not have been able to view otherwise. “We have the cameras livestreaming to the board and we’re also recording”, explains Bridges. “We usually have people watching the video board when their team is on the opposite end of the field, other times they turn their backs and look up at the board just to get a close-up view. The JVC cameras provide that feed.”
(Photos: JVC Professional Video)
WatchHouse turns to Tateside for AV and IT solutions
Tateside, a London-based integrator of audiovisual and IT solutions, has announced its collaboration with the design-conscious coffee chain WatchHouse. Tateside has integrated AV and IT solutions across several WatchHouse locations in London, including background music and digital signage, and will support the brand’s expansion moving forward, including the opening of new Houses in the USA.
“WatchHouse sought a partner to handle both IT and AV aspects during the scaling of their operations”, says Jack Cornish, Technical Director at Tateside. “We’re providing them with a complete solution, from initial design through to implementation and ongoing support.”
For background audio, Tateside specified loudspeakers in various formats, from discreet slim-line boxes to invisible speakers bonded behind wooden panels to lighting track-based speakers. Some of the latest House fitouts have included the integration of digital projection for menu displays, requiring careful placement of projectors within joinery or walls.
“One example of the work we’re doing with WatchHouse is the Fenchurch Street branch, where we utilised Origin Acoustics discreet opening speakers and subwoofers to provide audio with minimal visual impact”, explains Cornish. Tateside also installed compact DSP amps from Powersoft, with user control provided by on-wall control panels.
“An Epson 4K super-ultra-short-throw laser projector is used to display the digital menu onto a solid marble wall”, continues Cornish. “It was important that the projector was out of sight so we designed this into the joinery detail above with a slot for the projected light ensuring that the projector could not be seen from underneath. We used a 4K BrightSign player and Embed Signage for our cloud-managed CMS for all remote content management and scheduling.”
Tateside also provides a solution covering passive and active IT infrastructure and ongoing support. “Whilst the backend stays the same, each House requires something different, so we’re drawing up the plans for each branch, organising and fitting the Wi-Fi, the switches, the routers, dealing with the ISP and the AV system”, says Cornish. “After the installation is complete, we’re then available to provide support in case of any issues and keep the system up to date through our Managed Services team.”
As part of WatchHouse’s expansion plan, Tateside is currently working on active projects in Canary Wharf, Hampstead Heath, Marble Arch, Fitzrovia and across the pond in New York, with additional Houses in the pipeline.
(Photos: Tateside/WatchHouse)
Mihai Malaimare uses AJA converter to integrate classic cameras into digital workflows
As the industry continues to innovate with the highest quality video capture technologies, the nostalgic look and charming imperfections produced with classic analog cameras cannot be overlooked or easily replicated. While the image capabilities of modern digital cinema cameras are ideal for capturing 4K/Ultra HD HDR video, some directors of photography (DPs) opt for classic VHS-C camcorders to create a highly stylized look, establish a time period or tone, or enhance visual storytelling.
DP Mihai Malaimare (ASC) first devised a process for integrating classic cameras into a fully digital workflow for the 2017 crime drama “November Criminals”. Capturing the film’s opening sequence with a VHS-C camera presented a range of challenges; although the sequence was filmed analog, the footage needed to be recorded digitally for dailies and seamlessly integrated into the production workflow. Furthermore, a video signal of the analog footage had to be routed to monitors on set for live review by the director and crew members.
Using a single cable hidden on the back of the camcorder, Malaimare routed the VHS-C signal to an AJA V2Digital analog to HD/SD-SDI digital video converter. Once the camera output was converted from analog to digital, the signal was recorded in 1080p24 and routed to a transmitter and the director’s monitor for live on set viewing. The voltage capabilities of the V2Digital allowed the crew to power the converter using a battery with enough power for half of the day.
