Montreux Jazz Festival has announced a new multi-year collaboration with Gravity Media, a global leader in live production and content, and media services and facilities, who will become the Festival’s Audio Visual Production Provider following a robust proposal process for a 3+2-year agreement.

Gravity Media will work in close collaboration with Montreux Media Ventures (MMV), the Festival’s dedicated audiovisual production arm, to deliver world-class live and recorded coverage across the Festival’s stages, platforms and broadcast partners.

Gravity Media succeeds RTS (Radio Télévision Suisse), the Swiss public broadcaster, who has worked with the Festival for the last five years and will remain a key Montreux Jazz Festival partner.

2026 marks the 60th edition of the legendary festival, which has welcomed some of greatest artists of all time to the shores of Lake Geneva, from David Bowie and Prince to Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Quincy Jones, Bob Dylan, Elton John, Kendrick Lamar, Nina Simone and many more.

MMV has developed a distinctive approach to live music production that applies the emotional grammar of cinema – movement, narrative progression, spatial depth and refined colour authenticity – to live broadcast, transforming coverage into immersive storytelling.

Rather than simply documenting performances, MMV’s philosophy is to translate the feeling of being inside the venue for audiences watching around the world, using storytelling through editing, audience POV shots, and a deliberate progression from wide shots to close-ups to build emotional momentum.

The partnership will build on the Festival’s advanced technical and creative production model, including a UHD S-Log3 master workflow and real-time development for broadcast delivery via a live colour grading station, ensuring show-specific control and a consistent “Montreux look” that remains faithful to each artist’s stage design and lighting

Gravity Media is deploying its Nova 105 outside broadcast vehicle, in full IP delivery mode, configured across two stages within a single XXL truck to provide enhanced production capacity and flexibility. The system supports P25 camera formats and wide-sensor camera workflows, including Sony Venice II integration, enabling premium cinematic output. The agreement forms part of a multi-year contract and includes dedicated technical staffing to ensure consistent, high-level operational support.

Nick Bonard, CEO of Montreux Media Ventures, said: “Since 1967, the Montreux Jazz Festival has been a pioneer in technological and artistic innovation. Our new collaboration with Gravity Media builds on this legacy, enhancing our distinctive cinematic approach to live music production and taking the festival’s world-class performances to new creative heights.”

Chris Demeulemeester responsible for International Projects & Sales at Gravity Media said:

“Gravity Media is widely recognised for delivering world-class sports coverage, but this iconic music event is another fantastic opportunity to showcase the breadth of our end-to-end media services and facilities capabilities. Large-scale live music productions demand the same precision, technical excellence and collaborative approach as major sporting events. Our team thrives on capturing the atmosphere, scale and emotion of these moments, and we’re proud to bring our proven live broadcast capabilities to yet another landmark event on the global stage.”

Alongside live festival coverage, MMV will also begin producing monthly livestreams of legendary performances its UNESCO-registered audiovisual collection in the coming months. The series will begin in February with Alanis Morissette: Live at Montreux (2012), with further iconic shows to follow.

 

PRESS COVERAGE

Gravity Media, a world leading global provider of complex live creative production and media services, today detailed its collaboration with Roving Enterprises for another year to deliver the biggest night in Australian music, the ARIA Awards, taking place on 19 November.

This year’s production harnessed Gravity Media’s state-of-the-art UHD 11 outside broadcast truck, deploying 18 cameras to capture every moment from the red carpet, live ceremony, and fan zone.

Celebrating an incredible year for Australian music, the ARIA Awards unites the nation’s most impactful global artists with the next generation of rising talent.

The event streamed live on Wednesday 19 November on Paramount+ in Australia and worldwide with red carpet coverage airing from 7:00 PM AEDT on 10, featuring an ARIA stage debut for GRAMMY nominated singer-songwriter Olivia Dean and standout performances from Australian talent including Alex Lahey, Anna Ryan, Baker Boy, G Flip, Janet English, Keli Holiday, Kita Alexander, Missy Higgins, Neve Van Boxsel, Thelma Plum, Touch Sensitive, You Am I and Young Franco.

This year marks three consecutive years of collaboration between Gravity Media and Roving Enterprises on the ARIA Awards for a partnership that continues to set the benchmark for premium live event production in Australia.

Marcus Doherty, Account Executive – Media Services and Facilities at Gravity Media, commented:

“The ARIA Awards are one of the most iconic nights on Australia’s entertainment calendar and we’re proud to play a key role in bringing the live experience to audiences everywhere. It’s fantastic to once again collaborate with Roving Enterprises to deliver a world-class production.”

Following the ARIA Awards, Gravity Media in Australia will continue a busy end to the year, providing broadcast technology and production services for the NSW Schools Spectacular, Carols in the Domain, and early next year, the AACTA Awards.

 

Image courtesy of Liam Mahoney/ARIA

 

PRESS COVERAGE

Gravity Media, a world leading global provider of complex live creative production and media services, today detailed Gravity Media’s collaboration with the New South Wales Department of Education’s Arts Unit in a broadcast technology and television production undertaking to create and deliver this year’s Schools Spectacular – REMARKABLE!, one of the biggest live events in Australia, and the event’s national broadcast on the Seven Network, Friday December 19 from 7pm AEDT.

The New South Wales School Spectacular is the world’s largest annual amateur variety show and is produced by the New South Wales Department of Education’s Arts Unit. This year’s event REMARKABLE! celebrates the 42nd annual staging of the event.

Gravity Media has been the driving force behind the NSW Schools Spectacular national television broadcast since 2016, and in collaboration with the NSW Department of Education’s Arts Unit, Gravity Media proudly serves as the Event Partner for the 2025 event: Schools Spectacular – REMARKABLE!

In a significant broadcast undertaking for the 2025 event, Gravity Media will be accessing advanced formats for a captivating television production with higher resolution, more accurate colours, and smoother motion than ever before.

