Gravity Media, a global leader in production, content, media services and facilities, has deployed a state-of-the-art remote production gallery to support ITV Studios’ MultiStory Media programming at its new Covent Garden facility in London. The solution will enable the production and broadcast of 900 hours of live daily programming each year across three flagship shows: Lorraine, This Morning and Loose Women.

The new studio, which launched in January 2026, features a 360-degree set with LED walls designed for rapid turnarounds between shows. Production has been built with sustainability at its core: a single, high-specification remote gallery produces and broadcasts all three live daily programmes, as well as additional productions outside of MultiStory Media transmission, significantly reducing the need for onsite infrastructure and travel.

The remote production infrastructure includes approximately 45,000 metres of video, audio, SMPTE, data and fibre cabling, supporting 13 technical equipment racks and nine wall boxes across 34 camera positions. Together, this creates a resilient, future-ready infrastructure that enables flexible remote production from day one.

Gravity Media’s Remote Production service uses high-bandwidth, low-latency fibre, satellite, broadband and mobile network technologies to transmit footage in real time to Gravity Media’s Production Centre in White City, where engineering, editorial and creative teams enhance content for final delivery.

Phase 2 of the project, launching later in 2026, will build on this foundation by adding advanced graphics and finishing capabilities, supporting the delivery of even more premium, visually compelling broadcasts to ITV’s audiences.

Kate Rendle, Director – Global Sales Director at Gravity Media commented:

“Remote production allows us to deliver the broadcast quality ITV’s audiences expect, while reducing environmental impact and operational costs. By centralising production, we can manage multiple live feeds, maintain high technical standards and build greater resilience into daily live production.”

 

PRESS COVERAGE

*English version below

Tijdens de jaarlijkse bijeenkomst van het World Economic Forum (WEF) in 2026 slaan het WEF en Gravity Media de handen in elkaar voor een vooruitstrevende mediasamenwerking die de klassieke broadcastmodellen fundamenteel hertekent. Voor het eerst wordt het volledige broadcast- en mediagebeuren remote aangestuurd vanuit de televisiestudio’s van Gravity Media in Vilvoorde. Via live remote verbindingen, een software-defined IP-architectuur en een schaalbare cloudmediaoplossing worden alle televisiebeelden geproduceerd alsof Davos zich letterlijk in België bevindt.

Remote productie met maximale efficiëntie

Camera’s staan fysiek opgesteld in Davos, terwijl regisseurs, vision mixers, technische crews en cameramensen in Vilvoorde opereren. Dankzij het IP-gebaseerde concept worden alle live feeds in realtime verwerkt, gemonteerd en distributieklaar gemaakt in België.

Deze aanpak verlaagt drastisch de ecologische voetafdruk door het beperken van internationale verplaatsingen en verhoogt de operationele efficiëntie en betrouwbaarheid. Daarnaast garandeert dit een consistente broadcastkwaliteit op wereldniveau en is dit veiliger voor onze medewerkers.

Exclusieve distributie & digitale kanalen

Naast de tv-productie verzorgt Gravity Media Belgium via een exclusief distributiecontract ook alle webstreaming, de socialmediacontent van het WEF, de multichanneldistributie naar internationale platformen en IPTV-diensten.

De beelden die dagelijks in het journaal van Davos worden uitgezonden, of rechtstreekse verbindingen met het White House, verlopen via Vilvoorde en worden hier dus volledig productieklaar gemaakt en wereldwijd verspreid.

Toekomstgericht mediamodel

Gravity Media en het World Economic Forum tonen hiermee aan dat innovatie, duurzaamheid en kwaliteit perfect hand in hand kunnen gaan.

Davos comes to Vilvoorde for a week: World Economic Forum and Gravity Media Belgium redefine global media workflows

During the 2026 annual meeting of the World Economic Forum (WEF), the WEF and Gravity Media are joining forces in a forward-looking media partnership that redefines traditional broadcast workflows. For the first time, the entire broadcast and media operation will be remotely controlled from Gravity Media’s television studios in Vilvoorde, Belgium. Using live remote connections, a software-defined IP architecture, and a scalable cloud-based media solution, all television content is produced as if Davos were physically located in Belgium.

Remote production with maximum efficiency

Cameras are physically installed in Davos, while directors, vision mixers, technical crews, and camera operators work from Vilvoorde. Thanks to the IP-based setup, all live feeds are processed, edited, and made ready for distribution in real time in Belgium.

This approach dramatically reduces the environmental footprint by limiting international travel, while increasing operational efficiency and reliability. It also guarantees consistent, world-class broadcast quality and provides a safer working environment for staff.

Exclusive distribution and digital channels

In addition to TV production, Gravity Media Belgium is also responsible, under an exclusive distribution agreement, for all WEF web streaming, social media content, and multi-channel distribution to international platforms and IPTV services.

Footage broadcast daily in the Davos news coverage, as well as live connections with the White House, all pass through Vilvoorde, where they are fully produced and then distributed worldwide.

A future-focused media model

This innovative approach demonstrates that cutting-edge technology, sustainability, and production quality can operate in perfect harmony, setting a new standard for international media coverage.

Stanhope announced today that Gravity Media, a global leader in production and content and media services and facilities, has signed a new 10-year lease for an additional 9,000 sq ft in the WestWorks building at White City Place. The move increases Gravity Media’s total space by over 30%, to 38,000 sq ft, totalling three-quarters of the entire floor of the building.

