Making a choice selection only on top customers, Ettore Cortesi of VideoB, Parma, Italy, briefly describes SVG his television production structure, and his latest release for Sky and Eufa Euro 2016 France.
"Dedicated to events that require medium levels of production, today we try to keep our high standards even if the peroid is not that favorable and broadcaster generally tend to postpone decisions until the very last minute. Besides, working for Serie A and Serie B, we are now producing for Sky, for an interesting solution..."
"In general we own three ob-vehicles equipped for filming in HD, constantly up to date and with the latest technologies on board, ready for 4K production even if it still sounds in a way distant to us. It is also true that today all our HD cameras can operate in 4K only buying a license. So in terms of technology, things are quite simplified nowadays. The mixer follows the same path and allows production in HD, or even 4K with the simple purchase of licenses (weekly or monthly) and we are ready for the qualitative leap only when necessary."
"On the occasion of Uefa Euro 2016 Sky created a tv shooting studio in Paris on board a boat (Sky Bateau) anchored on the Seine near the Tour Eiffel. The studio here is equipped with our six cameras by Grass Valley LDK 8000 Elite II, a Jimmy Jib; a radio camera travels in Paris to create images and stories near Trocadero and the Eiffel Tower."
"All Sky broadcasts, pre and post matches, and even those by night (Guida al Campionato) are shot here. The only real complexity is the need to get on site all 3 EBU feeds, so we had to install three parabolic antennas for reception, and also receive the feeds of 3 radio backpacks and cameras traveling around France, to decode them with an IP system and then reuse the images for the links and the studio contribution."
"We also have to handle the great 3D graphics, which is inserted in Milan Santa Giulia Sky studio. In fact we are equipped with a transmission and a reception that allows the live insertion of graphics."
"In practice, the whole project was born with a certain simplicity and instead evolved and involved some complexity. But both our customer and us feel very satisfied of the results."
"Our OB-Van, VideoB Esterna Unit 4, is parked along the banks of the Seine some 50 meters (linked by fibre) away from the floating Sky studio on the "Sky Bateau". Here several guests every day are interviewed by anchor men. All broadcasts are live and on board the truck which operates six tv cameras are an Avid editing system, an EVS, and several equipments for reception as described above. All feeds received are downloaded, disembedded and edited in order to supply various contributions after the game. We also have clips available live from Milan Sky archive. The Esterna 4 is also equipped with Kauna by Snell video mixer, all the electronics on board are by Image Communications."
"The TV compound is also composed of the inevitable power generator and, satellite uplink mobile station with dual reception aerials made available by Globecast, providing also receptions of the three IP backpacks and all IP links."
"We must point out a great satisfaction the way radio frequency issues are held in France, with a flawless organization: in fact in two days we were released all radio licenses for radio cameras, radio microphones, returns, walkie talkie, and all for free. The process of management of the radio frequency licenses here is exceptional: two request via emails, one confirmation, and we were operating in 2 days! And what's more, we decided the frequencies, of course proposing 5/6 alternatives, but we were given the requested."
