A new documentary on music icon Brian Eno will be streamed for 24 hours online next month, in a demonstration of how artificial intelligence can be used to produce unique versions of the film, “Variety” has reported.

“Eno”—which has been in limited release since last spring—takes a unique approach to theatrical showings, using algorithms derived from among more than 500 hours of audio, images and video from Eno’s work since the early 1970s (when he was one of the original members of Roxy Music) to stitch together a unique, approximately 84-minute film that is never shown in the same sequence again.

The film has been shown in select cities, grossing only about $1 million, but on Jan. 24, viewers will be able to watch a 24-hour livestream that follows “Eno’s” premise but generates unique aggregations. Eno has influenced pop music for more than 50 years, working with the likes of David Bowie, Talking Heads, U2, Devo and Coldplay. During the 24-hour showing, guests will perform live and discuss the film. The stream will also include the generative art prequel “Nothing Can Ever Be the Same.”

Despite his influential presence in media over the past half-century, Eno was reluctant to have his work depicted on film until approached by documentarian Gary Hustwit, who proposed using artificial intelligence to create unique versions of the film showcasing his career. Although the elements are “randomly” stitched together, the film does manage to incorporate certain rules that define themes and sequential events.

Hustwit told “Variety” about the implications of the worldwide event.

“You see unique versions of it at different times around the clock,” Hustwit told “Variety.” “So people in other countries and in Asia and all the places that have been bugging us about setting up events in their cities can all watch.”

“Every few hours there’ll be a version of the film, but there’ll be all kinds of things in between,” Hustwit continued. “You could dip in, watch a version in the morning, go to work, come back, watch another one in the middle of the night.”

The livestream on Jan. 24 will be available to only 24,000 viewers worldwide at $24 a pop. Tickets are on sale now.

Although the film will demonstrate the use of AI in creating content, the idea of creating alternate versions of TV programs has been demonstrated in the past, most recently with Netflix’s “Bandersatch” and “Choose Love,” which allowed viewers to choose among a number of alternate endings.

This stream, however, will be controlled by AI.

WATERLOO, Canada—World Racing Group (WRG) has livestreamed 550 dirt track races from 120 venues throughout the United States and Canada over the past year, contributing to the rapid growth of its DIRTVision brand, with the help of Dejero connectivity solutions, the company said today.

The streaming channel has depended upon resilient connectivity provided by Dejero’s EnGo mobile video transmitters, CellSat blended cellular and Ku-band IP satellite solution and CuePoint return video solution, it said.

“Dejero provides us with reliable connectivity and consistency from venue to venue, which has been crucial to our production of high-quality race coverage,” said Brian Dunlap, director of broadcast services at World Racing Group. “Using this remote production workflow, we were effectively the first in the entire world of motorsports to take a premier series and live stream every event.”

Dejero’s CellSat blended bandwidth capabilities enabled WRG to livestream nearly essentially all its premier racing schedule year-round from a record number of venues as well as push raw feeds back to the WRG studios in Concorde, N.C., with predictable latency, it said.

“Traditionally, races were streamed from tracks using encoders on site, but we were limited by available internet connection,” said Dunlap. “By using Dejero connectivity, no matter where the venue, we can produce live shows, add graphics and final-mix the audio, transmit to our studio and then distribute a high-quality, fully packaged product to OTT platforms for viewers to watch around the world.”

WRG has expanded its mobile production fleet over the past five years, adding two vans with 16-foot trailers and a flight kit to its 26-foot truck. Currently, it is building another 26-footer. Each is outfitted with a Dejero CellSat blended cellular and KU-band IP satellite system as well as the company’s EnGo transmitter, switchers, audio gear and cameras, it said.

It also has deployed Dejero EnGo transmitters at 10 racetracks around North America where WRG has built production facilities to broadcast weekly shows. The EnGos encode video and transmit WRG clean switcher feeds, most via fiber with cellular networks used as backups, it said.

“Since we’ve enhanced connectivity and our production capabilities through Dejero solutions, more dirt track race rights holders have approached us to put their events on DIRTVision - and in turn the DIRTVision brand and the appetite for dirt track racing around the world has significantly increased,” said Dunlap.

“At one point, DIRTVision was strictly web-based, and now we have apps on every major platform from iOS to Android, to Samsung, to ROKU and more. As a result, our audience are exposed to races year-round; it keeps them engaged and now our average subscriber is now buying more tickets to see an event live compared to this time five years ago.”
For about 200 larger events, WRG also used a Dejero CuePoint return video server, which sends low-latency, live program video feeds to the director onsite for confidence monitoring to ensure synchronization of graphics and commercial placements over existing shots, it said.

Two Dejero WayPoint receivers are located at WRG’s studio in North Carolina where final production, including graphics and commentary, take place. The WayPoint devices reconstruct and decode the video feeds, which are entered into a matrix to be shared with the switcher and replay systems. The packaged video is then distributed to DIRTVision’s OTT platforms.

More information is available on the company’s website.