Schools Spectacular – REMARKABLE! encompasses four live arena shows at Qudos Bank Arena in Sydney Olympic Park with a national broadcast across Australia on the Seven Network.

Each of the four live arena performances over two days features over 5,500 students from NSW public schools including 2,300 dancers, a combined choir of 2,500, an 80-piece symphony orchestra, a stage band, the D’Arts Ensemble for students with disability, the Aboriginal Dance Ensemble, boy’s hip-hop ensemble, and circus arts ensemble.

From producing dazzling performer and teacher backstory content, crafting the event and broadcast promos, providing comprehensive graphic design services, to a cine film unit travelling 3,000 kilometres throughout regional and rural New South Wales capturing the talents of the state’s public-school students for the show’s opener, Gravity Media is delivering a comprehensive turnkey production outcome for the event.

The Gravity Media undertaking involves a total television production and technical staff of 75, deploying a state-of-the-art high definition outside broadcast truck and accessing 15 broadcast and specialist cameras, including Steadicams, Jib Cranes, Dolly Shot, and Spidercam, to deliver the complete television production for the New South Wales Department of Education and the Seven Network.

Richard Spiewak, Executive Producer at NSW Department of Education – Arts Unit said:

“This year’s show is titled “Remarkable” and is a fitting tribute to the extraordinary achievements of students across NSW public schools. Now in its 42nd year, the Schools Spectacular continues to be a vibrant celebration of the arts, showcasing the incredible talent, dedication, and creativity nurtured in our public education system.”

“The broadcast is an important component to the live production and allows us to reach right across Australia to highlight our remarkable students.”

Mike Purcell, Head of Production at Gravity Media in Australia, said:

“NSW Schools Spectacular showcases the incredible depth of talent in NSW public schools, and we’re proud to bear that to screen.”

“It’s been a pleasure to partner and collaborate with The Arts Unit for almost a decade allowing us to innovate and provide fresh creative ideas each year, something our entire team is proud of.”

“A truly ‘REMARKABLE!’ world-class event and broadcast.”

 

PRESS COVERAGE

*English version below

Een ode aan de hoofdstad, een meesterwerk van de makers

Over sommige samenwerkingen hoef je niet na te denken, die gebeuren. Zoals die tussen productiehuis OOTRR (Out Of The Rat Race) en Gravity Media (EMG) voor de officiële viering van 750 jaar Amsterdam. Op 27 oktober vormde het Museumplein het kloppend hart van een muzikale liveshow waarin stad, muziek en televisie – live én in de huiskamers – in elkaar overvloeiden. Een complex project dat de lat van live televisie hoger heeft gelegd.

Een jaar vol festiviteiten bereikte op 27 oktober – de officiële verjaardag van Amsterdam – zijn hoogtepunt. In aanwezigheid van Koning Willem-Alexander, Koningin Máxima en prinses Amalia sloot een weergaloze muzikale liveshow het jubileumjaar af. Wat aanvankelijk was bedoeld als een grootse productie in de Johan Cruijff ArenA groeide noodgedwongen uit tot een nóg ambitieuzer plan. “Door de Champions League en de Amsterdam Marathon bleken zowel de ArenA als het Olympisch Stadion niet beschikbaar”, vertelt Jessica Stam, producent en managing partner van OOTRR. Ze verhuisden daarop naar het hart van de stad. “We bouwden op het Museumplein letterlijk from scratch een ‘Ziggo Dome van tentdoek’. Samen met alle andere opnames was het een enorme logistieke en technische operatie in een omgeving en onder omstandigheden die daar allesbehalve op ingericht waren. Dat maakte het ingewikkeld, maar ook bijzonder.”

Is dit live?

Voor wie het gemist heeft (terugkijken is alleen vakmatig al een tip): in die tent op het Museumplein vond een muzikaal eerbetoon aan Amsterdam plaats. De live optredens in de tent werden op ingenieuze wijze verweven met vooraf opgenomen acts op iconische locaties verspreid door de stad, zoals de A’DAM Toren, de Nieuwe Kerk, de Sloterplas en het Olympisch Stadion. Daarnaast vertelden bekende Nederlanders uit alle windstreken – van de Friese Foppe de Haan tot de Limburgse Chantal Janzen – in speciale postcards over hun band met de hoofdstad.
Daarmee werd niet alleen duidelijk dat dit geen Amsterdams feestje was, maar een nationaal eerbetoon, maar ook dat de producent niet over één nacht ijs ging. De beelden werden in post op Amsterdamse gebouwen geprojecteerd. “Net als bij The Passion wilden we de suggestie wekken alsof alles live gebeurde”, legt Stam uit. “De kijker moest zich afvragen: is dit nú, of eerder opgenomen? Daarom hebben we alle opnames ‘s avonds in het donker gedraaid. Dronebeelden boven de stad lieten zien dat heel Amsterdam ‘aan’ stond, met het Museumplein als stralend middelpunt van de festiviteiten.” Het resultaat: een visueel rijk programma dat, zoals Stam trots zegt, “de Eurovisie-standaard heeft gehaald – misschien zelfs overstegen. Dit hebben we nog nooit eerder gedaan, we hebben echt een stap gemaakt in wat voor moois je kunt maken.”

