Articles tagged #AUDIO
Articles tagged
#AUDIO

Why you should upgrade to the Sennheiser EW 512P G4-S

People are always looking for ways to make their lives easier. This includes finding the best wireless mic system for their needs. If you're looking for big step up, you should check out the Sennheiser EW 512P G4-S 520-558 MHz Portable Lavalier Wireless. This is a high-end mic system that offers increased frequency range and distance, as well as increased sound quality for your voice. The EW 512P is the latest in the evolution wireless series and is the high end of the G4 line.

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Blackmagic Design Announces DaVinci Resolve 17 with 300 new and improved features

DaVinci Resolve 17 is a major new release with over 100 new features and 200 improvements. The colour page features new HDR grading tools, redesigned primary controls, AI-based magic mask and more. Fairlight updates mouse and keyboard edit selection tools so customers can work faster, along with Fairlight Audio Core and FlexBus, an ext-generation audio engine and busing architecture with support for 2,000 tracks. Editors get a metadata slate view with bin dividers, zoomed waveforms for audio trimming, smart reframing, a unified inspector and dozens of other time-saving tools. In addition, compositions created in Fusion can now be used as an effect, title or transition on the edit and cut pages. “This is a massive update and it has amazing new technology and features for colourists, audio engineers, editors and visual effects artists,” said Grant Petty, Blackmagic Design CEO. “While the new colour science, HDR grading and improvements and Fairlight usability are the most noticeable features, what I am most proud of are the thousands of small improvements that customers will notice every day!”

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Using your smartphone to create video and streaming content

In this odd time when we are all looking to work differently, people are looking to use their smartphones to create video and streaming content. It may be that you don't have access to your normal equipment or that everybody else has beaten you to the 'hot product' and you are having to think laterally. .

It is worth noting that the cameras on modern smartphones are quite good if you make sure there is enough light and you are within the correct focal length of the lens. It would be no good trying to film a football match with a phone but an interview or talking head will work well. I don't imagine you will be wanting to film a football match at the moment anyway.
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Where smartphones do fail is on audio, there are several manufactures catering for smartphone audio and arguably the best is our own, homegrown, Rode. They offer options for Apple devices (Lightning connector) or Android (3.5mm jack TRRS). There are Lapel microphones like the Smartlav+ or Wireless Go which can be attached to an individual person or Directional microphones which can stay attached to the phone and work well over 2 or 3 meters. The Rode SC6 and SC6L allow you to connect two TRRS mics like the Smartlav+ simultaneously.
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[caption id="attachment_4789" align="alignnone" width="380"] Rode SmartLav+[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_4790" align="alignnone" width="380"] Rode Wireless Go[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_4791" align="alignnone" width="380"] Rode SC6-L[/caption]
Another main consideration is mounting your camera/phone effectively so the picture is stable and your arm doesn't fall off halfway through the interview. Manfrotto makes a simple inexpensive clamp for your phone which allows it to be connected to a tripod or mount either in portrait or landscape or should I say Insta and everything else! It's called the PixiClamp. They also make a small desk-mounted tripod called the Pixi Mini Tabletop tripod. The nice thing about the clamp is that it has standard 1/4" threads allowing you to connect it to most tripods and lighting stands.
[caption id="attachment_4795" align="alignnone" width="380"] Manfrotto Pixi Clamp[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_4794" align="alignnone" width="380"] Manfrotto Pixi Tabletop Tripod[/caption]
 
[caption id="attachment_4803" align="alignnone" width="507"] Or available for purchase as a combo![/caption]
Lighting is the last hurdle. If the available light isn't giving you the production values you are used to seeing. The good news is that there are lots of powerful, battery-operated colour correctable lights available at very reasonable prices. You can consider the small Aputure Amaran AL-MX rechargeable light or a twin kit with stands like the Ledgo Luxpad E268C which offers unbeatable value.
[caption id="attachment_4797" align="alignnone" width="380"] Aputure Amaran AL-MX LED Light[/caption]
[caption id="attachment_4798" align="alignnone" width="380"] LEDGO Luxpad E268C Lighting Kit[/caption]
.. For a full range of products suited to use with your smartphone click here
Anyway enjoy setting up your home studios and we can't wait to see what you create!
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Blog Post by Simon Anderson

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Product Review: RODE Wireless Go

News & DocumentaryYes, this will work.