HOLLYWOOD, Calif.—Netflix announced today that the Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards will stream live on Netflix and its Youtube Channel globally starting in 2024 thanks to a new multi-year partnership between Netflix and the SAG Awards. 

SAG-AFTRA National Executive Director Duncan Crabtree-Ireland said: “We are thrilled to embark on this exciting new partnership with Netflix and we look forward to expanding the global audience for our show. As the only televised awards program exclusively honoring the performances of actors, whose work is admired by millions of fans, the SAG Awards are a unique and cherished part of the entertainment universe.”

Netflix Head of Global TV Bela Bajaria said: “The SAG Awards are beloved by the creative community and viewers alike, and now even more fans around the world will be able to celebrate these talented actors. As we begin to explore live streaming on Netflix, we look forward to partnering with SAG-AFTRA to elevate and expand this special ceremony as a global live event in 2024 and the years to come.” 

This year's 29th Annual SAG awards will be streamed live on Sunday, Feb. 26 at 8 p.m. ET on Netflix's YouTube Channel. The awards had been telecast on TNT and TBS for years. The ceremony will be presented by SAG-AFTRA with Screen Actors Guild Awards, LLC and executive produced by Jon Brockett and produced by Avalon Harbor Entertainment.

This article has been updated. 

NEW YORK—NBCUniversal has announced that Peacock Premium Plus subscribers will soon have 24/7 access to watch local NBC affiliate stations on their Peacock homepage in all 210 NBC affiliate markets. 

The live stream channel will launch on November 30 with NBC’s full lineup of local news, sports and weather, market-by-market, as well as such network favorites as “Today”, “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon” and NBC prime. 

This live stream offering complements the existing on-demand content available from NBC, as well as Peacock’s robust entertainment, news, and sports programming.   

“With Peacock’s local affiliate livestream, our subscribers are getting the unique combination of the ad-free on-demand content they love with the local news and NBC programming that is already part of their daily life,” said Kelly Campbell, president, Peacock and direct-to-consumer, NBCUniversal. “NBC affiliates have long been an integral part of local communities, and we look forward to being another point of connection and engagement for those communities across the country.”   

“Our Affiliates have always been terrific partners as our industry evolves to meet our consumers’ expectations and viewing habits,” said Philip Martzolf, president, NBC Affiliate Relations. “This is an exciting new offering that expands our best-in-class broadcast and local programming to new audiences.”   

“Our NBC Affiliate stations are trusted destinations for our viewers to be entertained and informed,” added Eric Meyrowitz, executive vice president, Hearst Television and Chair, NBC Affiliates Board. “This partnership elevates our commitment to our audiences by giving them another place to receive our local and NBC broadcast programming alongside Peacock’s original and unique content.”  

As early as today, Premium Plus subscribers will begin to see their NBC local affiliate channel live stream appear on Peacock as part of the soft launch, with all stations officially launching on November 30. 

Premium Plus customers will automatically see their geotargeted, local channel appear on platform in the channels page, which can be accessed through the main navigation, mirroring a broadcast experience all in one place, with the Peacock Premium offering remaining unchanged. 

ARLINGTON, Va.—After some initial delays in entering the streaming market, PBS has announced that as of Tuesday, Dec. 17, more than 100 of its member stations are now streaming live on YouTube TV.

YouTube TV will feature dedicated live channels for PBS and PBS Kids, as well as on-demand programming. According to PBS, this is the first local livestreaming partnership for the public network and makes its local public television content—including “American Experience,” “Antiques Roadshow,” “Frontline,” “Masterpiece,” “Daneil Tiger’s Neighborhood” and “Sesame Street”—available to more than 75% of U.S. households.

Full line-ups in the participating areas are available either through the YouTube TV live guide or the PBS schedule. Select content is also available through YouTube TV’s VOD service.

“PBS is committed to making trusted content available to all households across as many platforms as possible,” said Ira Rubenstein, PBS chief digital and marketing officer. “We are pleased that YouTube TV recognizes public television’s unique structure and worked with us to provide our viewers with more ways to watch programs that they love through their local PBS station.”

PBS first announced that it was going to have some local PBS stations available on YouTube TV starting in November, but those plans were delayed shortly before the scheduled launch date.

Additional PBS stations are expected to become available on YouTube TV next year.

BEVERLY HILLS, Calif.—PBS is joining the streaming age, as the network announced at the Television Critics Association Summer Press Tour that it has secured carriage for its member stations on YouTube TV’s live TV and on-demand subscription service. PBS described the deal as the first digital partnership of its kind for the network and one that expands its digital footprint to “engage viewers where, when and how they consume content.”

“Our goal is to reach as many Americans as possible with content that educates, inspires and entertains,” said Ira Rubenstein, PBS’ chief digital and marketing officer. “As a broadcaster that is rooted in communities, we appreciate YouTube’s commitment to local content, and we are pleased that this service provides audiences with access to programming that is produced and distributed by our member stations.”

PBS has more than 330 member stations across the country, and as part of the deal any member station that wishes to participate will be live streamed on YouTube TV. In addition to having access to live PBS and PBS KIDS content, YouTube TV subscribers can access PBS content through the platforms on-demand and DVR services.

