In Broadcast - June 2021 - 40

40
www.inbroadcast.com | Vol: 11 - Issue 6 | June 2021
InStudio
Playing to the whistle
cont'd...
and unexploited, " Exarchos says.
" Look at the learnings and uncover
every opportunity so that we do what
we do in a way that is far less impactful
for the environment and the host
cities, but at the same time is exciting.
" For me, it's not just about the
defensive approach, it's about the
very aggressive approach. We want to
do more with less. We want to create
more exciting content, to redirect
resources where it makes sense in
innovation and [finding new ways the
Games] can be experienced
rather
Arena's CoreTX flypack
at Dock10 for remote
presentation coverage
of the FA Cup semi finals
" CoreTX is highly scalable both as a
production centre and with locationbased
elements, " explains Peter
Love, Arena's Director of Operations.
" Whether that
is augmenting client
facilities through the addition of our
cloud services, or by working with
fellow independent studios looking
to enhance their capability for a
particular
project. We can use any
resource in the cloud or in trucks on
the road and studios located anywhere
and draw it all together. There's no
reason someone can't fire up a studio
in Australia and have a production
team in London. "
There's now a real push to make
sure everyone within the supply chain
is focussed on meeting sustainability
targets.
" The key with CoreTX is that any part
or all of the OB truck can be remote if
you want it to, " Love says. " There is so
much you can do. "
Remote at scale
UEFA's revised plans for the
Euros included outsourcing the
postproduction operation from the
main IBC in The Netherlands, to IMG
Studios in London. IMG not only has
a long-standing relationship with
UEFA, its base at Stockley Park had
the necessary resources and 20Gig
of Eurovision circuits servicing the
migration of the production QCR, offtube
commentary as well links for 40
remote editing workstations.
World feed production is native 4K
HDR/HLG. UEFA's original plan was
for a host city pairing concept where
match production teams would move
between two venues. Now, these
technical
and
creative
teams
will
remain in situ. They are hired from
NEP, Euro Media Group, Telegenic
and Germany's TVN.
On the contribution side, Gravity
Media Group is tasked with
implementing and managing signals
over Eurovision's network, along with
monitoring and QC through a technical
operations centre (TOC) at each venue
through to the IBC.
The TOCs will be supervising
distribution of all on-site feeds,
including those for VAR (Video
Assistant Referee) which is making its
Euro debut.
The tournament's logistically tricky
11 country, 51 match 4-week schedule
means that rights holders are more
reliant than ever on behind-the-scenes
material from team camps and city
colour captured by 24 IMG crew (one
per team) working for UEFA. This
footage can be accessed from the
Hive, an EVS-based server system and
MAM repository housed in the IBC.
The bulk of the BBC's presentation
operation is in MediaCity. " We'll
be looking to see how the June 21
roadmap in the UK impacts us in
terms of our ability to move around
Europe or even be onsite at Wembley, "
Bigwood
says.
" Every
country
has
different rules and we are quite rightly
careful and cautious and de-risking as
much of our coverage as possible. "
Herculean task for OBS
The challenge of producing more
than 9,000 hours of sports content
over 17 days in the current climate
lies at the door of Olympic host
broadcaster OBS. Its Chief Executive
Yiannis Exarchos, looks for the
positives.
" You should never let the
opportunity of a major crisis go unused
than spending on and investing in
traditional broadcast workflow.
In content terms this means more
coverage in different formats, with
the needs of social media and digital
outlets high on the agenda. For
instance, Content+, a web-based
platform primarily dedicated to shortform
and digital content, will be far
more prominent in Tokyo than ever
before.
" Broadcasters can use this content,
repurpose it; they can practically do it
from their mobile phones in the back
of a car, " Exarchos says.
This additional coverage will also be
relied on by rights holders unable to
travel en mass to Japan to a greater
extent than ever.
OBS' on-site production footprint
in Tokyo will be 30 per cent smaller
than it was at Rio 2016, while content
production will be up by about 30 per
cent. It will also be the first Games
coverage to be natively produced in 4K
HDR.
This is possible through " massive
adoption " by OBS of IP technologies,
and cloud services.
With Alibaba, OBS is
offering the
OBS Cloud, a platform which allows
broadcasters to receive content
remotely and even to work on this
content remotely in the cloud.
The potential need for social
distancing on site in Tokyo has also
meant that venues contain 30 per
cent less space for broadcasters than
originally planned - again, something
most are used to.
With NHK, Japan's host broadcaster,
producing a comprehensive broadcast
package in 8K - a format that " reaches
the limit of the human eye " - and 5G
looming ever larger for Beijing 2022
and beyond, the Games should look
better than ever.
UEFA cameras
at Euro 2016
The IBC from Euro 2016 in Paris.
A similar set up is being arranged for Amsterdam
and Euro 2020 but with fewer people on site
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