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Videocraft builds State Of The Art TV Studios and Production Facilities For RMIT

Recently RMIT University undertook a significant renovation of its Melbourne city faculty specifically to open their campus up by redoing its Swanston Street facade and substantially renovating seven floors across four buildings. This huge undertaking was known as the New Academic Street, or NAS, Project. The existing buildings were where RMIT had its TV studios, originally built in the 1960s, much used and loved but long overdue for an overhaul. The NAS project provided an opportunity for RMIT to replace the old TV Studios with world class, cutting edge facilities to support both current and future trends in media production as well as RMITs research requirements in the digital media realm. To help them with the design and build of the complete project they turned to Videocraft. Before the project could start the university put out a tender for the design, construction and integration of four control rooms (two of which were to be UHD), five studio spaces and a virtual and augmented reality system. The tender also specified some unique components including a fully distributed routing system, UHD record and replay solution and the ability to quickly move any studio to any control room, or multiple control rooms. Technical Services Manager School of Media & Communication College of Design & Social Context at RMIT University David Beesley explained, “We required world class facilities with a futureproof and flexible infrastructure - a big ask - and we required a company who could work with us to enhance our vision of what these facilities would look like and how they could support our specific pedagogical needs. In conjunction with other industry leaders and after extensive research and consultation, RMIT came up with a base design which was subsequently put out to tender. Videocraft's winning point of difference was their ability to add significant value to our vision and turn it into a functioning reality.” Videocraft worked with RMIT end users to finesse the design and ultimately supplied and installed the kit for four TV studios and control rooms, a master control room (MCR), RMIT’s 'Black Box' research studio and multiple fibre-linked OB points throughout the NAS Precinct. [gallery ids="https://www.videocraft.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/IMG_5135.jpg.jpeg|Head of ABC News speaking at the RMIT NAS Project opening,https://www.videocraft.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/IMG_5130.jpg.jpeg|James Taylor in one of the four control rooms designed and installed by Videocraft,https://www.videocraft.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/IMG_5136.JPG-e1522805026155.jpeg|,https://www.videocraft.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/IMG_5131.jpg.jpeg|James and Jeanette Taylor at the Opening of the RMIT NAS Project,https://www.videocraft.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/IMG_5132.jpg.jpeg|Panasonic 4K UHD Studio Cameras,https://www.videocraft.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/IMG_5129.jpg.jpeg|Checking out the studios on RMIT's Opening night for the NAS Project,https://www.videocraft.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/IMG_5133.JPG-e1522804985885.jpeg|Panasonic 4K UHD Studio Cameras,https://www.videocraft.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/IMG_5126.JPG-e1522804965720.jpeg|Installation by Videocraft at RMIT TV Studios,https://www.videocraft.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/IMG_5125.JPG-e1522804937190.jpeg|Installation by Videocraft at RMIT TV Studios,https://www.videocraft.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/IMG_5128.JPG-e1522804906693.jpeg|Installation by Videocraft at RMIT TV Studios,https://www.videocraft.com.au/blog/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/IMG_5127.JPG-e1522804881286.jpeg|Installation by Videocraft at RMIT TV Studios"]   Videocraft Head of Engineering and Projects Nick Maclean added, “We also designed a Central Apparatus Room for the 4 control rooms and 5 studios, plus supporting spaces such as green rooms, makeup rooms and production offices. Given that this was not a greenfield site, but a retro fit of an existing building, there were considerable constraints with the spaces, but with clever design we were able to come up with a solution that met the brief.” As part of the scope required a ‘distributed’ router Videocraft decided to install a large Riedel Mediornet system as, based on a 10Gig backbone, the system can handle up to 384x384 3G HD signals. For a distributed audio network they implemented a Dante audio network and ensured that all the audio mixers, stage boxes and tie lines were IP connected over a 10GigE IP network with a Cisco Nexus backbone. Videocraft also installed IP KVM systems, IP talkback using Riedel Smart Panels, and IP wireless comms using the new Riedel Bolero AES67 wireless keypanels. To tie all these systems together they used Lawo Virtual Studio Manager, a control solution that removes all the complicated backend components and presents a unified interface for operators. Beesley continued, Videocraft also installed the first UHD EVS system in Australia, which included IP Director and XFile for file-based ingest and delivery of both HD and UHD studio content. Critically they also supplied and installed kit for our temporary TV studios, constructed for the duration of the major build, to ensure business continuity. It really was a first class job and they met our every requirement.” Other kit supplied and installed by Videocraft included Panasonic 4K UHD camera chains, Sony vision mixers, a Zero Density 'Reality' virtual set and MoSys camera tracking, Ross Expression graphics, Yamaha audio desks and ARRI lighting. Beesley continued, “Videocraft took charge of face to face meetings, design workshops, numerous stakeholder and site meetings, design revision, installation, commissioning and testing. Their approach was professional and flawless.” Now complete the new facilities are used for teaching, including live broadcasts, research and more. As a result RMIT students can now learn on the same tools they will encounter in the field to which Beesley added, “These are the first purpose built UHD studios in Australia. They are at the forefront of technology for anybody, but for a teaching facility they are undoubtedly the number one studios in Australia. They are flexible and their unique infrastructure ensures that they'll be fit for purpose well into the future.” David Beesley, clearly incredibly pleased and incredibly proud of RMIT’s new TV and production facilities felt compelled to highlight the real shining lights of the project concluding, “There are many wow factors with the new facilities with their flexibility, extensive use of fibre, VSM, and 4K UHD capabilities but the real standout is the Zero Density Reality system. Videocraft installed a two-camera system with Star Tracker motion tracking which can render full virtual sets and augmented reality elements in realtime with unbelievable realism. The system uses the Unreal Engine for 3D design and rendering and the results are simply stunning. It’s the most realistic virtual system we have ever seen. I cannot speak highly enough about what Videocraft did for RMIT during this project. They were amazing to work with, incredibly patient, understood our unique requirements and worked with us to create something that is truly great, and the envy of many.”