YouTube TV is expected to begin carrying the PBS livestreams starting later in 2019.

Some other PBS news came out of the TCA event, as it was announced that PBS President Paula Kerger, whose 13 years as president makes her the longest tenured president in the network’s history, has re-upped for another five years.

SAN FRANCISCO—Twitter is touting a new tool as part of its Media Studio that is designed to ease the video clipping of live streams for sharing on the social media site. LiveCut is a cloud-based web application that enables editing and distribution of video highlights of a livestream from a Twitter account.

This new service will serve as a replacement for SnappyTV, which has been Twitter’s real-time video-clipping service for the last five years. LiveCut integrates SnappyTV’s core functionality while utilizing its own features to provide fast and free video-clipping services to social media producers. In addition, publishers can now launch private broadcasts, share broadcasts across teams and create and monetize video clips.

LiveCut is a part of Twitter’s Media Studio.

“We’re confident that we’ve created a product that seamlessly serves video producers’ live-clipping needs on Twitter and, looking forward, will continue investing in it to develop new features that expand its functionality,” Twitter’s announcement read.

As a result of the introduction of LiveCut, SnappyTV is being sunsetted, with the service expected to officially go away by Dec. 31, 2019. Looking to aid in the move to LiveCut, Twitter has made available resources for SnappTV users, best practices and how-to guides on LiveCut.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA – June 19, 2019 – TVU Networks, the global technology and innovation leader in live IP solutions, today announced its partnership with Stringr, the premium video marketplace for custom, high-quality, video content. Stringr’s network of professional and amateur videographers is now available through the TVU Global Grid, the Cloud platform for content owners to contribute and pull video, enabling assets to be shared and sold on a global scale. The relationship leverages Stringr’s robust network of videographers and the established global presence of the TVU Grid distribution platform.

TVU Grid is an IP-based switching, routing and distribution system. With TVU Grid, stations can route live video streams over IP networks to one or more Grid-enabled news stations anywhere in the world with sub-second latency. Using its TVU Global Grid platform, users can exchange, share, and sell video content. Users can view public video sources that are available around the world, and request to take the stream and make it available for their own viewing audience. For a demo of TVU Grid, watch here.

Stringr allows users to access its content library and request custom footage from over 90,000 videographers around the world. In addition, broadcasters, publishers and brands in the U.S. and U.K. can access Stringr’s livestreaming function, which launched earlier this year. Users will now be able to put out requests through TVU Grid, and as a videographer in Stringr’s network begins sharing live footage, it will be transmitted directly to TVU Grid.

“The TVU Grid is used by thousands of newsrooms around the world,” said Brian McNeill, COO and Co-Founder of Stringr. “Integrating Stringr will give TVU users all the benefits of our platform, without having to flip between the two, therefore saving time, cutting unnecessary costs and maintaining content quality.”

The Stringr/TVU Grid workflow is seamless. A joint customer requests video from Stringr. When one of Stringr’s 90,000+ videographers goes live with video matching the request, the feed is sent through Stringr, straight into TVU Grid. From there, the joint customer can take the feed just as they would for any other TVU content.

“By incorporating Stringr’s network through TVU Grid, our customers have the best of both worlds – high-quality, low latency live video distributed through TVU Grid with the extensive Stringr videographer marketplace,” said TVU Networks’ CEO Paul Shen. “The combination enables our customers to deliver breaking news faster than ever before and opens up monetization opportunities for their own content. It makes the live production process much simpler with a streamlined workflow while providing greater flexibility and more options for dynamic content.”

A mutual customer brought the two companies in touch with one another, and the opportunity to partner grew from that initial connection. Both TVU Networks and Stringr executives saw the value in a solution combining TVU Grid’s access to global live coverage with Stringr’s ability to source live footage. “The combination of these two products allows our partners to get more live coverage, quickly, cost effectively, and within the same workflow they’ve always used,” added McNeill.

TVU Networks and Stringr are currently working with a major cable network and plan to expand to other partners shortly.

Fremont, CA - June 11, 2019 - Blackmagic Design today announced that a multicam outside broadcast workflow, featuring URSA Broadcast and ATEM 2 M/E Production Studio 4K, is delivering a wide range of live streaming content for Poland’s national football association, Polski Zwiazek Pilki Noznej (PZPN).

Live production specialist, transmisjelive, produces all content for PZPN’s YouTube channel, Łączy nas piłka (The Ball Connects Us), including action from Poland’s national, women’s and youth teams, as well as matches from Poland’s second league. “Our cameras give fans exclusive access to information and insights that traditional broadcasters cannot deliver, and the huge subscriber numbers on YouTube reflect that,” explains Artur Kuszel, producer at transmisjelive.

For each event, transmisjelive deploys its Ultra HD OB system, which is built around an end to end Blackmagic Design workflow, including signal management through a Smart Videohub. Six URSA Broadcast camera signals are routed to an ATEM 2 M/E Production Studio 4K switcher, where the team overlays graphics and adds slow motion replays into the program mix.