Kan niet bestaat niet

Stam vond het belangrijk dat de show niet alleen voor televisie werd gemaakt. “We hadden 2.500 mensen in de tent en die moesten het gevoel hebben dat ze bij een liveshow stonden, niet bij een tv-registratie. Dus we hebben daar een grote band neergezet met strijkers, blazers en dansers. Het moest in de zaal net zo magisch zijn als op televisie.” Die dubbele ambitie – live én televisie op topniveau – maakte de productie extra uitdagend. Alles moest kloppen: de timing, belichting, audio, het ritme. Dat lukt alleen met de juiste mensen op de juiste plek. “En dan bel je Gijs”, zegt Stam stellig. Aan de facilitaire kant stond Gravity Media aan het roer, onder leiding van Gijs Vos, manager operations. “De kunst was om het creatieve plan van OOTRR technisch mogelijk te maken, zonder in te leveren op kwaliteit”, vertelt Vos. Stam: “Ik werk al bijna twintig jaar met Gijs. Ons eerste gezamenlijke project was Serious Request in Den Haag. Sindsdien hebben we samen tientallen producties gedaan: Noorderslag, Sail, de opening van het Rijksmuseum, het Eurovisie Songfestival. Eigenlijk doen we alles wat we voor televisie maken samen met Gravity Media. Omdat het werkt. Omdat Gijs gewoon ongelooflijk goed is. We zijn op elkaar ingespeeld. Hij weet wat ik bedoel, ik weet wat ik aan hem heb. Als hij zegt dat iets niet kan, dan weet ik dat het inderdaad onmogelijk is. Die duidelijkheid is goud waard.” Vos vult aan: “We hebben hetzelfde doel: het hoogst haalbare neerzetten. Als iets niet lukt, dan pas omdat we alles hebben uitgeprobeerd.” Hij is sinds tweeënhalf jaar als manager operations verantwoordelijk voor de operatie bij Gravity Media, maar vindt het belangrijk zelf ook af en toe nog steeds op de vloer te staan. “Ik doe bijvoorbeeld projecten als we iemand te kort komen of stap in als er zo’n groot project als dit voor OOTRR langskomt. Want op locatie met niks beginnen en na twee dagen met een hele ploeg iets moois te hebben neergezet, dat blijft het leukst om te doen.”

Teamwork

Voor Vos is de sleutel tot succes eenvoudig: de juiste mensen. “We hebben veel vaste krachten, maar we kijken per project wie waar het best tot zijn recht komt.” Stam: “De club mensen Gravity Media waarmee ik de afgelopen maanden heb gewerkt, was heerlijk. Een deel van hen heb ik zien opgroeien, die heb ik bij wijze van spreken kabels zien sjouwen, en die zag ik nu echt heel toffe dingen doen. Het mooie was ook: ik heb geen gemopper gehoord. Zelfs toen we tot drie uur ’s nachts in de metro bij het Centraal Station draaiden, stond iedereen er met een glimlach.” Vos zag hetzelfde enthousiasme toen hij bij opnames in het Rijksmuseum was. “Iedereen liep met een grote smile rond. Bij een groot traject met veel draaidagen is het een uitdaging om er één ploeg op te krijgen, terwijl het van toegevoegde waarde is als de mensen een band met de regisseur opbouwen. Dat was met dit project geen probleem. Het team dat het nu heeft gedaan, vond het fantastisch om te doen. Als ik iemand wilde ontzien omdat ze die ochtend al een ander project hadden, dan kreeg ik te horen: ik doe het erbij, dit pak je me niet af. De ploeg was een mix van ervaren rotten en jonge talenten die de kans kregen zich te bewijzen. Die combinatie werkt.”

Alles vanuit de wagen

“De grootste technische uitdaging was dat we het anders aanpakten dan gebruikelijk”, geeft Vos aan. “Normaal gesproken loopt ‘live’ en ‘opgenomen’ gescheiden van elkaar. In dit geval niet. Alles werd vanuit de regiewagen centraal aangestuurd, ook wat er in de zaal gebeurde. Dat is niet per se nieuw, maar dat tijdcodes voor licht, geluid, schermen – alles! – uit de regiewagen komen zodat de liveshow en de instarts tot op de milliseconde synchroon liepen, was anders dan wat mensen gewend waren.” Daarnaast zette Gravity Media ook de Ronin 4D in, terwijl je die in principe niet live kan shaden en hij dus voor een liveshow eigenlijk niet altijd het meest geschikt is. Vos: “We kunnen die nu wel gelijk krijgen met de andere camera’s door een beeldtechnicus ter plekke verantwoordelijk te maken voor de colorgrading van die enkele camera. Dat vereist specialisme, dus daar stond een van onze ervaren mensen op. Dit zijn dingen die wij doen die Jessica niet eens weet. Of wil weten.” Stam: “Als het werkt en mooi is, is het goed.” Maar de grootste uitdagingen waren niet de apparatuur, innovatieve oplossingen of het team, dat waren de locaties en het weer. Opnames vonden plaats op plekken die niet op een televisieopname waren ingericht. “We hebben op daken gestaan waar alles via een trapgat een voor een omhoog moest worden getild”, vertelt Stam. “We draaiden op de Nieuwe Kerk tijdens code oranje. Terwijl de wind knoerthard loeide, stonden cameramensen met krukjes bij het hoofd van Edsilia Rombley om het geluid te dempen. Bizar, maar het zag er fantastisch uit.” Ook de opname op de Sloterplas was een avontuur. “We hadden een ponton midden op het water, in de volle wind en camera’s op boten eromheen. Het was spannend, maar bloedmooi.” Het weer werkte gelukkig ook mee op cruciale momenten. “In het Olympisch Stadion stond een vleugel van tonnen voor Wibi Soerjadi midden op de stip. Het móést droog blijven. Dat lukte precies. Soms heb je dat geluk.”