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Sennheiser's New HANDMIC Digital - professional sounds for mobile journalism

Sennheiser has announced its new HANDMIC Digital. An ideal choice for mobile journalism and podcasting, the microphone brings broadcast sound quality to iOS devices as well as Macs and PCs. The HANDMIC Digital is extremely rugged, highly resistant to cell phone interference, and offers excellent suppression of handling, wind and ambient noise, which is important when recording on the show floor, at events, in manufacturing spaces or in similarly noisy environments. The dynamic HANDMIC Digital features Apogee’s award-winning A/D converter and pre-amp technologies for direct connection to USB or Lightning ports.

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Using your IPhone for audio production – coming soon is the new Sennheiser FOCUSMIC Digital

At IBC, Sennheiser is previewing the FOCUSMIC Digital, a rugged mini-shotgun microphone for high-quality videography with the iPhone. Designed with a proven Sennheiser capsule and Apogee PureDigital pre-amp and A/D converter, the FOCUSMIC Digital plugs directly into the Lightning port of the iPhone and delivers high-quality, focused audio from the direction of filming. The new mic attaches to the smartphone via a rugged metal grip that can accommodate a variety of iPhone models (from SE and X to 8 plus) and case designs, and also allows the mic to rotate through 270°, including a selfie position and a transport position. The FOCUSMIC Digital will be available from Q2 2018.