“PZPN’s content schedule is designed to showcase excellence at all levels of football, from league matches that help build communities at a club level, through to international fixtures with the national squad,” explains Artur.

To demonstrate PZPN’s continued commitment to improving access to all levels of football in Poland it was important that transmisjelive implemented a broadcast capable solution that was also capable of handling live streaming, according to Artur.

“The URSA Broadcast works perfectly for this scenario; as a system, it is adaptable and means we can set up a professional multicamera production, even if the stadiums themselves lack the necessary infrastructure and connectivity to support it. That is all thanks to the modular nature of the Blackmagic solution,” he said.

Another key focus of the channel is to promote future stars and so transmisjelive producers coverage of the Central Junior League, which features the U19 teams from Poland’s top flight Ekstraklasa and streams that to YouTube. “As well as providing full coverage of the games themselves, the setup also allows the youngsters to gain experience of being interviewed on camera from a much earlier age,” said Artur.

Content is streamed to YouTube via OBS onsite, however an additional layer of redundancy has been added with a second live PGM feed being sent back to transmisjelive’s remote production studio in Warsaw using a joint-SIM bonded LTE connection.

“We aim to provide PZPN with a stable livestream, regardless of weather conditions, internet connection strength or the location we’re working from,” concludes Artur. “The modular system we’ve implemented based on Blackmagic Design hardware has proven itself to be a robust and reliable setup, even in the most challenging of conditions, while the addition of our own independent streaming connection ensures uninterrupted coverage of matches.”

Press Photography

Product photos of Blackmagic URSA Broadcast, ATEM 2 M/E Production Studio 4K, ATEM 1 M/E Broadcast Panel, Smart Videohub, ATEM Talkback Converter, Blackmagic Studio Viewfinder and all other Blackmagic Design products are available at www.blackmagicdesign.com/media/images.

About Blackmagic Design

Blackmagic Design creates the world’s highest quality video editing products, digital film cameras, color correctors, video converters, video monitoring, routers, live production switchers, disk recorders, waveform monitors and real time film scanners for the feature film, post production and television broadcast industries. Blackmagic Design’s DeckLink capture cards launched a revolution in quality and affordability in post production, while the company’s Emmy™ award winning DaVinci color correction products have dominated the television and film industry since 1984. Blackmagic Design continues ground breaking innovations including 6G-SDI and 12G-SDI products and stereoscopic 3D and Ultra HD workflows. Founded by world leading post production editors and engineers, Blackmagic Design has offices in the USA, UK, Japan, Singapore and Australia. For more information, please go to www.blackmagicdesign.com.

The broadcast game is changing beyond recognition. We live in an age of on-demand and personalized media, where the consumer expects to be in control of their viewing schedule and for content to be available in a multiplicity of forms, at any time and on any device.

These shifts impact all aspects of the entertainment industry. However, the sports industry, one of the largest broadcast businesses on the planet, has a whole host of new challenges and opportunities to contend with to maintain eyeballs. Chief among these is the idea that sporting events, which could always count on fans tuning in to traditional forms of broadcast at pre-set times, now need to broaden their horizons in terms of content distribution to grow their fan-bases and keep different types of fans engaged.

The fact is, loyal existing fans and those who are newer, casual followers of a sport want to engage with sports in many ways. Some might want to watch a match from start to finish, live on TV, others might just want to see a few highlights on Twitter. Some might not even be that fussed about the actual match, but more about the stars and personalities and seeing what they get up to on Instagram. So, broadcasters and content owners need to cater to all these fan types.

To win the viewership fight, TV networks and other content owners must figure out how to take advantage of technologies that create a high-quality, immersive viewing experience for fans across TV and OTT platforms. At the same time, broadcasters are still under pressure to increase production quality while keeping costs low to create high return for their sports investments.

A DELICATE BALANCE

A recent report from PwC projects the sports market to grow at a compound annual rate of 3.1% across the four segments, from $69.3 billion in 2017 to $78.5 billion in 2021, and that’s just across North America.

Yet, in sports, traditional broadcasting methods are getting more and more restrictive and require a lot of investment. To deliver cost effective, high-quality content to audiences and create a viewing experience that is closest to witnessing a match live in the stadium, more and more broadcasters globally are embracing remote production. This means that production teams don’t need to travel to each venue, and the different localized broadcasts can be brought to audiences more efficiently.

We helped Star Sports in India, the number one sports broadcaster in the country and subsidiary of 21st Century Fox, build this type of platform for their coverage of the VIVO Pro Kabaddi League, the second most popular League in India. During each match, the remote production team operate out of the Star Sports facility in Mumbai, working seamlessly with an on-site engineering team. They collaborate in real-time to deliver every moment of the action to more than 200 million viewers. The remote production platform ensures the smooth transmission of a combination of signals and camera feeds from each fixture because of its ultra-low, four-frames-per-second latency and hitless switching capability.

