Aspiration production truck expands TNDV fleet

The mobile production world for broadcast television, live entertainment and professional AV just got a new set of wheels. TNDV: Television has unveiled Aspiration, its new 40ft expanding-side mobile production truck.

Aspiration is built to support premium remote video production services for broadcast TV, worship events, corporate video projects, concerts, ceremonies and other live events. Aspiration will cross the country with its SD/HD/3-D production workflow, featuring up to 12 cameras, a large routing system, a feature-rich production switcher and a comprehensive audio suite, among other capabilities.

TNDV built its first truck seven years ago on a shoestring budget, producing mainly worship and corporate projects in the southeastern United States. It gradually upgraded its first truck to an all-HD system and today produces at least two major events per week. Production work from the truck is seen regularly on SPEED, BET, GAC, and other major broadcast and cable networks.

TNDV president Nic Dugger noted that while the first truck will receive new upgrades and remain in service, the time for expansion has arrived.

“The shows and the budgets are getting bigger, but our first truck has been maximized,” Dugger said. “Aspiration allows us to double the amount of production work we do across the country and more than double the crew positions for big events, allowing us to employ additional tape operators, shaders and audio personnel among other staff. This greatly enhances our production environment and allows us to better accommodate clients on board.”

Dugger added that Aspiration is among the first mobile production truck in the southeastern United States to support live, multi-camera 3-D productions.

Aspiration accommodates 17 crew positions and features Hitachi Z-5000 multiformat HDTV cameras, a Harris Platinum router with an integrated Harris SX Hybrid multiviewer, a Ross Vision HD production switcher, a 72-track Soundcraft Vi4 digital audio console, AJA Video Systems Ki-Pro recorders, a Plura Broadcast FTM-043-3G field test monitor, Panasonic BT-LH2550 LCD monitors, Marshall Electronics V-R1042 in-monitor displays and an RTS Matrix intercom system. The truck shell and exterior were built and designed by Gerling and Associates.

TNDV’s first truck will also get a new lease on life. Dugger purchased a recently-retired mobile production truck from his alma mater, Middle Tennessee State University — a truck he worked on regularly as a student and later as a faculty member. TNDV will install all-new HD gear and rewire the interior after Gerling and Associates renovates the existing truck shell.

TNDV estimates that its current workload is approximately 60-percent broadcast television and 40-percent corporate, worship and live entertainment. In addition to its two trucks, TNDV offers a full complement of mobile flypacks that are customized to fit the needs of the client.