Twee jubilarissen

Toevalligerwijs viel de Nationale Viering precies samen met het vijfjarig bestaan van OOTRR. “Op 27 oktober 2020 deden we ons allereerste project: het Concert van Hoop”, vertelt Stam. “Mijn collega Henkjan (Oosterink, red.) had bedacht dat we in coronatijd, toen heel evenementenland stillag, wel met vijftig man in een leeg Ahoy konden staan. We waren toen in gesprek met de EO en zij vroegen: met welk bedrijf zitten we eigenlijk om tafel? We hadden nog geen bedrijf, er waren alleen een paar oriënterende gesprekken geweest over een eventuele samenwerking. Ik zat op dat moment nog midden in het Songfestival en toen moesten we opeens een bedrijf oprichten. Ik kende Henkjan, maar Maarten (Hogenhuis, red.) was meer een contact van Henkjan.” Het bracht hun ‘oriënterende gesprekken’ in een stroomversnelling: ze richtten met z’n drieën Out Of The Rat Race op. “En toen hadden we ineens een uitzending met 1,3 miljoen kijkers. Daarna mochten we – ook met EMG – Jochem in de wolken doen en Kerstduetten. Dat is zo’n project waar eigenlijk nooit geld voor is, maar waarvan we elke keer weer denken: wel tof om te doen. Dan gaan we toch weer samen nadenken hoe we met zo min mogelijk geld toch iets moois kunnen maken.” Gijs: “Bij deze projecten moet je soms met creatieve oplossingen te komen om binnen de beschikbare budgetten te blijven. Dat je af en toe toch zulke dingen kunt doen met elkaar maakt ons werk juist leuk.” Dat een productiehuis dat ‘pas’ vijf jaar bestaat nu zo’n prestigeproject in handen heeft gekregen, is bewonderenswaardig. Stam: “Het is natuurlijk niet zo dat we hiervoor niets hebben gedaan, maar ik ben er wel echt heel trots op dat we in vijf jaar tijd dit soort projecten mogen doen. Dit is een monument voor iedereen die eraan heeft gewerkt. Ik zeg ook tegen mijn kinderen: luister, als er over vijftig jaar weer een jubileum is, dan ben ik er niet meer, maar dan is het wel heel tof dat wij deze editie hebben gedaan.” Alhoewel… Stam: “Wij hebben nu de productie van vijftig jaar geleden in de Beurs van Berlage gekeken en dachten: Jezus, wat waren ze daar aan het doen? Waarschijnlijk denken ze dat over vijftig jaar ook over ons, maar dat is dan. Nu, op dit moment, hebben wij er samen iets geweldigs van gemaakt.”

5 jaar OOTRR & Gravity Media

Foto’s: Hans Duran, Bart Heemskerk en Luchtfilm Producties
Broadcast Magazine artikel

 

ENGLISH VERSION BELOW

An ode to the capital, a tour de force by the makers

Some collaborations do not need much thinking, they just happen. That was the case with the partnership between production house OOTRR, Out Of The Rat Race, and Gravity Media, EMG, for the official celebration of 750 years of Amsterdam. On 27 October, Museumplein became the beating heart of a musical live show in which city, music and television flowed together, live on site and in living rooms. A complex project that raised the bar for live television.

A year of festivities reached its peak on 27 October, the official birthday of Amsterdam. In the presence of King Willem Alexander, Queen Máxima and Princess Amalia, a spectacular musical live show closed the jubilee year. What was first conceived as a grand production in the Johan Cruijff ArenA had to grow into an even more ambitious plan. “Because of the Champions League and the Amsterdam Marathon, both the ArenA and the Olympic Stadium were unavailable,” says Jessica Stam, producer and managing partner at OOTRR. They moved to the heart of the city. “At Museumplein we literally built a Ziggo Dome made of tent cloth from scratch. Together with all the other shoots it became a huge logistical and technical operation in an environment and under conditions that were not designed for it. That made it complicated, but also special.”

Is this live?

For anyone who missed it, and from a professional point of view it is well worth watching back, the tent at Museumplein hosted a musical tribute to Amsterdam. The live performances in the tent were ingeniously interwoven with pre recorded acts at iconic locations around the city, such as the A’DAM Tower, the Nieuwe Kerk, the Sloterplas and the Olympic Stadium. Well known Dutch personalities from all regions, from Frisian coach Foppe de Haan to Limburg presenter Chantal Janzen, told in special postcards about their connection to the capital. That made two things clear. This was not just an Amsterdam party, it was a national tribute. It also showed the producer’s meticulous approach. The images were projected in post on Amsterdam buildings. “Just like The Passion, we wanted to suggest that everything was happening live,” Stam explains. “The viewer had to wonder, is this happening now, or was it recorded earlier? That is why we filmed everything in the evening, in the dark. Drone images above the city showed that all of Amsterdam was switched on, with Museumplein as the radiant center of the festivities.” The result was a visually rich program that, as Stam says with pride, “reached the Eurovision standard, maybe even surpassed it. We had never done this before, we really took a step forward in what beautiful things you can make.”

There is no such thing as cannot

Stam felt it was important that the show was not made for television alone. “We had 2,500 people in the tent and they needed to feel they were at a live show, not at a television recording. So we put a large band on stage with strings, brass and dancers. It had to be just as magical in the venue as it was on television.” That double ambition, live and television at the highest level, made the production extra challenging. Everything had to be right, timing, lighting, audio, rhythm. That only works with the right people in the right place. “And then you call Gijs,” Stam says firmly. On the facilities side, Gravity Media took the lead, under the direction of Gijs Vos, manager operations. “The challenge was to make OOTRR’s creative plan technically possible without compromising on quality,” Vos explains. Stam: “I have been working with Gijs for almost twenty years. Our first project together was Serious Request in The Hague. Since then we have done dozens of productions together, Noorderslag, Sail, the opening of the Rijksmuseum, the Eurovision Song Contest. In fact, we do everything we make for television together with Gravity Media. Because it works. Because Gijs is incredibly good. We are tuned to each other. He knows what I mean, I know what I can expect from him. If he says something cannot be done, I know it is truly impossible. That clarity is worth gold.” Vos adds, “We share the same goal, deliver the highest achievable. If something does not work, it is only after we have tried everything.” He has been responsible for operations at Gravity Media for two and a half years, but he finds it important to be on the floor now and then. “I step in on projects if we are short of someone, or I join when a project as big as this one for OOTRR comes along. Starting on location with nothing and, two days later, having built something beautiful with a whole crew, that remains the most fun to do.”