Another company leveraging technology for a better production experience is Dorna, the exclusive commercial and TV rights holder for the leading motorcycle racing championship MotoGP. To ensure a seamless viewing experience regardless of location, and bring fans high-quality racing content across different platforms, Dorna created a platform with live OTT video feeds with remote production and High-Dynamic-Range (HDR) imaging. The cloud-based platform combines traditional video contribution services and IP connectivity, allowing Dorna to manage and distribute MotoGP video feeds from any location to any device in perfect synchronicity. The platform also comes with extra bandwidth, which eliminates the common lag with OTT content delivery and ensures the reliable distribution of live video feeds—footage from the track and 360-degree on-board cameras as well as commentary—on a global scale and regardless of what device fans are using. With more efficient and cost-effective broadcast operations, Dorna gives MotoGP fans the high-quality, exhilarating viewing experiences they crave.

It all boils down to this: the lines between traditional and digital media platforms have blurred causing a seismic shift in the entertainment landscape. The growing influence of livestreaming and global OTT platforms is a sign of things to come for the sports world. From a commercial perspective, increasing the geographical footprint means more eyeballs, and more eyeballs means more revenue opportunities—whether it’s through subscriptions, sponsorship, advertising or merchandising.

A WHOLE NEW WORLD

Every business, no matter the sector, needs to foster their existing customer base and attract new customers in order to grow, bring in new revenue streams and remain relevant in their market. In the sports industry, this has been achieved through the introduction of new platforms and formats to engage fans and make content more accessible for new audiences and keep existing fans loyal.

OTT platforms enable fans to watch any sport from anywhere, anytime. And over the next three to five years, the digital landscape will continue to grow, with OTT dominating the way sports is delivered to fans. Already, we’re seeing streaming platforms like Facebook Watch, Bleacher Report and DAZN change the way the world watches sports, bringing sports into an OTT streaming model, and making it free and easy for people to watch.

The rise of digital has already led to wide national deals being penned for major broadcast properties. The NFL has experimented with broadcasting games on Twitter and for the 2018 season, Major League Baseball teamed up with Facebook to produce one afternoon game per week on its Facebook Watch platform. This meant that fans at work or on the go in some way without access to a TV could still tune in to see their team play. In addition, various professional sports organizations have started to branch out into streaming their own content including NFL Network and NBA TV.

Meanwhile in Europe, Amazon Prime Video secured rights to broadcast live and exclusive English Premier League matches from 2019/20. The three-year deal means that Amazon Prime subscribers who might not live in their favorite team’s market, can watch 20 matches per season at no extra cost. And LaLiga, the top league in Spain, has signed a deal with Facebook that will see all 380 matches broadcast live on Facebook in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Maldives, Sri Lanka and Pakistan. And UEFA made the biggest game of them all—the Champions League Final—available for free on YouTube. It was a move that made perfect business sense. As Europe’s flagship spectacle, it gets them more eyeballs than any other event.

NEW EXPERIENCES

In sports, the live event will always be the main draw for fans, whether they are in-person at the stadium or watching it on TV. As the digital fan experience improves for fans, many sports leagues are looking at ways to enrich the live experience at venues to match up. We’re seeing innovative applications of augmented reality (AR) and data analytics to give fans real-time insights on players and athletes, while apps are making the (often painful) process of buying refreshments at stadiums easier.

A critical piece of creating immersive experiences is bringing viewers closer to the action—making every shot, pitch and corner turn as real as possible. Racing circuits like F1 have been doing this successfully. At Tata Communications, we worked with F1 to create a 360-degree live video concept that puts viewers right in the heart of the action, and it showed how fans could be given greater control than ever to choose how they want to watch and engage with F1—jumping on-board a car, or seeing up-close as the engineering team strategizes in the pit lane.

Another fast-growing motorsport, Formula E, has shown how digital has the potential to increase fan interaction with the live action through its unique, and much-debated, FanBoost feature. Fans are given the opportunity to vote for the driver they wish to receive a FanBoost before the race. The three drivers with the most votes receive a power boost of 30kW, which lasts for five seconds at a time and provides extra speed that can be used to perform a crucial overtake.

Motorsports are not the only ones experimenting with new ways of growing their audiences commercially, geographically and demographically though more immersive and engaging content. When it comes to social media, most of the major U.S. sports organizations have experimented with Twitter live streams, and the Facebook Watch video platform now enables U.S. users to watch live events in a community setting.

In the modern broadcasting landscape, attempting to manage every channel and platform may not be the right strategy for every sport. Rather, for a sport with a well-established audience and fan-base such as F1, the digital and OTT strategy must be aligned with the new audience demographics that the sport is targeting. So, for example, if a sport wants to target the under-25 audience, they need to be on a platform like SnapChat.

Future generations of digital products that deliver premium, immersive experiences with either live or archived content enabled by a wide landscape of underlying technology include personalized video, 3D video, augmented and virtual reality, and augmented video. According to a PwC study, these platforms could grow to a potential global market size of more than $1 billion by 2025. That’s a lot of potential viewers and fans that could be reached.

