BARCELONA—Sony is reporting that around twenty cameras from Sony`s Cinema Line including the Venice 2, ILME-FR7 and ILME-FX6, were selected to cover the historic visit of Pope Leo XIV’s visit to the Basilica of the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona on June 10th. ​

The live HDR production, led by 3Cat (TV3), which is the National Catalan Broadcaster, covered Pope Leo XIV’s visit to the basilica as part of the centenary of the death of architect Antoni Gaudí. It coincided with the official inauguration of the Tower of Jesus Christ, the cathedral's main tower.

Paulí Subirà Claramunt, director of photography at 3Cat said that “Catalonia’s national television broadcaster has always been at the forefront of audiovisual technology and, as such, on such a special occasion—the completion of a monument as iconic as the Sagrada Familia—we had to rise to the challenge. We had previously produced the musical Mar i Cel in the Broadcast Cinematography format, gaining experience with the tools and workflows; the big difference is that, with the Sagrada Familia, the live broadcast adds an extra layer of complexity. When we began to bring the creative narrative to the screen, we saw clearly that the technology used had to be adapted to tell the story properly. Transporting the viewer to this very special moment, with an emphasis on aesthetics, using hybrid tools and workflows that blend television and cinema, and defining working standards at both national and European levels, has been a priority for the team and for the 3Cat group.”

The unique architecture of the Sagrada Familia – with its variable natural lighting, hard-to-access spaces and the colossal scale of the site – also placed exceptional demands on the team.

For the event 3Cat deployed ten Sony Venice 2 units, seven Sony ILME-FR7s and three Sony ILME-FX6s with Fujinon Duvo lenses and Sony E-mount lenses.

The Venice 2 deliverd the highest quality image for the main shots, with exceptional low light response during the night artistic show, where the light is the main protagonist.

As remote-controlled cameras, the Sony ILME-FR7s allowed for coverage of hard-to-reach angles without interfering with the proceedings.

The compact and lightweight Sony ILME-FX6s provide the mobility required for the most dynamic shots. All three models share Sony’s colour science, ensuring total colour consistency in the final result and simplifying the live production workflow.

The event holds dual historical significance. On one hand, Pope Leo XIV’s visit to the Sagrada Familia, the first papal visit to Barcelona since Benedict XVI consecrated the basilica in 2010. On the other, the official inauguration of the Tower of Jesus Christ, the central tower of the basilica, which, at 172.5 meters (566 feet), makes the Sagrada Familia the tallest church in the world. June 10 2026 marks exactly a century since the death of Antoni Gaudí.

The live television production of the show was handled by 3Cat, Catalonia's national television channel, with Pauli Subira at the helm.

The technical deployment of Sony Cinema Line equipment was combined with PhotoCine's OB3 mobile unit, integrated with the Sony XVS mixer and Sony PVM-X and BVM-HX reference monitors. The technical direction of the project was led by British broadcast consultant Hector Sole-Bradshaw Beltran,​ with a team from the 3Cat (TV3) Technical Department (IDT). ​

Hector Sole-Bradshaw Beltran, project manager / production technical manager, 3Cat Cine Live added that “with its Cinema Line range of products, Sony is able to provide solutions for all the necessary segments of a project of this scale. For the main cameras, the cinematic heritage of the Venice and the 4000 ISO sensitivity of the Venice 2’s sensor makes these cameras the perfect choice for a night-time spectacle where light takes centre stage. The FR7 and FX6 complete the line-up in roles where compact size is essential, yet image quality and consistency are of the utmost importance. For quality control of the international UHD-HDR HLG signal, having the technology of the 4000 cd/m² Grade 1 mastering monitor, the BVM-HX3110, allows us to work in HLG1000ETX and 2000EXT, guaranteeing the quality of the image distributed worldwide.”

‘We were looking for a cinematic image, rich and profound, capable of conveying the essence and narrative sensitivity inherent in this story,” explained Igor Cortadellas, creative director, Igor Studios. “We wanted the audiovisual language used to transmit a timeless message that blends immersion in the traditions of an ancient spiritual culture with its integration into the present. Ultimately, we found ourselves with a visual poem in which light is much more than a technical resource: it is the soul of the story. It is not simply about capturing reality, but about revealing the emotion that lives within it.”