Gravity Media has been based at White City Place since 2022, running a world-class media hub that delivers live sport, entertainment and media production for clients around the globe. The office expansion will provide room for further growth in its specialist facilities, adding to Gravity Media’s network of cutting-edge production centres spanning countries across the globe including in Europe and Australia.

Gravity Media’s facilities at White City Place bring together production, post-production, and live studio capabilities under one roof based around a fully fledged 2110 media fabric with dedicated master control rooms, 11 production control rooms with 10 audio control rooms, 13 flexi control rooms, 6 multiple off tube commentary booths and 4 vision control facilities as well as 11 edit suites, 5 replay areas, 2 media management rooms and client desking.

David Camp, Chief Executive, Stanhope PLC, says “We are delighted Gravity Media has chosen to expand their facilities with us at White City Place. As a world-leading broadcast and production company, they are an integral part of the growing cluster of media and entertainment businesses in the White City Innovation District, reinforcing White City Place as one of London’s most dynamic creative hubs. We look forward to supporting their continued growth.”

Jamie Hindhaugh, Regional CEO at Gravity Media, says “We are delighted to take the next step in our journey at White City Place.  This expansion marks a significant milestone for our expert team of innovators and broadcast specialists. As our business grows, the additional capacity allows us to scale operations, advance our technical capabilities, and deliver exceptional productions to an ever-expanding client base. Being part of such a vibrant creative community gives us the chance to forge stronger connections with leading media players here on site and across the wider area.”

White City Place sits at the heart of the distinguished White City Innovation District, alongside Imperial College London and Scale Space, creating a hub for creative businesses, academic organisations, life science companies, and technology startups in a setting that supports research collaboration and development.

 

PRESS COVERAGE

EMG Belgium heeft met succes een innovatieve remote productie getest tijdens een hockeytraining van de Red Panthers op de Wilrijkse Pleinen. In samenwerking met Telenet en Play Sports werd het programma aangestuurd vanuit de regie in Vilvoorde, zonder dat er een OB-truck op locatie aanwezig was.

Voor deze test werden tien camera’s ingezet op het terrein met een E-line-verbinding naar de regie in Vilvoorde. De verbinding werd mogelijk gemaakt met Diploy-technologie. “We gebruikten SNP’s (gateways) om via de JPEG XS-codec beelden door te sturen over de netwerkverbinding met Vilvoorde. De JPEG XS-codec zorgt voor een low-latency overdracht naar onze regie in Vilvoorde. Ook alle andere noodzakelijke data, zoals cameracontrole, audio en intercom, worden over het netwerk doorgestuurd om de productie te laten werken”, vertelt Pepijn Aerts, hoofd beeldtechnicus.

Op locatie waren cameramensen, audiotechnici, een hoofd beeldtechnicus, een assistent en medewerkers van Play Sports aanwezig om alles vlot te laten verlopen. Er was ook een presentator en commentator ter plaatse om een echte match na te bootsen. In de regie in Vilvoorde werden de chef van het lijnencentrum, de chef regie, een LSM-operator (een operator die de herhalingen en slow-motionbeelden selecteert en afspeelt) en de productie van Play Sports ingezet.

EMG Belgium werkt samen met Telenet aan een innovatietraject op verschillende gebieden, zoals multicamera, postproductie en play-out. Binnen dit project worden verschillende vernieuwingen getest, waaronder deze remote test. Het innovatietraject is een partnership tussen EMG Belgium en Telenet.

Deze succesvolle test opent de deur naar de toekomst. “We hebben dit nu getest in een hockeycontext, maar dit kan ook worden toegepast op voetbal, veldrijden, basketbal, volleybal en veel meer, op voorwaarde dat er een stabiele netwerkverbinding is. Dankzij deze innovatie kunnen we nog efficiënter opereren”, vertelt Pepijn Aerts. Remote productie biedt tal van voordelen. Het is innovatief, duurzaam, kostenbesparend en vermindert de nood aan transport en opbouw op locatie.

A New Era in Tennis Production 

EMG / Gravity Media and ATP Media have introduced a cutting-edge remote production workflow for ATP Media Studios, further enhancing its flexibility on delivering innovative broadcast solutions. This development follows the success EMG / Gravity Media had in Formula E, where the team implemented a similar system to reduce carbon emissions and logistical complexity. 

At the heart of this transformation are two newly designed remote production pods, built to streamline operations for ATP Masters 1000 tournaments and the Nitto ATP Finals. The initiative reduces on-site personnel while maintaining the highest broadcast quality, aligning with the industry’s push towards more efficient and sustainable production models. 

A Plug-and-Play Solution for ATP Masters 1000 and Nitto ATP Finals 

The project took about a year to develop and was delivered in January, in time for the start of the ATP Tour season. The pods are compact and designed to fit within a Q6 pallet, making them highly transportable via both air and sea freight. The Q6 pallet has a tare weight of 120 kg (265 lb) and a volume of 17.0 m³ (600 ft³) with a height of 243.8 cm (96 in). Their transportable nature allows seamless deployment between venues: while one pod is in use, the other is en route to the next tournament, ensuring there is never a delay in delivery and setup. 

The system provides a plug-and-play solution that integrates smoothly with ATP Media Studios’ existing engineering infrastructure, supporting world feed contribution and court feed distribution—the backbone of ATP Media’s broadcast operations. The pods significantly reduce the number of personnel required on-site while maintaining the same level of production quality expected from a world-class sports event. 

Key features of the ATP Media Studios pods include: 

This remote pod setup streamlines logistics and reduces costs, offering a more flexible and sustainable approach for ATP’s broadcasts. 

