ATLANTA—Centergy Studios is a full-service video production facility with the Centergy Group project management consulting firm. We started shooting TV and feature films in Atlanta in 2006 and opened our studio in Key West, Fla. about a year ago. 

I founded Centergy Group in 2000 and today serve as president and executive project manager. I’m proud that we’ve earned the reputation for “putting it all together” and have turned our clients’ most complex and critical initiatives into successful realities through our no-nonsense and pragmatic approach to planning and implementation.

Our many and varied menu of services includes pre-production, video capture, post-production, and platform delivery, and our projects run the gamut from live broadcasts to large conference productions, corporate events, live content, on-demand implementations, festivals and concerts, training scenarios—you name it, we’ll film it. 

Our client list includes top tier news and sports broadcasters, financial institutions, telecommunications companies, government environmental regulatory organizations, and many more.

The SX260 Head System
We recently needed to add a pan and tilt head/tripod combination to our studio operations. We’re happy to say that Shotoku Broadcast Systems was recommended to us and we couldn’t be happier with the results. Shotoku provided an SX260 head system, one of the company’s latest models, which sits on a TTM1002C 2-stage carbon fiber tripod.

The SX260 incorporates best-in-class features and performance, and even though it is one of the lightest on the market at this level of payload (up to a maximum of 55 lbs.), it’s robust, reliable, and the performance is flawless. 

The Shotoku Truebalance system delivers perfect counterbalance and is remarkably easy to adjust from one end of the range to the other with an intuitive display to indicate the current setting within the balance range. The drag system uses Shotoku’s Viscam system but combines the ease and speed of selection of the best-known stepped systems with the fine-tuning and on-shot adjustment of a continuously variable design.

The TTM1002C Tripod
We partnered the SX260 system with Shotoku’s TTM1002C carbon fiber tripod. It’s lightweight and rigid, and features fiber tube construction. We’re using it in our studios but are confident that its exceptional performance would stand up in the field when needed there. The tripod is outfitted with one-click leg clamps for quick setup and teardown. We also took advantage of Shotoku’s floor and mid-spreader options and a second pan bar.

Setup was a breeze. The gear came with clearly defined instructions and there was no training necessary—we could assemble it and jump right into operations without any assistance. The configuration is very stable, well balanced, and holds the camera and teleprompter system very well. This allows us to concentrate on our work because we never have to worry about the equipment’s performance. 

We’re a growing company and look forward to further expansion in the future. When we have a need for another pan/tilt tripod, Shotoku will be our first choice. l

David Mook, MBA, PMP, founded Centergy Group in 2000 and serves as president & executive director of project management. He can be reached at  dmook@centergygroup.com

For more information on the Shotoku SX 260 head system, Shotoku TTM1002C 2-Stage Carbon Fiber tripod and other products, visit www.shotoku.co.uk.

WOODCLIFF LAKES, N.J.—Shotoku USA, a robotic and manual camera support systems manufacturer, has expanded its U.S. team with the appointment of Jim Travers. He will serve as a robotics support engineer, offering both remote and on-site support, and perform installation and commissioning services for Shotoku’s North American customer base.

Shotoku USA CEO James Eddershaw said in the announcement, “As we continue to grow our U.S. customer base, we’re bringing Jim on-board to work with Matt Servis, expanding the outstanding service and support our customers have enjoyed for many years. Jim will hit the ground running with two large projects that begin this fall.”

Travers added, “My experience over the years has prepared me to support the team and to continue to provide the highest quality service customers deserve and have come to expect.”

The company said Travers is an experienced broadcast engineer with more than 30 years in the industry and is proficient in both the technology and operations that support an efficiently run studio. He has held key operations and engineering roles at several U.S. news networks and large market affiliates where he has won multiple awards. His experience includes design and management of multi-million-dollar studio renovations and responsibility for engineering and IT teams within busy newsrooms.

LAS VEGAS—At this year’s NAB Show, Shotoku USA is set to launch a new wave technical and operational developments for its robotic control system, including a new IP interface, updates to its TR-XT control system and new pan/tilt head options.