PHILADELPHIA—Pope Francis’ historic visit to the U.S. is making non-stop headlines. Much of the population has been captivated by his genial personality and thoughtful message, but some are working behind the scenes to ensure that television coverage captures the important moments of this tour.

One of the companies charged with making sure we get to see the Pope is RGB Broadcast Video Services in Philadelphia, which was responsible for installing a complex camera system in that city’s Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul. Broadcast Engineering Extra had a chance to talk to Joe Pagano, CEO and chief engineer of RGB Broadcast, to better understand how a company assembles a television system fit for a Pope.

Joe Pagano, CEO of RGB Broadcast, adjusts a Panasonic AW-HE130 camera in the Basilica. (All photos by KYW-TV photographer Joe Garvin)

BE Extra: What sort of work does RGB Broadcast do? What are a couple other large projects that you’ve done?

Pagano: We’re a broadcast equipment repair center and installation company. We even do work on helicopters. We’ve been involved with the Archdiocese of Philadelphia for more than 15 years, doing video engineering and planning special projects. We moved Merck Pharmaceuticals video systems from one building to another and we also do frequent work for US Helicopters, which outfits choppers for broadcasters.

BE Extra: How did you get the contract to install the systems in the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul?

Pagano: Our longstanding commitment here gave the Archdiocese confidence in our abilities, so they came straight to us. An unnamed donor actually gave the funds for the project, and that made it possible for us to do the work.

BE Extra: How long did it take to get the job installed and functioning? What were a couple of the tricky or unexpected things that you had to deal with?

Monitors were installed throughout the sanctuary to provide views of the altar.

Pagano: About three months, because of the age of the building. Working in a 200-year old building, the cable paths were all old brick and mortar. It took my 30 years’ of experience to figure out ways to install and cable the gear. Core drilling, running cables behind trim – lots of tricky things to do on this project without disturbing the aesthetics of the building.

BE Extra: What are a couple of the important equipment items that you installed? Why did you decide on those items?

Pagano: We decided to go with Panasonic broadcast-grade cameras because they fit the budget and far exceeded the necessary specs. We used six AW-HE130 cameras, which are HD-SDI, and we also had AW-HE870 cameras on pan/tilt heads with 20x Fujinon lenses. Pretty much everything is wired up for HD-SDI in 1080i format. The HE130 cameras have built-in 20x zoom lenses, which are good. The Fujinon 20x lenses on the HE870 cameras are a little brighter.

RGB Broadcast fabricated a full master control in the upper sanctuary of the Basilica. The switcher is a NewTek 800 series, with Blackmagic Design 20 x 20 routers. Monitoring goes through a Blackmagic 16-input multiviewer. This gear fit the budget and provides excellent video.

Two Panasonic AW-HE870 cameras with 20x Fujinon lenses were installed on pan/tilt heads to capture the coverage in 1080i HD.

We used Belden 1794A cable throughout the system. It fit the budget and provides great signal characteristics. We used about 2,500 feet of 1794A on the project, and we also used Belden HD connectors. We evaluated the cable and connectors in advance of the project and determined it was the right product for us.

BE Extra: Audio can be particularly difficult in big cathedrals. How are you acquiring and handling the audio?

Pagano: Audio in master control goes through a Soundcraft audio board, which is fed from the house sound system. House sound has independent feeds from the altar, choir locations and elsewhere throughout the Basilica. There are probably 23 mic sources that feed the Soundcraft board.

BE Extra: How does the signal get out of the Basilica?

Pagano: It leaves from the rear of the building at an interface panel for truck connection. There are program feeds, tie lines, clean feeds from individual cameras, intercom feeds and other sources. We will feed two trucks for sure, and have capacity for six more.

BE Extra: What happens to all the gear once the Pope leaves? How long do you expect teardown to take?

Master Control for the project uses a NewTek switcher, Soundcraft mixer, and Blackmagic Design routers and camera monitors.

Pagano: All the gear is permanent. It was done specifically for the Pope’s visit, but it upgrades an existing SD system that RGB Broadcast installed 12 years ago. This new gear replaces all that old gear. The Basilica documents and archives special funerals, ordinations and other events, some of which are televised. That’s why they wanted the upgrade.

BE Extra: Do you have any important takeaways from this project? Did you learn anything new?

Pagano: After 30 years in the business, you always learn something new. On this project, you can always teach an old dog new tricks. In this case, there were new things about the HD cameras and cabling that impressed me. Just keeping an open mind is part of a successful installation.