By tying together all the elements which make a great viewing experience, sports are deploying a variety of production and publishing strategies to create fever pitch on the plethora of digital channels available.

Brian Morris is vice president/general manager, Media & Entertainment for Tata Communications.

Cypress, CA, April 23, 2019 – Social media and sports go hand in hand. So much so that when it came time for the professional video production team at Western Michigan University (WMU) to add a second replay system, they wanted something easy to learn as well as a system that would provide social media branding and video playout – all in one system.

WMU already had one Envivo Replay, a sports and live event replay solution from Variant Systems, which is used to capture slow motion footage of the school’s Division I football team for in-stadium replays and for streaming coverage to ESPN and ESPN+. As part of the school’s video production unit, Bronco Productions, students are responsible for the school’s sports programming feeds to ESPN and ESPN+. Based on its simple to learn user interface and the system’s built-in branding and social media playout integration, the school purchased its second Envivo Replay system. The goal in mind with the second Envivo Replay is the creation of more live content for WMU’s social media platforms and for scoreboard playout at the stadium.

“We want to get great looks in the arena and then get that content out to social media instantly,” said Thomas Delves, Director, Bronco Productions. “We envision this new unit being used very much for social media content creation and promotion and to get more video out in-game. Being able to brand and playout all in one system is a huge plus for us. It also gives us an opportunity to train our students before they start providing replay feeds to our ESPN shows. Another benefit is that we’re able to teach students on technology similar to what broadcasters use.”

Delves credits the support he’s received from Variant Systems as another factor in the decision to go with a second Envivo Replay system: “Having that support is one of the main reasons we want to continue to work with Envivo. Olaf Bahr [Vice President of Marketing, Variant Systems] has been an amazing resource. They’re always looking at making it better with updates and tweaks. Just all-around incredible service.”

Variant Systems’ Envivo Replay is sold all over the world, and exclusively by FOR-A in North, Central and South America. Envivo Replay is a complete replay solution with an intuitive user interface that offers support for high-speed slow-motion cameras, as well as playlists for highlights playback, built-in branding capabilities, and direct publishing to social media platforms. It allows for multiple camera inputs and multiple controlled outputs.

Envivo Replay is part of a complete live event workflow with FOR-A’s HANABI series of video switchers, ClassX 3D graphics, and video writer telestrators.

About FOR-A

FOR-A, a worldwide, industry-leading manufacturer, offers a wide range of broadcast and production products with a focus on cutting-edge technologies, including: HD, 4K and IP products. FOR-A continues to offer future-ready, cost effective, advanced technology solutions. Products include: video switchers, routing switchers, multi-viewers, full 4K high-speed cameras, IP encoders/decoders, multi-channel signal processors, 8K/4K/HD test signal generators, color correctors, frame synchronizers, file-based products, character generators, video servers and much more.

For a full range of HD and 4K production and processing solutions, as well as IP-based products, visit our web site at www.for-a.com.

# # #

FOR-A CORPORATION OF AMERICA, 11155 Knott Ave., Suite G&H, Cypress, CA 90630 Phone: 714-894-3311, Fax 714-894-5399 Web site: www.for-a.com 

Fremont, CA - November 19, 2018 - Blackmagic Design today announced that Austin, Texas based full service production studio Zodiac Studios is using an ATEM Television Studio Pro 4K live production switcher and Video Assist 4K monitor/recorders for its ongoing Austin Music Live series. Cofounded by Robert Calder, owner and executive producer at Zodiac Studios, along with Producer and Creator David Christopher, the live streamed series celebrates the rich and diverse local talent that makes Austin the live music capital of the world. Austin Music Live supports and fosters the city’s $2 billion music tourism industry.

Now in its third season, Austin Music Live features a different local music act, including the likes of Texas legend Carolyn Wonderland, and a different venue in each episode. Each performance is captured live and broadcasted via digital platforms such as XUMO, an OTT VOD provider that reaches consumers directly through smart TVs, in addition to YouTube, Facebook Live, Twitter and the Austin Music Live official website. Each live broadcast receives 1,500 to 3,000 views, while VOD content for the series receives 1.5 million views annually on XUMO.

To capture each show, the team brings a mobile production trailer to the selected venue and runs cables to all camera positions within. Each of the five cameras is equipped with a Video Assist 4K, affording camera operators a clear view of what they are shooting while also allowing them to ISO record on each camera. Everything captured by the cameras is relayed back to the production trailer where the ATEM Television Studio Pro 4K is stationed. From the production trailer, Calder creates a compelling viewing experience using the ATEM Television Studio Pro 4K.

“With the ATEM Television Studio Pro 4K, there’s no delay in the stream when switching cameras, which is really critical for pulling off a polished live streaming event. In addition, its multi format input, with re sync and low latency conversion on each input, is incredibly convenient because it allows me to integrate any type of camera in the production with ease. Its media pool can also hold up to 20 small videos for mixed effects and overlays. You used to need a separate computer for that, so it’s a huge plus that cuts down on the amount of equipment we need to bring out with us,” said Calder.