One of the products on display will be the SmartPed fully robotic pedestal. The unit features what Shotoku calls Absolute Navigation that now has two additional options depending on the environment—AN-I and AN-S. AN-I is an IP interface within SmartPed that allows it to interface to existing external optical tracking systems using absolute tracking information to reference and adjust the pedestal’s own internal navigation systems. AN-S, meanwhile, is a fully integrated option, including the optical tracking system for situations without already installed optical tracking.

Shotoku has developed a number of enhancements to its TR-XT control system that will be shown during the show. The new LiveView option uses a secondary IP video camera to provide a wide-angle scene view for each camera and allows operators to command heads to new positions by touching one of these views. The Studio Zones feature defines areas within a studio that cameras may or may not travel to avoid potential collisions. There are also enhanced automation interfaces that enable full camera adjustments on-the-fly from external systems, including face-recognition and tracking systems.

Other products from Shotoku that will get some attention at the NAB Show include the TG-18i, the latest version of the company’s TG-18 studio pan/tilt head that is fully integrated with high payload and simple connectivity. Another pan/tilt head is the TG-27/MicroPDU, which can be used for legislature or conference system in conjunction with Shotoku’s TR-S control panel. There will also be the TI-12 elevator unit, with height drive, that can be used with virtually any studio pedestal, according to Shotoku.

Shotoku also has a series of manual camera support products that it will demonstrate during the show.

This includes the SX200 and SX260 pan and tilt heads with Shotoku’s “Truebalane” design for counterbalance that can be adjusted throughout the range. The drag system is based on the company’s Viscam design, but adds a new actuation system, with fine tuning and on-shot adjustment capabilities. The heads come standard with two stage ENG carbon fibre legs. They can also be used with the new TTH1002C 100mm carbon fibre EFP tripod.

There is also the SD & SE pan/tilt and tripod series. The SD comes in two variants—the SD20 with support for 6.5 pounds, and SD40 with support for 11 pounds. Fixed counterbalance and drag systems are tailored to the payload of the head and come with two-stage tripod mid-level spreader and soft carry case. The SE series features the SE80 and SE150 (supporting 22 and 35 pounds, respectively), a drag system, multiple level counterbalance system, two-stage tripods with ground and mid-level spreader and a soft carry case.

Then, Shotoku has partnered its TP500 entry level broadcast pedestal unit with the SX300 head, which can support 88 pounds when combined; the TP500 can support 121 pounds independently.

Shotoku USA will be located at booth C9108 during the 2020 NAB Show, which runs from April 18-22 in Las Vegas.

For more information, visit www.shotoku.co.uk. 

LAS VEGAS—There’s a new lineup of products set to be part of Shotoku USA’s demonstration at the 2019 NAB Show that have gone smart. SmartRail, a new generation of Shotoku’s rail-based camera systems, and the SmartPedVR robotic XY pedestal are two of the featured examples of what’s new at Shotoku.

The SmartRail is designed for floor or ceiling operation through a range of height column configurations. Combining Shotoku’s control systems with a rail-based dolly system and elevator column system, the configuration offers unique perspectives for productions.

Then there is the SmartPedVR Robotic Pedestal, which operates as a fully robotic XY pedestal. The three-wheel, smooth-steer pedestal features a new height column, multi-zone collision avoidance and detection systems and an electro-mechanical steer/drive system. It also can handle instant switchover between local/remote operation. Shotoku will demonstrate the SmartPedVR within an AR environment, fully integrated with real-time graphics systems.

In addition to its “Smart” tech, Shotoku will also display the LiveView, a live video control option for the TR-XT control system. With a miniature HD camera mounted on the robotic-controlled-full broadcast camera, the operator can access more information than from a broadcast camera. By selecting any LiveView-enabled cameras, operators can manually control the camera as usual via a joystick or use LiveView control via the on-screen live video.

A set of manual and ENG tripods are also among Shotoku’s offerings. The SD (SD20 and SD40) and SE (SE80 and SE150) are the manual tripods, with the SD featuring fixed counterbalance and drag systems tailored to the payload of the head, a two-stage tripod mid-level spreader and soft carry case, while the SE offer a high-quality drag system and a multiple level counterbalance system.

The ENG tripods are the SX200 and SX260, which can carry 44 and 55 pounds respectively, and have easily adjustable counterbalance systems and a speedy drag system.

Shotoku will display all of these products at its booth, C9511, during the 2019 NAB Show.

To register for the NAB Show, visit www.nabshow.com.