Teamwork

For Vos, the key to success is simple, the right people. “We have many permanent staff members, but we look per project at who fits best where.” Stam: “The Gravity Media team I worked with in recent months was a joy. I have seen some of them grow up, I have, so to speak, seen them carry cables, and now I saw them do truly impressive things. The great thing was, I did not hear any grumbling. Even when we filmed in the metro at Central Station until three in the morning, everyone was there with a smile.” Vos saw the same enthusiasm when he was at the shoots in the Rijksmuseum. “Everyone walked around with a big smile. On a long trajectory with many shoot days it is a challenge to keep one crew on it, while it really helps when people build a bond with the director. That was no problem on this project. The team that did it now thought it was fantastic to do. If I wanted to give someone a break because they already had another project that morning, I would hear, I will do it as well, you are not taking this away from me. The crew was a mix of seasoned veterans and young talents who got the chance to prove themselves. That combination works.”

Everything from the truck

“The biggest technical challenge was that we approached it differently than usual,” says Vos. “Normally live and recorded run separately. This time they did not. Everything was centrally controlled from the production truck, including what happened in the venue. That is not new in itself, but having timecode for lighting, audio, screens, everything, originate from the truck so that the live show and the inserts were aligned to the millisecond, that was different from what people are used to.” Gravity Media also deployed the Ronin 4D, which in principle you cannot shade live and which therefore is not always ideal for a live show. Vos: “We can now match it to the other cameras by making a vision engineer on site responsible for color grading that single camera. That requires specialist skill, so we put one of our experienced people on it. These are the things we do that Jessica does not even know about. Or want to know.” Stam: “If it works and looks beautiful, it is good.” But the biggest challenges were not the equipment, the innovative solutions or the team. They were the locations and the weather. Filming took place at places that were not set up for television production. “We were on rooftops where everything had to be lifted up one by one through a stairwell,” says Stam. “We filmed in the Nieuwe Kerk during an orange weather alert. While the wind was howling, camera operators placed stools near Edsilia Rombley’s head to dampen the sound. Bizarre, but it looked fantastic.” The shoot at the Sloterplas was an adventure as well. “We had a pontoon in the middle of the water, in full wind, and cameras on boats around it. It was tense, but stunningly beautiful.” The weather also cooperated at crucial moments. “In the Olympic Stadium a grand piano weighing tons stood on the center spot for Wibi Soerjadi. It had to stay dry. That is exactly what happened. Sometimes you get lucky.”

Two anniversaries

By coincidence, the National Celebration fell exactly on OOTRR’s fifth anniversary. “On 27 October 2020 we did our very first project, the Concert of Hope,” Stam says. “My colleague Henkjan, Oosterink, had the idea that in the COVID period, with the event sector at a standstill, we could still be with fifty people in an empty Ahoy. We were in talks with EO and they asked, which company are we actually sitting down with. We did not have a company yet, there had only been a few exploratory conversations about a possible collaboration. I was still in the middle of the Song Contest and suddenly we had to set up a company. I knew Henkjan, but Maarten, Hogenhuis, was more a contact of Henkjan.” Those exploratory talks suddenly accelerated. The three of them founded Out Of The Rat Race. “And then we suddenly had a broadcast with 1.3 million viewers. After that we were allowed to do Jochem in de wolken and Kerstduetten, also with EMG. That is one of those projects for which there is never really enough money, but every time we think, it is too cool not to do. So we start thinking together again about how to make something beautiful with as little money as possible.” Gijs: “On these projects you sometimes have to come up with creative solutions to stay within the available budgets. Being able to do things like this together every now and then is what makes our work fun.” That a production house that is only five years old now handled such a prestige project is remarkable. Stam: “Of course it is not as if we had done nothing before this, but I am genuinely proud that we get to do projects like this after five years. This is a monument to everyone who worked on it. I also tell my children, listen, if there is another jubilee in fifty years, I will not be around, but it is very cool that we did this edition.” Although, Stam adds, “We watched the production from fifty years ago in the Beurs van Berlage and thought, good grief, what were they doing there. They will probably think the same about us in fifty years, but so be it. Right now, at this moment, we made something wonderful together.”

‘Dit is het voordeel van al twintig jaar samenwerken’

Dat het Muziekfeest op het Plein ooit zou neerstrijken op de ring van Amsterdam, had niemand kunnen voorspellen. Toch is dat precies wat er op zaterdag 21 juni gebeurde. Ter ere van de twintigste verjaardag van het oer-Hollandse muziekprogramma en het 750-jarig bestaan van de hoofdstad sloegen de twee jubilarissen de handen ineen voor een spectaculaire, eenmalige editie op de A10. EMG stond twee decennia geleden al aan de wieg van het Muziekfeest op het Plein en verzorgt sindsdien – op één enkele editie na – onafgebroken de tv-registratie.

Twee keer per jaar, steeds op een mooie zomerdag, wordt ergens in Nederland een plein omgetoverd tot sfeervol muziekfeest. Het tv-programma is inmiddels een populair zomerevenement geworden: elke editie laat het uitverkoren plein uit zijn voegen barsten. Toch is Paul Siteur, eindredacteur en samensteller van Sterren NL bij AVROTROS, vrij stellig als hem wordt gevraagd: evenement of televisieprogramma? “We maken dit echt voor televisie. Dat betekent dat we pleinen met mooie plaatjes uitzoeken en een laag podium plaatsen, zodat de artiesten op tv tussen de mensen staan. Elk shot moet kloppen.”

Van de recentste editie, die eenmalig werd omgedoopt tot Muziekfeest op de Ring A10, was het ‘plein’ al geregeld, “maar dat was een extra grote uitdaging. Zo’n snelweg is maar 13 meter breed, terwijl de pleinen normaal gesproken zeker 40 meter breed zijn. Het was geen makkelijke plek, helemaal niet zelfs, maar we vonden dit zo’n unieke gelegenheid, dat we het absoluut wilden gaan doen. Nou, dat hebben we geweten. De tent stond op een viaduct, de regiewagen eronder. De opbouwtijd was erg kort, maar dat zijn we dan wel weer gewend. Logistiek was het erg ingewikkeld: we hadden met veel verschillende mensen van allerlei partijen te maken, van de gemeente tot Rijkswaterstaat. En voor iedereen was het nieuw.”