Remote Production at WestWorks 

The ATP Media Studios remote production model is fully integrated with WestWorks, EMG / Gravity Media’s state-of-the-art, 50,000-square-foot production facility in London. WestWorks serves as the central hub for live event feeds and supports both on-premise and distributed remote production workflows. 

With up to 90 outgoing video and audio lines and over 160 feeds coming into ATP Media Studios for a single event, the system delivers unparalleled efficiency.  

ATP Media Studios significantly reduces the reliance on on-site infrastructure while allowing a centralised production team to oversee multiple courts simultaneously​. 

Lessons from Formula E: Sustainable and Efficient Production 

The ATP Media pods are an evolution of EMG / Gravity Media’s work in Formula E, where similar remote workflows drastically cut costs and environmental impact. In Formula E, EMG / Gravity Media deployed two transportable production pods that connected to the WestWorks facility, reducing on-site personnel by 58% and air freight by 40%​. 

In both ATP Media and Formula E, the key to success has been robust connectivity. Tata Communications supplies primary and backup fibre connections, ensuring the seamless encoding and decoding of signals using H.264, H.265 HEVC, JPEG XS, and NDI over RTP technologies​. 

The Future of Sports Broadcasting 

The introduction of remote production pods for ATP Media Studios underscores EMG / Gravity Media’s leadership in transforming sports broadcasting through innovation. By integrating advanced remote workflows and leveraging the experience gained, they have created a model that enhances production quality while improving efficiency and sustainability. 

As the sports industry continues to evolve, remote production solutions like these are set to redefine how live events are delivered, reducing logistical challenges while maximising efficiency and broadcast excellence. With ATP Media Studios now benefitting from this pioneering technology, the future of tennis broadcasting is more agile, cost-effective, and environmentally conscious than ever before. 

EMG and Gravity Media successfully merged in January 2024, creating one of the world’s largest broadcast technology and production companies. This combination of talent, innovation, and resources now delivers broadcast, production, and post-production solutions across many of the world’s most-watched live events.  

TNT Sports is the ultimate home for sports fans in the UK and Ireland, available across all major TV platforms it offers an impressive line-up of channels. The TNT Sports portfolio of premium live sports rights, previously carried by BT Sport, includes the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League, Gallagher Premiership Rugby, Investec Champions Cup, EPCR Challenge Cup, MotoGP, Cricket, UFC, Boxing and WWE.   

An established partnership  

Following on from a longstanding relationship, EMG / Gravity Media needed to integrate TNT Sports into its cutting-edge Production Centre at The WestWorks building in White City, London. The objective was to seamlessly transfer TNT’s equipment from existing studios to the new facilities, creating an efficient, innovative, and sustainable remote production hub.  

The collaboration with TNT Sports, began during the pandemic when EMG partnered with Warner Bros. Discovery Sports Europe and BT Group, to establish remote production galleries in EMG’s High Wycombe studios and Stratford BT premises. With the launch of The WestWorks facilities in July 2023, EMG / Gravity Media moved TNT Sports’ equipment to White City to complete phase one of the transition, with phase two implemented in February 2024.  

State-of-the-art solution  

EMG / Gravity Media has established a bespoke, client-centric, remote production centre at WestWorks. TNT Sports joins ATP Media and Formula E within the 50,000-square-foot facility featuring best-in-class technology, supporting both on-premise and distributed remote production workflows.   

The WestWorks infrastructure is based around a fully-fledged 2110 IP media fabric, with dedicated master control rooms, six production control rooms with audio control rooms, and seven flexi control rooms. It incorporates multiple off-tube commentary booths, two studios, lighting and vision control facilities, fast turnaround and craft edit facilities, flexi desk production spaces, media management, and client desking.   

The successful onboarding of TNT Sports at The WestWorks Production Centre marks a significant milestone in EMG / Gravity Media’s commitment to innovation and excellence. The collaboration leverages the Group’s remote production expertise and engineering talent, with a particular focus on sustainability.   

The next phase of integration  

The move to The WestWorks was driven by a strategic consolidation of resources and a shared vision for a more environmentally conscious future. EMG / Gravity Media is focused on ensuring interoperability across the group and enabling seamless collaboration with client centres globally. The combined team is uniquely placed in its capacity to manage, orchestrate, and deliver remote production services for TNT Sports. 

Eamonn Curtin, Global Client Director and TNT Account Director, at EMG/Gravity Media said: 

“We’ve been on this journey with TNT Sports from the very start, ensuring they are positioned to exploit the latest in remote production technology. This new facility contributes to TNT Sports’ 80/20 model, ensuring 80% of all live outside broadcasts are delivered remotely. The aim is to consolidate resources for outstanding results and maximise our combined skill set through EMG / Gravity Media. This partnership has made our long-lasting collaboration even stronger and reflects both party’s commitment to innovation and sustainability.”  

Scott Young, Group SVP Content, Production & Business Operations, WBD Sports Europe, said: 

“The latest development in our longstanding strategic partnership with EMG / Gravity Media has delivered a state-of-the-art solution which maximises our remote production capabilities and enables us to seamlessly create content though a more flexible and sustainable approach. This ensures storytelling remains at the heart of everything we do, supporting our ‘right by the fans’ mantra, and brings our viewers even closer to the sports they love.”  

The successful integration of TNT Sports is part of the next phase of innovation for EMG / Gravity Media. The team is working together to streamline facilities, workflows, and content on a global scale, offering customisable solutions to productions of all types and sizes. This consolidated approach will also nurture young talent, by providing them with access to state-of-the-art equipment and valuable experience, supporting the long-term success of the broadcast and production industry. 

