Issue link: http://osercommunicationsgroup.uberflip.com/i/491551
B r o a d c a s t e r s S h o w D a i l y M o n d a y, A p r i l 1 3 , 2 0 1 5 2 2 LIVE COVERAGE INSTANTLY WITH BEXEL ESS' SELF-CONTAINED BROADCAST UNITS Bexel Engineered Systems & Solutions (ESS) has provided the advanced sys- tems that make a difference in how we watch, distribute and connect with fans by utilizing the latest fiber optic technol- ogy and integration services to elevate the quality of the media production expe- rience. With thousands of hours of live news coverage and original programming annually, major networks turned to Bexel ESS for a flexible and efficient solution to easily contribute remote interviews into their broadcasts. Bexel ESS engineered the design of self-contained, crewless broadcast units, or Remote Analyst Kits, to enhance news reporting with more live coverage around the world. Bexel ESS built, tested and installed a total of 30 Remote Analyst Kits, across 17 states, for some of the network's top commentators for Fox Sports 1 and the Big Ten Network. To deploy the broad- cast units in record timing, three engi- neers travelled 7,000 miles in one week to complete the first 14 system installs. The Remote Analyst Kits are perma- nently installed in the commentators' homes, allowing commentators to go on- air immediately when something pertain- ing to their specialty occurs. The systems are connected to a private or public IP network, removing the need for satellite trucks, or having to drive to the nearest studio. Traditional methods, like satellite links, are costly and take too long to commission. Speed to market is crucial, and the in-home studios are very successful in delivering breaking news. Working in tandem with Haivision HD encoders, Bexel ESS brings cost effective solu- tions to broadcasters, helping them gather interview content more quickly. The Haivision's HD encoders make it possible to stream bi-directional, low laten- cy video over a private or public network from the remote commentator to the stu- dio during a broadcast. Encoding up to 1080p video and designed for interactive communications, the Haivision encoders deliver extremely low end-to-end latency and make interviews possible between the remote commentator and the studio. The systems are also customized with robotic camera options to include either Panasonic AW-HE60SN cameras or Camera Corps Q-Ball that can be manned remotely from the control room in any location, allowing the client to pan, tilt, zoom or adjust color and satura- tion. Litepanels 1×1 Bi-Color panels are used to provide key light, fill light and back light on stands, and can also be controlled remotely. Rack mounted cases, approximately 48-by-24-by- 30 inches, are at the core of the systems. Their contents include a UPS that controls power, an IP Power Switch that allows the system to be turned on and off remotely, a network switch that keeps the circuit open, and audio and video support that provides the IFB and camera feeds. When breaking news is on the line, Bexel ESS is a trusted partner to get the job done on time and on budget with innovative and engineered fiber solu- tions. Discover the new Bexel Global Broadcast Solutions at booth #C6025. Learn more information at www.bexel.com or call 800.225.6185. CINEDECK PROVIDES EFFICIENCY FOR PRODUCTION OF 'ANGER MANAGEMENT' An interview with Howard Brock, Associate Producer of "Anger Management," a multi-cam sitcom that aired on FX and is now in syndication. BSD: Did "Anger Management" present any unique challenges? HB: The show was done on a 10/90 model, so once the first 10 episodes were completed and got sufficient ratings to trigger a pickup, we got to do 90 more. The only problem was that we had two years to do 90 episodes, which is double the normal schedule. We needed to be efficient! BSD: What did you do? HB: We tried to streamline the post process as much as possible. We elimi- nated digitizing, logging, offline and going out of house for online and color correction. BSD: That sounds radical compared to traditional methods. Was it met with resistance? HB: Fortunately we had a very support- ive producer and we had plenty of back- ups and redundancies to mitigate any risks. BSD: How did the process work? HB: We used Cinedeck recorders to record Avid DNx 175X media directly to a Avid ISIS feeding three Avid sys- tems all supplied by J/KAM Digital. Because the Cinedecks can record MXF media directly into the ISIS, we didn't have to import Quicktime movies or go through any media copying or conversions. Once a scene was wrapped, we had dailies in about one minute. Compared to tape we saved probably 1,500 hours just by not digitizing in real