Siteur was daarom blij met EMG als oude, vertrouwde facilitaire partner aan zijn zij. “Ik had er alle vertrouwen in dat het in orde zou komen. Dit was zo’n leuke uitdaging, een once in a lifetime-gebeurtenis. Ik denk dat er van EMG zo’n 45 mensen rondliepen, met een camera of twaalf, die allemaal isolated opnamen. Daardoor konden we in de montage elk shot gebruiken, ook als dat niet door de regisseur was geschakeld. Omdat we het al zo lang met elkaar doen, wisten zij goed wat belangrijk was en sloot alles naadloos op elkaar aan.”

Dit is geen werk

EMG is al sinds de eerste editie in Alkmaar de vaste facilitaire partner voor Muziekfeest op het Plein. “Ze weten precies wat we nodig hebben en vooral: wat we bedoelen. Er is geen eindeloze uitleg nodig, dat is wat je krijgt als je al twintig jaar samenwerkt. Ze denken mee, lossen het snel op als er iets misgaat en zijn altijd goed voorbereid. In de loop der jaren hebben we het programma samen kwalitatief verbeterd. We blijven kijken naar wat we zien op televisie en wat we daar nog aan kunnen verbeteren. Wat zijn de juiste cameraposities en gebruiken we een kraan, een flyline of een drone om het massale van het evenement te laten zien?”

Wat Siteur vooral waardeert, is dat EMG geen anonieme leverancier is, maar een betrokken partner. “Ik prijs deze samenwerking, omdat de accountmanager, OPL en eerste cameramensen altijd goed meedenken. In eerste instantie ga ik met de regisseur op locatiebezoek, meestal volgt daarna nog een technisch locatiebezoek met de opnameleider en eerste cameraman van EMG, waarna we bijschaven waar nodig. Maar als de cameramensen ter plekke nog aangeven dat ze een nog mooier plaatje krijgen als ze een meter naar links verhuizen, dan vind ik dat alleen maar mooi. Ik zie altijd veel initiatief en vind het fijn dat het team meedenkt om het beste uit het programma te halen.”

Van cameramensen tot geluid en van OPL tot schakeltechniek; alles en iedereen draagt bij aan het eindresultaat. En wat Siteur keer op keer opvalt: het plezier straalt ervan af. “Ik werk al jarenlang met dezelfde cameramensen, omdat zij het, net als ik, een feestje vinden om dit te doen. Dit is voor hen bijna geen werk, ze vinden het leuk om erbij te zijn, kunnen zich inleven in het publiek en weten wat de kijker graag wil zien. Dus de faciliteiten kloppen en de expertise is er zeker, maar het gaat mij vooral om de mensen. Ik heb ze er graag bij.”

EMG / Gravity Media, a world leading global provider of complex live creative production and media services, today detailed EMG / Gravity Media Australia’s broadcast technology and television production undertakings to deliver the upcoming Beyond Productions’ feature documentary Cold Chisel: The Big Five-0 for the Seven Network. 

EMG / Gravity Media Australia was selected by production company, Beyond Productions, to deliver the broadcast technology and production undertaking for Cold Chisel’s recent live performance at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl in Melbourne, deploying one of its major state-of-the-art outside broadcast trucks, 12 cameras, and a crew of 48 delivering a front-row seat to a night of electrifying moments as a sea of impassioned fans sings along to every word, creating a thunderous chorus that drowns out even the band itself.  

Cold Chisel: The Big Five-0 is a concert full of incredible emotion, raw power, and more than a few tears. Celebrating five decades of iconic anthems that have been burned into Aussie culture forever – including Khe Sanh, Flame Trees, Choirgirl and When The War Is Over – Cold Chisel has defined what it means to be Australian. Now their story takes centre stage. From Adelaide’s Largs Pier Hotel to the biggest stages in the country, Cold Chisel forged their own path, earning their place as true Aussie rock royalty and making household names of Jimmy Barnes, Ian Moss, Don Walker, Steve Prestwich and Phil Small. 

With exclusive interviews, archive footage and rare photographs from the band, Cold Chisel: The Big Five-0 helps explore the lasting impact of Cold Chisel, and uncovers why their music continues to mean so much to so many. 

Cold Chisel: The Big Five-0 is a Beyond Productions feature documentary produced in association with the Seven Network. Writer/producer Paul Clarke is a renowned filmmaker with previous award-winning and celebrated work including the 2024 TV Week Logie Award-winning documentary John Farnham: Finding The Voice, Midnight Oil: The Hardest Line and Blood and Thunder. 

Directed by Andrew Lord (Splendour in the Grass), the film is also produced by Frank Chidiac (Live it Up: The Mental as Anything Story, Great Australian Concerts) and Susanne Morrison (Live it Up: The Mental as Anything Story, Great Australian Concerts), line produced by Fiona Hewish, with Mikael Borglund and Robert Hambling as executive producers. 

Writer/Producer Paul Clarke said: “We approached this production in a non-conventional way, using film cameras around the stage, OB long lenses, IMAG cameras, lots of steadicam shots in the audience, fly cams and drones and the latest minicams around the band. 

“From the start to the end, Gravity kept solving all the problems. Their team was incredible and we have a Cold Chisel moment in a bottle that will last for decades.” 

According to Marcus Doherty, Account Executive, Media Services and Facilities at EMG / Gravity Media Australia: “All of us at EMG / Gravity Media thank Beyond Productions for selecting us to deliver the broadcast outcome for Cold Chisel’s performance at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl as part of their Big Five-0 Tour and the delivery of an outstanding event and production for the Seven Network.”  

Along with the Cold Chisel: The Big Five-0 undertaking, EMG / Gravity Media Australia in recent months has also delivered broadcast technology and production outcomes for the ARIA Awards, the AACTA Awards, Carols in the Domain and the New South Wales School Spectacular.  EMG / Gravity Media was also the broadcast production and technology provider for the Mushroom 50 Live Anniversary concert. 