The project showcases EMG / Gravity Media’s dedication to fostering long-lasting partnerships and providing tailored solutions that address the unique needs of each client. 

The 78th editions of the male Superlega and female Serie A1 volleyball championships, the pinnacle of volleyball in Italy, are both produced for television this year by EMG Italy. The Serie A1 Superlega for males features 14 teams, while the female LVF has 12 teams. Both leagues follow a round-robin format, followed by playoffs and play-outs.

The EMG Italy team, led by Paolo Sassano, coordinator of Sports Productions, manages the entire television coverage for male and female matches in remote production from the Broadcast Center in Cologno Monzese. They ensure quality TV and streaming broadcasts every weekend on VBTV, the official OTT live streaming platform of Volleyball World, including the two flagship matches produced directly by the volleyball leagues. Each match broadcast is enriched with pre-game interviews, providing an engaging and spectacular experience for all fans.

“We are very proud to collaborate with the EMG Italy team in the significant work of promoting volleyball in Italy and worldwide, which we deeply care about. The attention to detail, both technically and editorially, enhances the offering for our viewers, allowing them to have an engaging and spectacular experience and solidifying VBTV as the primary destination for all volleyball enthusiasts,” says Finn Taylor, CEO of Volleyball World.

Filippo Milella, producer at EMG Italy for volleyball, reveals, “The involvement of EMG Italy in managing all matches is both technical and editorial. For all remote productions, EMG Italy handles streaming on Volleyball World platforms, receiving and redistributing signals. Over the weekend, seven matches are played for the female tournament and six for the male tournament. On average, we produce about 4/5 matches in remote production for male volleyball and the same for female volleyball, meaning about ten matches every weekend, totaling almost 300 events in a year.”

Technical Standard

As mentioned, the technical standard for these matches requires all games to be produced remotely, using four cameras: three operator-assisted and one unmanned, positioned at a 90° angle on the short stand to capture a perspective similar to tennis, capturing the field longitudinally. The first and second cameras are centrally located in the stands, capturing overviews and game details, while the third is positioned under the net for closer details.

Filippo Milella emphasizes, “The setup also includes pre-game interviews with coaches, recorded before and replayed just before the match starts, along with other live interviews at the end of the matches. Thanks to the net camera, we can immediately capture the comments of the best player on the winning team and a player from the losing team. The Lega Volley Femminile directly provides us with the graphic package and logos to create live graphics, always remotely from the production center in Cologno Monzese. For male volleyball, the graphic package is created directly by EMG’s graphics department, Boost Graphics. For all matches of male teams, EMG Italy manages both technical and journalistic commentary on-site, entrusted to two specialists from the Volleyball League, while holding overall technical management. The refereeing control, called ‘Video Check’ and similar to VAR in football, is done by framing images projected by the big screen, located on the field and managed by the Lega Pallavolo with dedicated equipment. In fact, the cameras for Video Check are distinct from those feeding the TV broadcast and are all operated on-site.”

Editorial Approach

The EMG Italy team handling both male and female championships operates cohesively, ensuring that all matches have a precise stylistic and editorial identity. All images produced for streaming and television are consistent across all matches. This is possible thanks to a centralized directorial approach entrusted to multiple “directors” who coordinate in advance with specialized directors, ensuring a cohesive editorial line both during normal gameplay and in breaks.

Filippo Milella adds that on each playing field, EMG Italy installs, in addition to the four cameras, a commentary station and a field-side station with specific microphones for interviews. “All cameras,” he says, “are connected to encoders, which transport signals separately in parallel and bidirectionally (audio, video, metadata, and communications) to EMG Italy’s operational center in Cologno Monzese. Here, a series of decoders make the signals available again across the series of control rooms. We have over sixteen dedicated control room stations, thanks to Simply Live equipment, generating ready-to-broadcast programs according to the case’s needs.”

All connections to and from the fields are made via fiber optics, and in the control rooms, directors monitor work on two touch-screen monitors and independently generate replays.

Filippo Milella concludes, “Managing the entire television production of volleyball requires great passion, and to achieve excellent spectacularity, it must include many aspects, such as choosing and managing all technical equipment, positioning, relations with customers and suppliers, and, last but not least, live graphics. Furthermore, we pay great attention to the details and proposed shots, applying a certain discretion, especially in women’s volleyball, to avoid inappropriate shots, particularly for families.”

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EMG, Europe’s leading broadcast service provider, today announced the launch of four front-end OB vehicles that enable broadcasters to harness the benefits of remote production. Aligning with EMG’s ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) programme, the vehicles fulfil a host of sustainability goals including energy efficiency and reduced staff requirement on site while providing a state-of-the-art technology infrastructure.

As more broadcasters look to transition to remote production and more sustainable working practices, EMG sought to design brand new vehicles that were immediately fit for purpose. The vehicles – NOVA 51, NOVA 52, NOVA 53 and NOVA 54 – have been built with the benefit of more than seven years’ experience of remote production for Premier League Production’s football coverage, as well as incorporating learnings and technological advances from the wider industry.

The NOVA 51 was the first vehicle to make its debut at the Oval on 11th May, providing coverage for Sky Sports on the LV County Championship first division between Surrey and London rivals Middlesex for the start of the domestic cricket season.  A core team of vision engineers and audio were set up in the truck with signals going back to the Sky Sports production team at Osterley.

EMG UK Sales Director, Angela Gibbons said: “The feedback from our clients has been really positive.  They’re just as passionate as us about the future possibilities of these trucks and how they contribute to the reduction of production’s footprint on site.” 