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Videocraft Review: Zoom F8 Field Recorder

Zoom have come to the party with a fully-fledged field recorder and mixer they have named the F8. I’m not entirely sure of the origin of the name but I am going to take a wild stab in the dark and remember it as F for field, and 8 for the number of microphone pre-amps. I expect a field recorder to be built to take a bit of punishment, and from the looks of it Zoom have approached the design of this unit with that in mind. It isn't quite as much of a tank as the Sound Devices equivalents, but given the price that can be excused. It is also lighter and more compact than the Sound Devices offerings. Let’s take a wander around the F8 and discuss the ins and outs, so to speak.  

LEFT SIDE

The unit has eight mic/line combo inputs, that are distributed four at a time on either side. XLR is for mic level signals, and 1/4" TRS for line level signals. Joining inputs 1-4 on the left side are 2 x SD/SDHC/SDXC slots, a Mini USB connection (to use the F8 as a card reader or audio interface) and a HIROSE 4-pin DC input for providing external power. This is a nice touch as it allows you to put a garden variety Anton Bauer V-Lock in the bottom of your bag and run the unit all day long.

RIGHT SIDE

All audio outputs are located on the right side of the box along with Inputs 5-8, and we get two main TA-3 outputs (Mini XLR connectors), one 1/4" headphone jack and a SUB OUT 1/2, combined on a 3.5m TRS connector. Don't worry about the Main Outs being on TA-3 connectors, the unit comes with a couple of TA-3 to full sized XLR breakout cables to cover you, should you need to go to a camera or other device that requires run of the mill XLR flavour.

BACK

Before I get to the front, I'll quickly touch on the back. There is a 12V DC-IN barrel connector to connect the supplied AC adaptor, a Kensington lock if you need to tie it down (a little counterintuitive for a field recorder), a battery slot which holds 8 x AA batteries, a block style MIC-IN connector for connecting any of Zoom’s microphone capsules, and normal video BNC connectors for Timecode IN and OUT. The timecode connectors are independent of one another, and the output allows you to use the F8 as the timecode master on set, provided your cameras have BNC type TC inputs.  

FRONT

The front panel provides just enough knobs and buttons to get the job done, and is very well thought out. The display has a high enough resolution for everything to be nice and legible (even to my computer damaged eyes), provides a nice big recording time readout, timecode counter (including TC source and frame rate) and battery status which includes a live voltage readout. These elements remain at the top of the screen until you dive into the menu. The large encoder next to the display allows you to navigate the menu, and when you are not in the menu it will allow you to scroll through various metering windows. Each input channel has a REC Arm button with their respective number on it, a post fader for managing input level, LED's for level metering and input state (red for record, orange for solo), and last but not least, a PFL button. The PFL button is by far my favourite feature. As soon as you press it, the display jumps into a sub menu dedicated to the channel settings of the specific channel you have just soloed. This is a massive time saver as far as setup goes, as you don't have to go digging around in menus to do simple everyday tasks such as engaging phantom power, high pass filters, limiters and setting pan. With one touch of a button, you can hear the relevant input front and centre, a couple of quick clicks and a twist of the input fader and you are ready to go. Press PFL again to clear the solo, and the display reverts back to your main metering. Excellent design and a big thumbs up! The front panel also provides a slate mic and slate switch, allowing you to verbalise a slate onto all tracks using the built in mic, or to stripe a reference tone. Slate tone can be momentary, or you can lock it on. The level and frequency are adjustable, however the unit defaults to -20dBFS and 1khz.  

ROUTING and MID-SIDE

The unit gives you a large range of routing options, and any of the inputs can be routed to any of the outputs, either pre or post fader. You also have the option to send the left and right mix output to the main or sub outs. The headphones have the same routing options with the addition of Mid-Side and Mono monitoring. The Main and Sub outs also feature frame delay and limiters. It is worth noting that Zoom have abbreviated Main and Sub as M and S in the routing menus, not to be confused with MS for mid-side. On the subject of mid-side, it provides the ability to decode MS inputs into stereo for recording purposes or allows you to monitor aforementioned MS sources as stereo if you want to keep them separate during record. You can also individually adjust the side level when the MS inputs are linked, giving you that extra level of control.  