time. The recordist entered the scene information into the Cinedecks and the Cinedeck software added take and camera infor- mation, so we didn't have to log or rename clips. We also recorded a quad split of the four cameras in h.264 and used those clips to feed a Light Iron server that allowed production to pull up any recorded take via iPads on the set. BSD: Did this affect production in any way? HB: Because we were able to confirm the integrity of the recorded media almost immediately, sets could be struck much faster than if production was wait- ing for dailies to get processed. BSD: What efficiencies did you have in post production? HB: We wanted to be able to put our energies into what was on the screen rather than trying not to get bogged down with the volume of work. We cut in online resolution, so we didn't need to relink to higher quality media. This saved countless hours when we had to deliver clips or scenes for promo or publicity purposes. By doing the online and color correction in house we had much more flexibility in terms of scheduling as well as the freedom to spend more time to make things right without incurring major costs. I used to own a facility, so I used to be on the other side of that equation. Finally, because we had enough storage on the ISIS, we were able to keep all finished shows online, which allowed us to deliver the syndication cuts in a very cost efficient manner. For more information about Cinedeck, stop by booth #SL15714. THX LTD TAKES CHINA'S CINEMA MARKET BY STORM When George Lucas founded THX ® in 1983, the China market was just begin- ning to open to the world. Over the past 30 years, China's economy grew to become the largest in the world and its cinema industry exploded to one of the biggest and most influential, second to only North America. From 2003 to 2013, the China box office grew from USD $120 million to over USD $2.7 billion and continues to steadily rise. China experienced 27.5 percent growth in box office revenue from 2012 to 2013 and is on track to surpass $3 billion by the end of 2014. With China's film industry growing at such a rapid rate, the market has become a strategic point of focus for THX. There is an acute need for quality and differentiation in China as the cine- ma industry becomes more cluttered and the audience more sophisticated. With its long-established reputation for setting the highest cinema performance and quality standards, THX is entering the Chinese market at an opportune time. The debut of THX in China is of special significance to Chinese film- makers and movie-goers, bringing China's film industry one step closer to international standards for audio and video performance. Since opening offices in Beijing and Hong Kong in 2014, THX has introduced THX Certified Cinemas, THX Certified Studios and THX Approved equipment to the Chinese market. These THX offerings not only enhance the cinematic experience for Chinese consumers but specifically cater to Chinese filmmakers and cine- ma industry affiliates. Preserving artis- tic integrity, from content creation through play- back, has and continues to be the driving force behind THX programs in China. "THX's contribution to the China film industry is important, both from China and Hollywood industry perspec- tives," explained Louis Cacciuttolo, Executive Vice-President of International Business Development and Brand Strategy at THX. "THX's presence in China will help define new industry standards and significantly impact the quality of the cinematic experience for Chinese moviegoers. The artist's vision will finally be expe- rienced by moviegoers with the exact same level of detail and impact of how it was created in the studio." A recent milestone for THX in China was the launch of a strategic partnership with the government-owned China Film Group. China Film Group's introduction of China Giant Screen auditoriums will bring more than 20 THX Certified cinemas to China's biggest markets in 2015. In addition to announcing new cinema projects, THX has publicized their partnership with the Cameron Pace Group and the organiza- tion's plans to open the long anticipated THX Certified production studio com- plex in the new economic development zone of Tianjin – slated to open in spring 2015. The passion for high quality enter- tainment in China is undeniable. A cor- porate desire to improve entertainment experiences feeds into the flourishing consumer demand for premium offer- ings. Positioned to fulfill these needs, THX and its partners look forward to continued work in China to deliver more state-of-the-art products and experiences to Chinese consumers – in the cinema and the home. For more information, go to www.thx.com.