Photo credit: Robert Hambling

PRESS COVERAGE

The grand live finale of the 17th season of „Dein Song“ was once again successfully produced from Studio 8 at EMG / Gravity Media’s Hürth location this year. On behalf of MB-TV Produktions GmbH, Studio 8 provided the perfect setting for the emotional highlight of the popular young talent music show.

As always, the focus was on the young singer-songwriters, who captivated the audience and the celebrity jury with their self-composed songs. The large LED sign of the show was once again an essential part of the stage design, creating a high level of recognition among fans and viewers of KiKA (the children’s and youth channel of ZDF).

The experienced team at EMG / Gravity Media ensured a smooth and expert execution of the finale.

 

Credits: © EMG

Weeks of intensive preparation lay behind us before the three RTL live shows of “Chefsache ESC 2025 – Wer singt für Deutschland?” kicked off on February 14, 2025. In these live shows, each act was individually and impressively staged. Hand in hand, our colleagues at EMG / Gravity Media worked closely every day with all departments and our client Raab ENTERTAINMENT GmbH to make this great project in our Studio 8 truly special. The fourth and decisive live show finally took place on March 2, 2025. Live on ARD, Abor & Tynna were crowned winners and thus sent to represent Germany at the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 finale in Basel.

With this highlight, an exciting chapter came to an end at the German location. Behind the EMG / Gravity Media team lay intensive but also impressive weeks.

 

Credits: © NDR, Raab ENTERTAINMENT/Willi Weber

EMG / Gravity Media, a world leading global provider of complex live creative production and media services, today detailed EMG / Gravity Media Australia’s broadcast technology and television production undertakings to deliver two of this year’s major entertainment events in Australia this year – and they are in the same week.

EMG / Gravity Media Australia is teaming up with production company Roving Enterprises for the biggest night in Australian music, the ARIA Awards on 20 November.

EMG / Gravity Media is deploying two state-of-the-art high definition outside broadcast trucks, accessing 25 cameras to deliver the complete television production across the red carpet, live event and fan zone.

Bringing together Australia’s biggest artists dominating the global music scene, alongside Australia’s most exciting up-and-coming talent, the Awards will celebrate and recognise an exceptional year of local music.

Broadcast on Stan and the Nine Network in Australia and across the world on YouTube, the ARIA Awards will feature Australian performances by The Kid LAROI, Missy Higgins, CYRIL, 3%, Jessica Mauboy, Julian Hamilton from The Presets, Troy Cassar-Daley, Amy Shark, Angie McMahon, and Teen Jesus and The Jean Teasers, and international performances from Ava Max and Kane Brown.

And then EMG / Gravity Media heads to Melbourne to capture the next stop on Cold Chisel’s sell-out Big Five-O Tour, at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl on 23 November.

EMG / Gravity Media Australia has been selected by production company, Beyond Action, a global creative producer specialising in sports, entertainment and documentary programming, to deliver the broadcast technology and production undertaking for Cold Chisel’s live performance in Melbourne and will access one of its major outside broadcast trucks and 12 cameras.

According to Marcus Doherty, Account Executive, Media Services and Facilities at EMG / Gravity Media Australia: “All of us at EMG / Gravity Media are delighted to be playing a key role in the ARIA Awards and Cold Chisel at the Sidney Myer Music Bowl.

“Both are complex and exciting broadcast undertakings and we thank both Roving Enterprises and Beyond Action for selecting EMG / Gravity Media to deliver the all-screen outcomes for their events.”

Along with the ARIA Awards and Cold Chisel Big Five-O in November, EMG / Gravity Media Australia later this month will also deliver broadcast technology and production outcomes for the New South Wales School Spectacular, Carols in the Domain in December and early next year the AACTA Awards.  EMG / Gravity Media was also the broadcast production and technology provider for the recent Mushroom 50 Live Anniversary concert.

Gravity Media, a world leading global provider of complex live creative production and media services, today detailed a collaboration with the New South Wales Department of Education in a broadcast technology and television production undertaking that sees Gravity Media Australia create and deliver this year’s Schools Spectacular – Fabulous, the 40th anniversary of one of the biggest live events in Australia.

Schools Spectacular – Fabulous will be broadcast nationally on the Seven Network on Saturday, December 9 from 7pm.

The New South Wales School Spectacular is the world’s largest annual amateur variety show and is produced by the New South Wales Department of Education’s Arts Unit.

Each of the four live performances over two days features a 2600-voice choir, 2300 dancers, an 80-piece symphony orchestra, a stage band, the D ’Arts Ensemble for students with disability, the Aboriginal Dance Ensemble, and 149 featured performers.

Since 2016, Gravity Media has been the driving force behind the NSW Schools Spectacular national television broadcast, and in collaboration with the NSW Department of Education’s Arts Unit, Gravity Media Australia proudly serves as the production, broadcast, and post-production partner for the 2023 event: Schools Spectacular – Fabulous.

From capturing captivating content to crafting the opening sequences, Gravity Media has delivered a comprehensive turnkey production outcome for the event, with a total television production and technical staff of 75, deploying a state-of-the-art high definition outside broadcast truck and 17 broadcast and specialist cameras, including Spidercam, to deliver the complete television production of the event for the New South Wales Department of Education and the Seven Network.

Richard Spiewak – Manager, Arts Unit Operations and Administration, Executive Producer Schools Spectacular:

“The Schools Spectacular values its association with the team from Gravity Media.

“The team’s expertise, dedication, and care in capturing and delivering the television production of the show and their support of Arts in Education and, arts and vocational experiences, makes them a highly valued partner in the delivery of the Spectacular annually.”

Mike Purcell – Head of Production, Gravity Media Australia:

“Gravity Media highly values its now eight year partnership and collaboration with The Arts Unit on the broadcast production of Schools Spectacular.