Since Austin Music Live is a mobile production, the team needs a solution that’s both cost effective and portable. “We’re working with limited staff and limited budget, so I’m juggling five different jobs that we’d ordinarily have five different people for,” Calder added. “We need a switcher that has enough fire power to control all our cameras while still being small enough to fit into our mobile production trailer. The ATEM Television Studio Pro 4K lets me communicate with our camera operators via built in talkback and quickly switch from the five different cameras to get the angles we want. This lets us control how we want remote viewers to experience the performances; we want them to feel like they’re right there alongside the live audience.”

“Due to latency requirements, we currently broadcast live and record in 720/1080p, but the ATEM Television Studio Pro 4K’s 12G-SDI and 4K capabilities give us the option to make the switch when it makes sense for us in the future. Knowing that we won’t have to invest in additional equipment brings us peace of mind from a budget standpoint,” Calder said.

“Austin Music Live is our way of helping preserve the local music scene here in Austin. We want everyone, regardless of geographic location, to be able to experience its thriving and robust music scene. With the implementation of the ATEM Television Studio Pro 4K, we’ve achieved a world class, yet intuitive production workflow at a price point that works for us. For me, it’s just a very user friendly, easy to use product; we plan to purchase another unit in the near future,” Calder concluded.

Zodiac Studios plans on using the ATEM Television Studio Pro 4K along with two of Blackmagic Design’s URSA Broadcast cameras on live productions for the Austin Spurs’ 2018/2019 season as their official broadcast partner. The URSA Broadcast was selected for its superior image quality, B4 broadcast mount and small physical footprint.

Press Photography

Product photos of the ATEM Television Studio Pro 4K, Video Assist 4K, URSA Broadcast and all other Blackmagic Design products are available at www.blackmagicdesign.com/media/images

About Blackmagic Design

Blackmagic Design creates the world’s highest quality video editing products, digital film cameras, color correctors, video converters, video monitoring, routers, live production switchers, disk recorders, waveform monitors and real time film scanners for the feature film, post production and television broadcast industries. Blackmagic Design’s DeckLink capture cards launched a revolution in quality and affordability in post production, while the company’s Emmy™ award winning DaVinci color correction products have dominated the television and film industry since 1984. Blackmagic Design continues ground breaking innovations including 6G-SDI and 12G-SDI products and stereoscopic 3D and Ultra HD workflows. Founded by world leading post production editors and engineers, Blackmagic Design has offices in the USA, UK, Japan, Singapore and Australia. For more information, please go to www.blackmagicdesign.com.

BASINGSTOKE, England — At-home production as an alternative to rolling OB production vehicles to a venue is growing in popularity as broadcasters, leagues and conferences look for ways to maintain a high level of sports production while shedding much of the expense of sending trucks and crews to distant events.

Sony Professional Solutions Europe has taken this concept to the next level by removing the need for centralized production and pushing video switching, graphics and other production elements into the cloud.

[Read: NBC Sports Live Streams Of Major Events Rack Up Big Numbers]

Last weekend, Red Bull Switzerland deployed Sony’s Virtual Production solution for its livestreaming coverage of the Alpenbrevet motorcycle race in Sarnen, Switzerland. The remote, mountainous region where the race takes place made deploying mobile production infrastructure challenging.

However, by leveraging 4G connectivity and cloud-based services, Red Bull was able to capture the race and stream it with just the cameras it deployed and a single laptop used to access the Sony Virtual Switcher GUI.

“While the scenic route of the race is a big draw for our participants, it poses a significant challenge for our broadcast team who want to capture and livestream the event across the globe,” said Hubert Zaech, production manager at Red Bull Switzerland. “Sony’s Virtual Production was the perfect solution for our event as it gives us the freedom, flexibility and agility to capture and distribute content quickly, without having to deal with the logistical nightmare of installing physical infrastructure in these remote locations.”

The Sony Virtual Production workflow is straightforward. Production personnel using Sony’s acquisition kit, log cameras into a personalized virtual production portal, synchronize cameras and stream content on a pay-as-you-go basis. Cameras on location feed their signals via wireless transmitters to a virtual production switcher hosted in the Amazon Web Services cloud.

At the same time, a video switcher located anywhere around the world logs into the Virtual Production service using an ordinary web browser. Camera feeds can be switched, graphics, logos and captions added and the show streamed to various platforms, including YouTube and Facebook Live, from the cloud.

Sony is positioning virtual production as bridging the gap between traditional live production and consumer live streaming and with good reason. Two seconds of switching latency reportedly was introduced by the virtual production setup; however, depending upon circumstances a short delay may be acceptable.

Brad Cheney, Fox Sports VP, Field Operations, put the latency question into perspective. “On events where we are one of many parties with production rights, two seconds is a long time to be delayed in production, as it becomes additive to the entire distribution chain,” he said.

“In other cases, where we are the single production provider, a delay of two seconds becomes more acceptable as the benefits outweigh the delay. With multiplatform uses expanding with cloud production, this timing gives us more capabilities for producing content for our viewers. We know the delay will only continue to be reduced in the coming year and garner more attention as an alternative to current production practices.”