These vehicles can be used standalone or can be scaled up to work together – while still providing more cost and energy efficiencies than a traditional OB truck.  They have been designed to fill all styles of production; traditional, remote surface, full remote, cloud and simplified production.  All equipment purchases for these new vehicles have factored in power efficiency, weight and size.  Using less power-hungry equipment has been a major factor in this design along with the use of hyperconverged (multi-use) integrated SI equipment resulting in smaller form factor, flexible workflows and more efficient use of power.

The vehicles are more economical, using biodiesel which significantly reduces CO2 emissions compared with regular diesel.  The bespoke vehicle dynamics means each vehicle will save in excess of 2000 litres of fuel per annum, thereby reducing the CO2 emissions further.  The 1700w solar mats fitted to the roof help create fuel efficiencies and internal battery power. There are plans to install an internal UPS system within each vehicle in the near future for hybrid use of shore power and battery when required which will be used instead of diesel generators on certain broadcasts.

External panels are made from recycled polypropylene and the internal acoustic wall coverings are made from 100% recycled P.E.T felt.  Additional thermal insulation has been installed to maintain better cabin temperature and minimise the workload of air conditioning.

These front-end OB vehicles, while much smaller than traditional articulated OB trucks, still feature four bays of equipment including a gallery space and can accommodate up to nine people. Video and audio signals are captured in the truck and backhauled either to a remote production centre or to the cloud for programme production.  Technological advances in recent years have enabled equipment efficiencies, such as a single router handling multi-viewers, embedders, de-embedders, MADI channels and more, yet drawing only 2.5kw instead of 8kw.  The technological set-up on board is user-friendly and easy to learn, reducing the number of staff needed at the event location, as well as providing an excellent training ground for the next generation of vision and sound engineers.

With a long term plan to continually appraise the EMG fleet and upgrade to ever more sustainable vehicles the body of these new units has been designed to be easily transferred and adapted to a cleaner, more efficient power source, such as an electric system or a hydrogen fuel cell system, when the technology and infrastructure become more established.

Sean Mulhern, EMG UK’s Chief Technology Innovation Officer, said, “We have been engaged in conversations with our clients to identify the most cost-effective and energy efficient solutions for each type of production. These remote production vehicles have been specifically designed with efficiency and sustainability at their core, at a time when broadcasters are becoming more open to the possibilities of remote production. As the first OB specialist to achieve the DPP Committed to Sustainability mark, we continue to make every effort to seek out opportunities and take concrete action to improve our sustainability record, while fully supporting our customers’ needs.”

Francesco Donato, CTO of EMG Italy: “Efficiency exists only if certain conditions are met”

Is it correct to think that there are multiple levels of Remote Production to be put into play in proportion to the budget and importance of the event?

Francesco Donato: “Of course. The conditions of the large television production market have changed a lot today. If we focus only on Remote Production, there are different ways to do this. There is a relatively ‘light’ version, which usually is confined to the use of a maximum of one, two, or three tv cameras managed remotely by the Remote Operation Center, and a more “heavy remote” that can manage up to 5-8 cameras and often requires a Outside Broadcast vehicle at the stadium”.

In the case of “light” remote production, can the mobile van of production always remain “at home”?

F.D.: “In television production, market conditions have changed, and margins are significantly reduced. With a “heavy remote setup” configuration, an OB unit must be at the venue and therefore the costs are higher, while a “light remote setup” configuration requires a lower commitment of resources and, if the editorial plan is designed to adapt to the technique on field, then it is certainly possible to bring the operating margin back within limits that justify the activity. The advantage of the light solution consists, above all, in the efficiency of the production and creation processes as it allows for product uniformity in terms of quality and narrative. It is clear that, the presence and supervision of the editorial team at the “remote center” allows the publisher to have precise and timely control of the entire supply chain, from capture to delivery of the product, including multi-platform”.

What are the general reasons why RP entered the market? And the real advantages?

F.D.: “Many think that Remote Production is born only for an optimization of costs in response to the contraction of the market and investments, and for the interpersonal distancing needs created by the pandemic. For us in Italy who have already been using it for over 5 years, this is not the case, and the use of these recent remote production techniques is above all equivalent to being able to create better production flows, both linear and on demand, to obtain complete product packaging and declinable on different “outputs” as required today by digital markets, which are now consolidated and can no longer be considered as a new market”.

What are the audiovisual markets in Italy that are most interested in your Remote Production?

F.D.: Our solutions for the creation and publication of sporting events, but not only, follow customer requests. For the moment, in Italy we have consolidated ourselves as a leader in the smaller market segments, but we also have solutions that allow you to export the concept of remote realization for Top Tier sport markets. Certainly, in recent years, we have, with gratification, presided over and reached a position of reference in the remote production market and we believe that, with our activity and the trust of broadcasters, we have managed to allow the use of RP in sports disciplines that otherwise would not have had the presence and visibility that is consolidated today. Then, a very growing sector is the corporate market, in which it is necessary to manage more institutional events; and this applies to all sectors, from fashion to banks to all markets in general, to cover the requests for “efficiency” of B2B but also B2C communication.

 

 

Is it true that Remote Production allows you to raise the level of efficiency?

 

F.D.: “In a way it does, but it needs nuance: producing many events does not always mean being efficient. In reality, it is important to understand that efficiency is achieved only when you have the ability to maximize the use of production solutions. In other words, we could say that the greater the investment, the greater the costs, but if this cost is spread more precisely and not only – as often happens – during the typical period of the realization of events, i.e. during the weekend, but even during the week, then you get the great efficiency that everybody will like”.

