AMSTERDAM—At IBC2022, Ross Video has announced a deal to acquire Austria-based Spidercam. Spidercam made its television debut in 2005 and is now a well known supplier of cutting-edge cable camera solutions used to create unique outdoor shots for sporting events, concerts, esports, and TV shows around the globe. 

“Spidercam’s technology creates visuals that are simply spectacular, and we’re thrilled to integrate them into our production universe,” says David Ross, CEO of Ross Video. “We’re committed to continuing Spidercam’s excellent customer experience as a part of Ross while offering more capabilities to even more customers. On a personal level, I just love cable cameras, they’re such an awe-inspiring and dramatic technology.”

The Spidercam system is suspended on four cables with winches that navigate a camera dolly in 3D space utilizing a stabilized head to provide HD or 4K video. System rentals include an accompanying technician, pilot, and camera operator. The company also recently launched a fixed mini solution for smaller internal production environments.

“Becoming part of Ross Video is an incredible opportunity to truly unlock the potential of Spidercam,” says Herbert Neff, Spidercam CEO. “We are looking forward to the benefits of integrating our camera systems and services into a highly innovative, true end-to-end live production company. We’ve already been working together producing live augmented reality with the combinations of our technology and Ross’ and there is a lot more we will be able to do in the future. Our camera solutions extend the current robotic solutions from Ross Video by offering unique and creative images.”

Notable Spidercam production work includes major international sports leagues and tournaments, award shows, entertainment events, and esports competitions watched worldwide. 

Spidercam is based in Feistritz im Rosental, Austria, supported by service facilities in Hamburg, Germany; Kennesaw, Georgia; and has a joint venture with Gravity Media to serve the Australian market.

Attendees to the IBC Show at the RAI in Amsterdam from 9-12 September 2022 can discuss the Spidercam acquisition on Ross Video’s stand 11.B10.

LINKÖPING, Sweden—The latest addition to Croatian national public broadcaster HRT’s studio space is a Newton Spidercam Light cable cam system for its daily news program. With the new camera system, HRT can produce moving shots that feature augmented reality graphics.

The HRT studio features two news desks, which the Spidercam is able to move between them during a live broadcast. A few shots are standardized with Spidercam’s motion record features, but most operation is done live by Croatel, the production company that installed the Spidercam, and HRT cameramen.

HRT uses the Spidercam for three news broadcasts, one standup news and two weather reports throughout the day.

The Spidercam Light camera features the Newton S2 Fiber, which controls a Sony P43 4K camera with Canon Cj12x4.3eB 4K lens.

For more information, visit www.newtonnordic.com.  

DUBAI, UNITED ARAB EMIRATES—Al Arabiya’s production team went all out for their coverage of the 2016 U.S. election results. With the help of 150 people from the news network, Vizrt and SpiderCam, the creation of a 9290 square meter augmented reality set was pulled off, which consisted of 3D models showing viewers live data and results.

“During the past elections, we made use of immersive graphics with live data, but for the 2016 U.S. Elections, we thought bigger,” says Al Arabiya’s Head of Graphics, Fadi Radi.

The Middle East Broadcast Channel group’s building in Dubai was used as the backdrop and the Dubai Media City’s lake served as a platform on which to place various graphics, maps and models. MBC’s team of designers used Vizrt’s Viz Artist to design the election graphics. SpiderCam’s staff, who are used to rigging their cameras in stadiums where existing support structures are in place, utilized a temporary crane on one side of the lake and trusses mounted to the MBC building for anchor points.

Thanks to no issues with the weather and the SpiderCam system’s stability gyros, the produced shots were steady and smooth. The SpiderCam also provided live tracking data that was processed with Vizrt’s Tracking Hub, so technicians could control the graphics during the live reports.

Vizrt claims this particular augmented reality set was the largest one ever produced in the world for a news production.