“I ran a test of the workflow, and everything was perfectly in sync, plus the post-production team was amazed”, says Malaimare. “There’s no way you can replicate the look of a VHS-C without a workflow like this. Manipulation in post with filters won’t create the same artifacts, light streaks, or look of the lens, so nailing this workflow to capture it in camera was critical.”
For the 2022 sports drama “Winning Time: The Rise of the Lakers Dynasty”, Malaimare and cinematographer Todd Banhazl (ASC) leveraged a similar production workflow to transport audiences to the 1980s. A V2Digital converter remained central to the workflow, they shot on analog Ikegami cameras using old lenses, and Panavision provided cages that worked with modern accessories, like remote focus. For sequences shot with analog cameras, Malaimare and Banhazl recorded interlaced video to double the perceived frame rate without using additional bandwidth.
(Photo: AJA Video Systems/Mihai Malaimare)
Broadcast Solutions baut zweiten IP-Übertragungswagen für SuperSport
Broadcast Solutions hat einen zweiten All-IP-Übertragungswagen für den südafrikanischen Broadcaster SuperSport gebaut. Das neue Fahrzeug, der IP2, ist ein etwas kleineres Schwestermodell des IP1, der Mitte 2023 ausgeliefert wurde.
Die Spezifikationen des neuen Ü-Wagens sind weitgehend identisch mit denen des ersten. Dazu gehören Produktionstools wie der Sony-XVS-9000-4-M/E-Mischer, ein Calrec-Artemis-Audiomixer mit 64 Fadern und EVS-Replay-Server. Zu den Kameras von Sony gehören die 3500-Ultra-HD-, 5500-Super-Motion- und 4800-Ultra-Motion-Modelle. Der SMPTE-ST-2110-Standard sorgt für Konnektivität, mit Imagine Communications SNPs für SDI/IP-Konvertierung sowie Videoverarbeitung und Multiviewing.
„IP1 - wir nennen ihn ‘The Queen’ - wurde für die hochkarätigsten Veranstaltungen in unserem Sportkalender entwickelt“, erklärt Prishen Govender, Senior Manager Technical Broadcasting - Outside Broadcast Services bei SuperSport. „Wir haben schnell gemerkt, dass wir eine leicht verkleinerte Version brauchen. IP2 - ‘The Princess‘ - funktioniert auf die gleiche Weise, ist nur etwas kleiner.“
IP1, der ebenfalls von Broadcast Solutions gebaut wurde, lag mit einem 16 m langen, 4,3 m hohen und 2,6 m breiten Trailer (im Fahrzustand) an der absoluten Größengrenze für südafrikanische Straßen. IP2 ist 4,5 m kürzer und kann daher an Orten eingesetzt werden, an denen die Nutzung von IP1 physisch nicht möglich wäre. So ist der IP2 beispielsweise für die Sunshine Golf Tour, bei der ein größerer LKW zu groß wäre, um in die Golfanlagen zu gelangen, vorgesehen.
SuperSport setzt standardmäßig auf das von Broadcast Solutions entwickelte Hi-Human-Interface-System, eine Steuerungsebene, die eine automatische Erkennung und Konfiguration aller Systeme bietet. Es ermöglicht auch eine nahtlose Verbindung zwischen IP1 und IP2, sodass bei großen Produktionen beide Systeme wie ein einziges funktionieren können. SuperSports IP2 wurde in der Hauptniederlassung von Broadcast Solutions in Bingen am Rhein gebaut.
(Fotos: Broadcast Solutions)
Lux Machina turns to Stage Precision for “League of Legends” championship
Lux Machina Consulting, specialists in virtual production and official authorised service-based partners of Stage Precision, recently wrapped up work on the production of Riot Games’ “League of Legends World Championship“ e-sports competition. Through the implementation of Stage Precision’s SP software into their workflow, the team were able to manage the multi-layered AR production.