RECORDING

The F8 has two SD/SDHC/SDXC card slots and you have a number of options when it comes to defining what each card will record. There is no option for overflow recording but given the price of SD cards these days, it is unlikely that feature will be required. If you want redundancy simply pop in two matching cards, set them both to the same recording setup, and the unit will name them in the same way so that they become duplicate copies. They have included Poly WAV recording which means you get one multichannel file with all ISO's, as opposed to individual mono or stereo files. This is handy to minimise the number of files created keep related tracks locked together. File protection is provided in the form of periodic file saving during record, just in case you lose power or accidentally remove the card. A 6 second pre-record buffer can be activated in case you are in an unpredictable environment, and you also have the option of using the dual channel REC feature to record two copies of the same input at different levels. This feature is only available for inputs 1-4 as it requires REC channels 5-8 to store the parallel recordings. As you would expect Broadcast Wave Form at 48khz and 24 bit is the default REC format. Sample rates go all they way up to 192khz without sacrificing any recording channels, and if you need long record times you can switch to MP3 format and record at bit rates of 128, 192 or 320kbps.  

METADATA and APP CONTROL

Metadata management is included and will allow you to predefine scene name, the mode of scene increments, track names, notes, and the take naming format. This is a must have if your recordings are going into a commercial post-production workflow. Metadata can be setup using the jog wheel on the front of the unit but as with any text entry of this type, it can be tedious. A nice touch is that the entry menus do have history, allowing you to recall a previously used scene name or note. The unit has been built with Bluetooth connectivity so that you can connect an iOS device, and they have put together a tidy little app to give you a range of control. Once I had set it up, I was hopping that I would be able to use it to predefine the metadata, however it wouldn't let me do it prior to recording. Once I had done some recording it allowed me to edit the metadata after the fact, however personally this is slightly less than preferable. This isn't a deal breaker, it just means that you need to be wary of the workflow. The app gives you similar control to what you have on the front panel of the unit, and some (but not all) of the menu controls. I have to give Zoom a tick of approval for the mixer window inside the app, if you are wanting to perform a stereo mix on the fly this is a much easier way to control it compared with using the menu data wheel on the front of the recorder.  

FINAL THOUGHTS

All in all this is a fantastic little field recorder at an exceptionally reasonable price (AUS RRP $2,149.00). It does everything an amateur or intermediate level sound recordist requires, and could also be used to record immersive audio for the up and coming VR content boom. Paired with a custom made Portabrace bag, it is comfortable and easy to operate. If you have been battling along with a handy recorder and want to step up the quality of your production audio but have been struggling to justify the cost of some of the professional options on the market, then you should take a good hard look at this unit, as it is the one for you. You can order the Zoom F8 from Videocraft: Product Code: FXR108 or click here to be redirected to the product in our online shop.        

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Avid Announces New Innovations Delivering on Avid Everywhere for Audio