Sony will make its Virtual Production Service available throughout Europe beginning in September. It also will be discussing the service at IBC 2018.

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If you weren't able to attend TV Technology and Broadcasting & Cable’s "State of Streaming: How OTT leaders view quality, opportunity shifts to live/live linear channels" webinar, sponsored by Akamai, you can check it out here. We want to continue the conversation on this very important topic, so have a look at the webinar recording and join in.

Click here to access the full recording.

There are some who say, and I believe them, that this is the golden age of content. There are more fabulous, smash hit new Broadway musicals than I can remember in my lifetime. Networks, cable channels, and over the top services are delivering new and innovative content all the time. Consumers have instant, easy access to nearly all of this content and significant pockets of it are extremely good. Sure there’s also more useless stuff than ever before too, but the viscosity that held the cream on the bottom of the glass is disappearing.

To top all this off, interesting new platforms are being created for content producers to create and distribute their wares. YouTube, Facebook Live, Snap News, Instagram and Twitter are all highly accessible distribution platforms. It’s true that so far it has been really hard to make money on these platforms, but that hasn’t stopped a number of folks from dedicating their waking hours and their livelihood to creating content and building audiences in the hundreds of thousands or even millions.

What differentiates recent online content is that much of the content starts out as live and that is a significant issue and one the creators may not be entirely prepared to manage.

I’ve been around production for my whole life and live content is a special breed. There’s nothing quite like being in a live network control room when some 30 million people are tuned in. There’s an energy and adrenaline rush that’s almost addictive. The programming can be more exciting and organic. It’s often more credible and timely than the pre-recorded versions. Those characteristics are part of their appeal on new, socially-driven platforms.

But, there is risk. From the earliest days of blogging and social media chat, there have been issues brought before the courts. It’s a complicated legal area. There is no reason to expect this won’t bleed over to live streaming. As Facebook quickly learned during 2016 when dozens of acts of violence crossed its “airwaves,” live content can go very wrong. Perhaps less extreme, but on live TV there’s always the chance that some wardrobe malfunction will occur or some artist will test the limits of their middle finger or their mouth. There’s risk of libel. For this reason, many shows on more traditional distribution platforms run the show through a delay box (take WWE Raw for example). The steady finger of a lawyerly censor type is always poised at the ready to defocus or silence the nasty parts.

Why do broadcasters do this? Historically, it was mostly to protect FCC licenses—those fines can really rack up. But there was a larger, unspoken reason; reputational risk. There is a line between being edgy and pushing audiences into boycotting a show. 

Social media platforms that are valuable for distribution can also instantly become a wellspring of pressure from the advertising base. The live interactivity with the audience means the chat thread alongside a livestream can become a torrent of negativity. Celebrities and brands can be quick to react with punitive action when they are inadvertently aligned with something that makes them uncomfortable. The recent flight of Disney and others from internet sensation PewDiePie is just one example of how things can quickly go awry. No producer wants to be dealing with dialing down anger from his or her audience.

These new platforms also change who is a broadcaster. As leading brands move from quick streams to more program-style offerings online, they want to know that their brand is being protected. In addition to simply looking for audience size, they’ll be turning to professionals who can deliver infrastructure and production professionalism to the medium, while maintaining the perceived spontaneity and casualness that makes internet culture so resonate with target demographics. Rest assured, they will be holding their professional broadcast and production partners responsible when trouble ensues.

We don’t have the FCC licenses on the internet, but the distribution platforms are not blind to the risks. Picture your live stream with a flasher or an errant finger, and then enjoy these few snippets that might put your hard-gained distribution at risk and set your standards and practices senses tingling:

· “You will not post content that: is hate speech, threatening, or pornographic; incites violence; or contains nudity or graphic or gratuitous violence.” Facebook terms.

· “You will not post content that contains pornography, graphic violence, threats, hate speech, or incitements to violence.” Snap terms

· “You may not post violent, nude, partially nude, discriminatory, unlawful, infringing, hateful, pornographic or sexually suggestive photos or other content via the Service.” Instagram terms

There’s no FCC policeman to keep livestreams in check with standards and practices. For many in this space, the cost of full time lawyerly oversight is prohibitive. But, the risks are real. The revenues may not be as great right now, but for some people it’s their entire income. For many companies the allure of generating live content is outweighed by the risk of something going wrong. That is, of course, until something impacts their brand. Sponsors care, more than you can imagine, and will pull out before you can say “Bill O’Reilly.”

So, you read it here first. The days are coming when the internet needs new live television censoring systems. However, we cannot do things at web scale by applying broadcast economics. When programmers are struggling to make money on-line, adding bodies and costly tech is really out of the question. We need to think about the problem in a different way and find a modern approach to the solution.

Much, much more on this to follow…

(PS. I’ll be talking about this and other issues related to turning the 3 Billion Smartphones into compelling and economical points of content acquisition at NAB 2017, Tuesday April 25th at 2:30PM PT in the Debate Theatre, Booth SU10404.)