At the moment, how is the Remote Production line organized and what management capacity does EMG Italy have?

F.D.: “In the case of EMG Italy we have 26 production lines that cover the “traffic” generated in two or three days. This forces us to use a large number of technical and human resources. Our Remote Production Center in Milan is now able to produce almost 2000 events a year just for sport. The ability to manage contemporary events reaches up to 32 events and the productions are normally “light” versions made with single-camera, double-cameras, and tri-cameras. As previously stated, we are able to deliver both linear and typically television content, as well as digital and VOD”.

So, is it correct to think that it is, above all, the calendar of events that determines whether or not the entire system is efficient or not?

F.D.: “The calendar of sporting events is crucial, but it must be said that the programming of events is designed to capture the presence and availability of the public who clearly have different habits, which often do not coincide with our search for efficiency”.

What other advantages can be identified immediately in Remote Production?

F.D.: “RP allows better production flows and, above all, the immediate delivery of both linear, OTT and on demand contents.

Traditional broadcasters maintain their positions, but these have been joined by digital platform broadcasters who have other and very different needs in terms of publication.

From the production center we are able to feed the new platforms adequately, which we could not do from the playing field. The big difference of remote production compared to traditional production is actually in the packaging of the product, because with it we are able to package the contents and distribute them as we could not do before”.

Does Remote Production therefore become decisive in the distribution of digital content on OTT and VOD platforms?

F.D.: “In fact, the big difference resides mainly in the variation of the product being quite different: from linear to VOD, it is only remote production that allows you to manage these processes that otherwise in the field, in a fragmented production regime such as the traditional one, could not be achieved. As per EMG Italy, the factors that decisively influence one choice rather than another concern, first of all, the understanding of the conditions in which the activities are required to be carried out. Moreover, traditional television is not anymore the only way to distribute contents and remote production is the perfect way to deliver on a multi-platform basis. For EMG Italy, remote production is above all a way of maximizing the use of resources against a widespread benefit and creating services and products that were previously not economically conveyable to the public.

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The Indoor Technical Operation of EMG Italy is the department that deals, among other things, with “Remote Production” or “tv production from a remote venue”, a practice that involves personnel in the field, commensurate with the production plan, and technical equipments connected in a bidirectional way to remote operational structures already existing in the broadcast production center.

This procedure is nothing new for EMG: it started several years ago as pioneers, long before the pandemic, thanks to cutting-edge technical structures, today it is considered as consolidated also for Italy and perfect for television production, especially in sports and in different disciplines.

Expressed in this way, this concept is however very reductive, given that, in fact, RP has much wider possibilities and, despite having started in the broadcast and media area, especially television and video, today it involves many other markets.

The demand for remote production is stable and growing from adjacent sectors such as corporate, educational, industrial, cultural, where different workflows that started in a pandemic, today more modern and more in step with the times, must respond to new needs for flexibility and commitment, truly commensurate with resources.

Broadcast center and production site

The Remote Production theme really allows you to change the way content is produced and distributed and is particularly valid for OTT digital distribution platforms.

Even yesterday’s problems in the evolution of this model, such as the availability of bandwidth and the obligatorily low latency, are now worries of the past. IP networks today are efficient, cost-effective for the production model and allow even complex production models to be carried out.

The same troupe can easily move between different locations in a short time (also due to the very short setup times and use of small mobile vehicles) and therefore optimize logistics; the final product still enjoys all the quality guaranteed by the same production center that uses centralized broadcast equipment capable of managing high-level and cost-effective productions.

REMI

Remote production or “REMI”, Remote Infrastructure, today also known with different meanings and variants, such as Remote Operation, Remote Distributed Operation and others, is made possible by the latency, now very low and by the availability on the market of equipment of adequate cost, as complete mini-control rooms and high quality H265 encoders operating on optical fiber, on Wi-Fi and on telephone radio links.

In addition to the ability to perfectly adapt the technical structures used based on the real scope of the event, there is an increase in the production workflow, which is much more streamlined, and therefore the possibility of producing more monetizable content on today’s multi-platforms.

Born for minor events, today the RP is really adequate for any meeting and level of production; therefore, from the “covid context”, many variants have evolved today with many advantages, also thanks to new levels of security, content encryption, latency and bandwidth availability through optical fiber and radio frequency on 4G and 5G.

EMG Italy has been on the market for years with many remote productions in Italian Serie C Football that we deal with in these pages, but also in Volleyball, Beach Volleyball and Basketball and more that we will address in a future study, shortly.

Speaking of basket and remote production, EMG Italy has recently won an important contract for the next three years.

Enrica Busin, Head of MCR & Playout, tells some details about Lega Pro Calcio Serie C: “The Italian Serie C football championship involves 60 teams with as many as 30 matches every weekend for round matches. EMG Italy takes care of all these productions remotely and, depending on the standard that is required, the commitment can be single-camera, double or tri-camera. The connections between the production “venue” and the broadcast center are certainly crucial in this configuration and the various crews use a large number of equipment. These are devices known as “backpacks” which, connected to the cameras, use a proprietary protocol to transfer high quality signals. The signals are transported simultaneously using 4G and, where present, the IP network.”

Mono and bi-camera

EMG Italy, for several years, has been using a wide range of equipment for transmission and reception of signals. The backpacks for the acquisition and transport of live signals, which have been in operation for years, now include the newer models in the Pro version, which can use up to 8 internal SIMs from different telephone operators.