Avid® (Nasdaq: AVID) today introduced a comprehensive global ecosystem for the audio industry delivering on Avid Everywhere™. Enabled by the Avid MediaCentral Platform, these audio innovations bring together artists, technology vendors, media organizations, and publishers onto one unified platform so they can create, collaborate, and distribute music and audio content more powerfully, efficiently, and profitably. “The goal of Avid Everywhere is to provide a common platform where everyone—from aspiring pros to established artists and professionals—can come together and create their best work,” stated Avid Chairman, President and CEO Louis Hernandez, Jr. “Our comprehensive global ecosystem delivers on this promise, making it possible for content creators to tell their stories and connect to the world’s widest network of artists, film studios, broadcasters, and media organizations.” Pro Tools | First – Join the Avid community for free Opening music production to everyone, Avid introduced Pro Tools | First, offering artists, audio enthusiasts, and aspiring pros access to many of the same music creation tools used by top professionals and facilities—at no cost. Simple enough for beginners to learn, yet sophisticated enough for the experienced musician, Pro Tools | First enables everyone to experience the industry’s most trusted digital audio workstation so they can turn their musical ideas into fully realized, professional productions that stand out from the crowd. Pro Tools 12 - Flexible licensing options Avid announced Pro Tools 12 giving professionals more choice over how they purchase and deploy their tools, collaborate with others, and get more exposure for their work. Customers can now subscribe for as little as $29.99 per month, or buy Pro Tools software outright. With these new options, users can stay current with future software updates and innovations as soon as they are released via the cloud, at no additional charge. Avid Cloud Collaboration — The world is your studio Avid Cloud Collaboration, initially to be accessed by Pro Tools users with others to follow, is a groundbreaking set of collaboration capabilities that enable artists to compose, record, edit, and mix sessions working with other Pro Tools users in the cloud, as if they are all together in the same studio. New services in the Avid Marketplace The Avid Marketplace allows Pro Tools users to engage in a community of artists, acquire new plug-ins and apps as they need them, easily store their work securely in the cloud, and post their finished assets or Pro Tools session files for others to license in their productions. Sibelius | Cloud Publishing Underscoring Avid’s commitment to the music notation market, Sibelius | Cloud Publishing is a groundbreaking new publishing technology that revolutionizes the way sheet music scores are sold online. With a Sibelius | Cloud Publishing-enabled site, publishers can allow customers to view, play, transpose, print, and purchase scores using any current web browser or mobile device, including Android, iOS, and Linux.

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Avid Unveils State-of-the-Art S6 Control Surface that Redefines Sound Recording, Mixing, and Editing

Avid® today unveiled a major new addition to its industry leading family of control surfaces for sound recording, mixing and editing, further extending its leadership in the space. Avid S6 is designed for audio professionals in the most demanding production environments, delivering the performance needed to complete projects faster while producing the best sounding mixes. In addition, S6 provides mixing professionals with a state-of-the-art solution that easily scales to meet their current and future challenges. “Working in ever more complex environments with fast project turnarounds, mixers need intuitive, tactile control of editing and mixing, and the ability to easily work with other artists, engineers, and facilities,” said Chris Gahagan, senior vice president of products and services at Avid. “Drawing on more than 20 years of leading edge innovation, the S6 delivers the game-changing modularity, superior ergonomics, and streamlined collaboration to meet mixers’ changing business requirements.” Built on the same proven technology that is core to the industry-leading ICON and System 5 product families, the Avid S6 enables mixers to quickly turn around complex projects while swiftly handling last-minute changes. With its unparalleled ability to simultaneously control multiple Pro Tools® and other EUCON™-enabled DAWs over simple Ethernet, S6 also speeds workflows and enables network collaboration on a single integrated platform. Avid S6 redefines professional mixing with key features that include: Revolutionary modular design — Adapting to every stage of a user’s business, the S6 control surface can be customized with the addition of the modules needed to match current workflow. It can be horizontally and vertically scaled as the client base grows. Pre-configured S6 M10 or S6 M40 surfaces may be purchased with the required faders, knobs, etc. already provided or, with S6 M40, further personalized with different channel control combinations. Superior ergonomics — A traditional, familiar console layout allows easy transition from previous systems. The multipoint touchscreen quickly and easily accesses plug-ins, large track counts, surround panning and more, while top-lit status knobs and high resolution OLEDs add operational efficiency. Additional 12.1” displays on S6 M40 systems further enhance instant project overview by providing deep visual feedback on key items such as channel names, audio meters, routing, clip names, and scrolling waveforms. Ultimate recall enables quick location for last-minute mix changes. Intelligent studio control — Compatible with Pro Tools and other popular EUCON-enabled DAWs, S6 enables detailed work on up to eight audio workstations simultaneously, as well as the ability to switch sessions in seconds from a single control surface across the facility. High-speed Ethernet connectivity makes it easy to reconfigure operations as business requirements dictate. Availability and Pricing Avid S6 will be available at Avid resellers worldwide in Q4 2013. As a modular system, S6 is available at a variety of prices, with M10 configurations  