“Within our work at Lux Machina Consulting, we’ve used every tracking tool out there”, says Wyatt Bartel, VP of Production at the company. “Most of the workflows available are proprietary, meaning you’re locked into a particular manufacturer’s ecosystem. We came to know Stage Precision when we were searching for a platform to stabilise our camera tracking practices across film, television, and live events markets and upon learning about their lens calibration features and Shield plug-in we realised it was exactly what we’d been looking for - a tool that would unify data from several sources.”
For the “League of Legends” project, the Lux Machina Consulting team opted for several different tracking solutions, including an inside-out optical tracking data system via Mo-Sys, a tracked cable camera, and a SuperTechno crane, but needed a tool to provide a common link between data sources with offsets and profiles. SP proved to be the ideal solution. “SP provides us with a workspace in which we could view the data coming in and out”, explains Jeptha Valcich, Camera Tracking Specialist at Lux Machina Consulting. “Having this data overview means the camera tracking team can work in a separate environment from the technical team, leading to a greater sense of organisation on projects.”
The production team likened SP to a “catch-all filter” when it came to data control and distribution. “We used SP as a big tracking mixer, ingesting all the data we had available to us and allowing us to manipulate it before delivering it back out”, explains Xander De Jong, Camera Tracking Specialist at the NEP Group Netherlands, a sibling company that collaborated with the Lux Machina Consulting team on the “League of Legends” project. “From within SP, we could see all the 3D data from several sources, sync or delay the data and deliver it up to Unreal Engine.”
“We used lens profiles in SP for all five of our cameras, three Mo-Sys systems we were operating, the crane, and the cable camera”, continues De Jong. “Additionally, we had mechanically tracked camera heads without tripods that we needed to track and control the height of. SP gave us a platform from which to pull in the data, manipulate it and in turn control the height of the cameras. Without it, we had no way of combining these data packets.”
Looking ahead, Lux Machina Consulting envisions a future where Stage Precision continues to evolve its software. “Equipped with SP we can do more; have more cameras, have different types of cameras and bring different technologies to productions we previously wouldn’t have due to the time it would have taken to set them up”, concludes Bartel. “On‘League of Legends’, we had around 25 cameras overall and with SP in our workflow we can turn more and more of those into AR or XR cameras in the future.”
(Photos: Lux Machina Consulting/Riot Games/Stage Precision)
Christie projectors light up Waddesdon Manor
Christie HS Series projectors powered a seasonal projection mapping at Waddesdon Manor, a 19th century Grade 1 listed National Trust site in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. Yes Events deployed eleven Christie DWU23-HS 1DLP laser projectors - supplied by Christie partner A.C. Entertainment Technologies - to map the 10-minute content designed by Jamie Shiels.
The content, inspired by the festive season and popular children’s books, was projected onto the façade of the French Renaissance-style Loire chateau for festive revellers to enjoy as part of a “Christmas at Waddesdon” experience. “Yes Events has been working with the National Trust at Waddesdon Manor for several years, and they previously explored the idea of projecting onto the building, but everything came together this year to bring it to life”, says Stuart Burdett, Video Sales Manager, AC Entertainment Technologies. “It really helped to create a Christmas storytelling event, and elevated the entire experience and atmosphere.”
Waddesdon Manor was open to the public over the Christmas period, allowing visitors to see the site’s grand interior rooms, enjoy some of the range of festive food that’s on offer, take in the outdoor light trail, and view the outdoor mapping experience. The “Once Upon a Time” theme for the latest season took inspiration from children’s books such as “Alice in Wonderland”, “The Snow Queen”, and “Peter Pan”.
The Manor’s façade includes many uneven surfaces, creating an installation and content challenge. An existing laser scan of the building was incorporated into media software, allowing the team to visualize where to locate the projector towers before going on-site. The team also had to consider the issue of fog potentially blocking the projection, so they ensured the projectors were not positioned too far from the building. The team spent a week on site for setup and aligned the projectors - used in portrait mode - within a few evenings.
(Photo: Christie/Yes Events)