Every weekend over 30 of these backpacks are hired on the field in all of the three production standards. On the playing field, in addition to the cameramen, there is always at least one commentator, usually placed in the stands. All the video signals, the audio of each camera, and the audio of the journalistic commentary arrive at the MCR of EMG Italy in Cologno Monzese.

The layout of the cameras is quite static and provides, in the mono-camera, a camera that takes wide-angle shots of the whole field, positioned in the stands. In the bi-camera configuration, both cameras are on the stands at the top: the first takes wide-angle shots with wide fields, while the second deals with narrow fields and game details.

Tri-camera

In the tri-camera configuration, the third camera moves on the sidelines; therefore, he adds even more engaging images and often also deals with the integration of additional clips captured in the pre and post game.

The commentator journalist is usually placed in the press area or in a special commentary booth, where available, depending on the configuration of the stadiums which, of course, are much simpler than those of the A and B series. Its set usually includes only a headset with a headset microphone and the dedicated audio coder.

Sometimes in tri-camera configurations, and at least once every weekend, a double audio commentary with the second pitchside commentator is also required. In the integration, there are 2 commentators in position plus a third on the sidelines. This complicates the setup a little, which also requires the presence of a special sound engineer, with an audio mixer.

The set-up

Convened about two hours before the match, the operators take care of the assembly of the stands and cameras, the set-up of the commentary station, make the fiber connections on pre-existing cables that allow a backup link (the network connection is carried out on the backpack with Ethernet cables) and start the backpacks with the main 4G connections.

The signals arrive at the MCR in one of the two EMG Italy offices (the one in Cologno Monzese, the other is in Milan) where the video and audio integrity is checked and the colorimetry is checked and corrected in the bi and tri-camera setups.

In the headquarters of the production center, for each game, a special dedicated “producer” directs each event thanks to a system that takes care of the audio and video mixing functions and integrates the graphics signals. At the same time, it allows you to broadcast the highlights of the game through live replays, using the same signal being recorded. In the tri-camera configuration at the stadium are created: 1 video signal with 2 ambient audio signals + comment (single or double). All these signals are carried by the backpacks and received by other devices called Stream Hubs.

Grafica e MCR

Serie C is broadcast on Eleven Sports’ OTT, with 8 games per weekend three and two-camera. All the graphics, created internally by the Boost Graphics specialists of EMG Italy, are integrated into the live from each of the 25 control stations that deal with the C Series.

Every weekend about ten matches are held on Saturdays and twenty on Sundays, so in addition to the staff in the MCR room, 10 “video mixer” specialists are hired on Saturdays and 20 on Sundays in the various control stations.

Stefano Branduardi part of the Indoor Technical Operation team declares: “I take care of the MCR which involves the preparation of the various equipments that allow you to import the required contributions and mix them, to set the effects in the cuts, to check that the graphics signal arrives in the machine and that everything works correctly first, and then go in production. In the field, backpacks are used which, thanks to the possibility of using 2 different transmission systems (mobile + Ethernet network), guarantee the possibility of having a back-up on the transmission. This translates into a guarantee of reliability in any context of live sports production”.

In a future article on Remote Production we will report the point of view of the technical director Francesco Donato and how EMG Italy applies this production procedure in other sports: volleyball, beach volleyball and now also basketball over the next three seasons.

© 2022 Presspool PressOffice RobertoLandini

Het nieuwe voormonteren gebeurt vanuit huis

Vanaf dit jaar maken ze bij Blue Circle gebruik van een slimme workflow in de postproductie: die van Remote editing. Met behulp van een thin client kunnen regisseurs de voormontage doen vanuit huis. Dat bespaart tijd en dus geld.

Normaal vindt montage plaats in een montageset, wat voor het hoogwaardig eindmonteren nog steeds wenselijk is. Maar het ruwe voormonteren kan met Remote editing gewoon vanaf elke plek plaatsvinden als er maar een goede internetverbinding is.

EMG mediamanager Stijn Zeegers legt uit: “Bij EMG hebben we het virtual machine platform, een grote supercomputer die bij al het materiaal kan dat wij hem toekennen. Of dat nou Boer zoekt Vrouw, Wie is de Mol? of Holland’s Got Talent is. Gebruikers van onze Remote editing-oplossing lenen een computertje ter grootte van een muismat, een thin client, waarbij wij kunnen bepalen bij welk materiaal het kan. Via de thin client maakt de gebruiker verbinding met de virtual machine en start Avid op. Hij neemt op die manier de computer waarop gemonteerd wordt over. Indien een programma meer kracht nodig heeft kunnen we de virtual machine bijschalen. De gebruiker kan een of twee schermen meekrijgen, een toetsenbord, een muis, een tekentablet, net wat wenselijk is. Het mooie van het systeem is, dat wij erop kunnen inloggen om support te bieden. Bijvoorbeeld als de computer een herstart nodig heeft.”

Voormontage van de auditiedagen

Benthe Raadsheer van Blue Circle is producer van het programma Holland’s Got Talent. Voor haar is dit het derde seizoen. Benthe: “In vijf auditiedagen draaien we flink wat materiaal waarmee we zes afleveringen van 90 minuten samenstellen. In de studio draaien we met acht camera’s van Meercamera en vier FS7’ens van ENG en dan heb je nog de semi-live studioshows. Bij deze laatste shows wordt ook tijdens het opnemen gemonteerd. Dan komen er bijvoorbeeld backstage-verhaaltjes in.”

Backstage:

Zoveel materiaal op zo’n klein kastje?