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Videocraft Provides Oprah In Australia with Editing, Post Production And IT For Sydney Opera House

When Harpo, Oprah Winfrey’s production company, first decided they were going to put on the Opera House Spectaculars, according to Videocraft Project Manager Dan Miall, they had one specific requirement, “To recreate the editing, post production and IT facilities they use in Chicago in Sydney.” Harpo initially approached Avid USA who in turn put them in touch with Avid Australia and Videocraft. Miall explained, “Harpo are an incredibly professional production company. To that end they were very specific in their technical requirements all of which were based around renting a series of Avid Unity Isis and Interplay systems.” As Harpo did their due diligence they discovered that Videocraft were the company in Australia who could provide exactly what equipment and infrastructure they needed to produce the Sydney Opera House shows for Oprah'sUltimate Australian Adventure. Miall continued, “We met with Radi Akel, Harpo’s General Manager, during the Commonwealth Games and showed him the OB edit system we had installed at Foxtel which took care of all the games’ highlights for Fox Sports. Radi was impressed and so we sat down to plan exactly what would be required for Oprah’s Sydney shows.” In all Videocraft provided eleven high-end edit suites with 64Tb of storage and Interplay digital asset management. Miall explained, “This was a major installation. The kit list included multiple Avid Media Composer Nitris DXs, Sony LMD-2450W 20-inch LCD professional video production monitors, Dynaudio Acoustics BM5A two-way Active Nearfield Monitors, Interplay Assist stations, Tektronix WFM5000 Multi-Format Waveform Monitors and Yamaha A/V. They really were eleven top of the line edit and post production suites.” In addition to the editing and post production facilities Videocraft also provided Harpo with all of their IT requirements which included 60 laptops, 18Tb of storage, printers, active directory sharepoint and integration. Dan Miall added, “This was one of the biggest and most unique temporary installations Videocraft has ever done. We knew we had to provide all of Harpo’s editing, post and IT requirements for two live shows and two tape-based shows at the Sydney Opera House, but then came the really tricky part - everything had to be installed on the 12th floor of the Intercontinental Hotel in just two days. In other words we had to build and convert the entire floor of a hotel into a fully functioning post facility in 48 hours.” With the project given the green light Miall and the Videocraft team began the unique installation and hotel floor conversion. In the meantime Harpo gave further details of the shows’ format. To celebrate 25 years of the Oprah Winfrey show 302 audience members from the USA came to Australia with the talk show Queen armed with mini DV cameras with which they were to record their adventures. Miall explained, “The audience members’ footage was recorded and ingested as low res .wmv files. The files were then logged in Chicago where the producers chose the shots they wanted and then these files were ingested for a second time into the Avid suites we built at the Intercontinental Hotel. The Sydney suites were then used to cut packages ready for broadcast within 24 hours. As often there were many versions of different packages, the suites had to run very smoothly and very efficiently, which I’m delighted to say they all did.” Commenting on the production of the Oprah’s Ultimate Australian Adventure shows Harpo General Manager Radi Akel said, “Everyone at Harpo was amazed and delighted with what Videocraft did for us. The central equipment room they built was awesome and the level of equipment they provided along with their service was second to none. We discovered early in the project that they were the best company in Australia who could put this kind of system together and it became very clear why over the course of our time in Sydney. The installation was 100% on time and the entire Videocraft team were incredibly professional, flexible and nothing was ever too much trouble. They gave us everything we needed with a smile and a kind word – even when we switched from XDCAM to HDCAM one week before the shows were to be recorded. I really cannot thank Dan Miall and the entire Videocraft team enough for what was a seamless and perfectly executed project.”

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