“The calibre of the performances and the event is world class.

“For the Gravity team it is a highlight of our year to not only bring Spectacular to television but also rewarding to play a part in the growth and vocational experiences of NSW Public Schools students.”

PRESS COVERAGE

Gravity Media, a world leading global provider of complex live creative production and media services, has detailed the broadcast technology and television production undertaking that saw Gravity Media Australia working in partnership with Mushroom Group to create and deliver the complete television broadcast production for Mushroom 50 Live.

Mushroom Group recently appointed Gravity Media Australia as its broadcast technology and production partner for Mushroom 50 Live which was broadcast across Australia on the Seven Network and 7plus on 26 November.

In a complex technology and logistics undertaking, Gravity Media deployed state-of-the-art high definition outside broadcast trucks and satellite units and 20 broadcast and specialist cameras to deliver coverage of the event from Melbourne’s Rod Laver Arena.

Mushroom 50 Live featured fifty songs to celebrate fifty years of incredible Australian music.

Artists for Mushroom 50 included: Amy Shark, Birds of Tokyo, Bliss N Eso, Christine Anu, Dan Sultan, Deborah Conway and Willy Zygier, Diesel, DMA’s, Fred Lonergan (Machinations), Frente, Goanna, Gordi, Hunters & Collectors, Ian Moss, Jimmy Barnes, Kate Ceberano, Logan, Lotte Gallagher, Merci Mercy, Missy Higgins, Ross Wilson, The Rubens, The Temper Trap, Paul Kelly, The Teskey Brothers, Vika & Linda and WILSN, and special broadcast performances from alt-J, Budjerah, Ed Sheeran, Garbage, Mia Wray, Sam Smith and Youth Group.

Saul Shtein, Director – Production and Content, Gravity Media Australia:

“We are delighted to have worked with the Mushroom Group on such an important live event for the company that celebrated and underlined its commitment to Australian music.

“I have had the pleasure of working with the Mushroom team over the past four decades, and all of us at Gravity Media congratulate Mushroom on achieving such an important milestone.

“We thank them for entrusting Gravity Media as their broadcast technology and production partner for Mushroom 50 Live.”

PRESS COVERAGE

Thanks to a consolidated specialization in the production of live performances, EMG Italy was chosen to take care of the video shooting of many live concerts throughout the summer of 2022. These were musical events with a large audience presence, similar only in their genre, but totally different for production procedures.

EMG Italy has made available some mobile vehicles to follow many concerts throughout Italy, such as the live broadcast of the Radio Zeta / RTL 102.5 party from the Cavea of the Auditorium Parco della Musica in Rome in June, the first date of Alessandra Amoroso’s tour at the stadium of San Siro on 13 July and the live broadcast of Power Hits Estate 22 from the Verona Arena at the end of August. Among these, the production of Vasco Rossi’s new Tour, in the months of June and July, was certainly the most significant in terms of use of resources.

Vasco Live 2022

For the production of Vasco Live ’22, EMG Italy took care of all the video shooting and airing on the led walls in the location, on behalf of Except customer in Milan.

The tour opened with a first technical setup in the Arena Musica in Trento on May 16th and 17th, rehearsals with the artist and the band took place on 18th, while the special evening of general rehearsal took place on 19th, open only to members of Vasco’s official fan club.

On May 20th, the Tour was officially inaugurated with the first date, followed by the dates of Milan May 24, Imola May 28, Florence June 3, Naples June 7, Rome June 11 and 12, Messina June 17, Bari 22 June, Ancona 26 June and Turin 30 June. To give an idea of the huge use of energy and the turnout of the public, it is enough to point out that all the dates mentioned were sold-out with an overall turnout of about 700,000 spectators (data disclosed by the media).

The production of the Tour

All the video footage was handled by EMG Italy with a mobile OB-Van unit set up with six GrassValley LDX80 system cameras and five “action cameras”: Marshall micro cameras, mounted on remote sliders that made it possible to create moving shots of the musicians, keyboards, percussion, winds, and drums. The direction was handled by Pepsy Romanoff directly on stage, thanks to a sub gallery connected to the mobile vehicle, and this allowed the director to be in close contact with the artist on stage. All cabling was made with the use of optical fibers.

In the two days of shooting at the Circus Maximus, on the occasion of the shooting for DVD and Blu-ray, five film cameras were added, one on a steadycam with RF system, one on a jimmy jib, one on a dolly trolley complete with a track of approx 30 meters and a hanging cablecam that could cross the whole Circus Maximus.

The main direction and the sub-direction

The main control gallery vehicle chosen for the concerts was an agile van, indicated for its small size, given that in the spaces provided at the stadiums it was often impossible to park with the typical large truck usually used by EMG in filming sports and major events. The mobile direction provided for two separate environments: a video and audio control and a direction area for director and assistant.

The sub-direction set up for Pepsy Romanoff was instead composed of an additional remote video mixing panel, a complete multiview visual control system with two 50 “monitors, an EVS panel for managing contributions and three intercom panels for director, assistant and video mixer. From here the director, in addition to looking for even more close images, was also able to intervene in person on stage and make some personalized shots thanks to a shoulder camera with a cinematic feel.

The main direction was thus performed most of the time from the close position on the stage, while from the mobile vehicle all the control operations were carried out on the cameras and on the EVS for recording and, last but not least, the management of service communications by means of intercom systems.

For a series of events of this magnitude, the technical crew had one day available to set up and test, while the afternoon of the day of the concert was dedicated to the finishing touches.mThe same mobile vehicle and the same full operational staff followed the stages of Vasco’s tour from start to finish, precisely for stylistic and technical continuity and perfect harmony between director and crew.

Massimiliano Anchise, Sales Manager of EMG Italy who followed these events with a crew of 12 people, said: “It was a wonderful experience and a special thanks goes, first of all, to all the technicians who worked on this project and to Pepsy who “directed” all of us throughout the summer tour”.

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