De auditiefase wordt ondergebracht bij vier regisseurs. Een van hen is Maarten Post. Hij was in het begin best sceptisch vanwege de hoeveelheid materiaal en de verschillende bronnen: “We werken op één tijdlijn met het materiaal van twaalf camera’s. Daarbij komen nog 24 audiolagen dus het is een heel zwaar project. Wij dachten niet dat dat met zo’n remote-setje kon. Maar tot onze verbazing werkte het goed.” De echte eindmontage van de show wil Maarten wel op een serieuze set doen vanwege de afkijkmonitor. Dan kan je beter zien of een shot stabiel is. “Maar de voormontage van het programma kan prima vanuit huis. Je kunt er echt lang ongestoord doorwerken want je hebt niet de afleiding die je op een kantoor wel hebt. Ik kan sneller werken en eerder beginnen. Ik werkte normaal in die periode dagen van tien tot tien bij Blue Circle. Als ik thuiswerk zie ik mijn vriendin tenminste nog eens doordeweeks. En als ik in de toekomst vader wordt lijkt het mij ook ideaal.”

Budgettair aantrekkelijk

“De regisseurs zijn megafan”, vertelt Benthe. “En voor mij heeft het als voordeel dat het een stuk goedkoper is.” Benthe werkt al drie seizoenen met dezelfde regisseurs dus dat geeft vertrouwen. “Als je goede regisseurs hebt die zich houden aan het schema dan vindt ik het geen probleem als ze vanuit huis werken.” Ze benadrukt wel dat je een goede planning moet hebben.

Naarmate het project vordert zitten de regisseurs vaker bij elkaar. Benthe: “Elkaar live feedback geven is makkelijker. Dus ze zitten alsnog regelmatig met elkaar bij Blue Circle.” En tijdens de halve finale en finale-fase wordt ook bij Blue Circle gewerkt. Maarten: “Het inkorten van de registratie van de halve finales is toch te zwaar om op zo’n remote-set te doen.”

Uitwisseling zonder mediamanager

Met behulp van het viewing platform Frame.io, een soort besloten YouTube, beoordeelde eindredacteur Tijs Hartman de items. Benthe: “Hij was er mega-enthousiast over want hij kon de voorgemonteerde filmpjes via een app overal bekijken en beoordelen.” Stijn: “Wij maakten een connectie tussen de Avid en Frame.io zodat wij er als mediamanager niet meer tussen zitten. De jongens zetten hun tijdlijn in een mapje dat binnen een paar minuten op Frame.io landde. De eindredacteur krijgt dan een notificatie dat de voormontage klaar staat. Ze zijn zelf in control, er zit geen menselijke slag meer tussen. En dat werkt!” Maarten: “Met Frame.io kan je vanuit huis heel makkelijk een voormontage in het programma krijgen en laten terugkijken. Remote editen werkt heel fijn in combinatie met die app.”

Gezamenlijke kick-off

Als mediamanager vanuit EMG zette Stijn Holland’s Got Talent op. “Van het selecteren van de camera’s, het opzetten van de workflows tot aan het helpen met het spotten en loggen.” Hij vond een gezamenlijke kick-off hierbij erg nuttig. “We zaten met alle disciplines bij elkaar om de workflow door te spreken. Dat helpt om alles goed te laten verlopen.” Benthe vult hem aan: “Je spreekt duidelijk met elkaar af wie wat doet waarop je kunt voortborduren. Als producent en facilitair bedrijf is dat superslim om te doen.” Benthe werkt graag samen met EMG. “Het is echt een goed jaar waarin we kijken wat mogelijk is en elkaar helpen.”

Eerste Nederlandse live-uitzending op basis van SMPTE2110 IP-infrastructuur

Voor het eerst in de tv-geschiedenis is een live-programma van afstand geregisseerd met behulp van een volledige SMPTE 2110 IP-infrastructuur. EMG, totaalleverancier van faciliteiten voor televisie- en multimediale producties, verzorgde de regie van Talpa’s Koffietijd en 5 Uur Live vanuit het EMG Remote Center in het muziekpaviljoen op het Hilversumse Mediapark. De opnames van de programma’s vonden plaats in de studio van het Nationale Postcode Loterij-gebouw in Amsterdam.

“We verzorgen al langer regie op afstand voor een aantal producties, waaronder RTL Late Night. Het unieke aan dit project is dat we nu gebruik hebben gemaakt van een volledige IP-infrastructuur”, aldus Walter van Dorst, Manager Meercamera bij EMG. “Hierdoor hoeven we geen gebruik meer te maken van SDI-baseband-verbindingen. Alle videobeelden zijn ongecomprimeerd verstuurd via de glasvezelkabel. Dit is een volgende stap in onze EMG Anywhere-propositie; we kunnen overal ondersteunen met regie en video-editing op afstand, waar de opnames ook plaatsvinden. Eigenlijk decentraliseren wij de apparatuur. Dat is een groot voordeel voor de logistiek en voor onze duurzaamheidsdoelstellingen.”

EMG maakte tijdens de uitzendingen gebruik van Spine-Leaf-topology: “Dat zorgt ervoor dat ons Remote Center flexibel, betrouwbaar en schaalbaar is”, aldus Paul van den Heuvel, Manager Techniek van EMG. “De techniek is modulair opgebouwd rondom meerdere kleine switches met berekende capaciteiten voor verschillende toepassingen en werkt daardoor in wezen hetzelfde als de datacenters van grote techbedrijven als Google, Facebook en Amazon. Dat wordt ondersteund door het gebruik van een software-defined network controller. Wij zorgen ervoor dat de apparatuur daar staat waar het nodig is of gewenst is; alles volgens ons eigen ontwikkelde EMG Anywhere-concept.”