Meet an Industry Innovator: Remote Production Comes to Sports Broadcasts

The Hollywood Section of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers® (SMPTE®) will explore remote workflow solutions that are radically altering the way sports and other live events are broadcast in the next edition of its free webinar series “Meet an Industry Innovator.” Representatives from Mobile TV Group and Gravity Media will reveal how their companies are helping broadcasters in the U.S., the U.K. and elsewhere produce live events cost-effectively—and safely—by working remotely.

Mobile TV Group COO Nick Garvin and Director of Technology Dale Canino will discuss their company’s first-of-its-kind, IP-based, mobile production units used by Fox Sports and others. MTVG unveiled its first IP mobile unit, dubbed 45 FLEX, at NAB 2019, where it was awarded Best of Show. Having recently built its fifth unit, the company has learned a lot on how to manage IP workflows in challenging locations. Garvin and Canino will also discuss MTVG’s new “Cloud Control” workflow developed for Fox, Altitude, Root, Sinclair and ATT to help manage their workflows during the pandemic and beyond.

Gravity Media Executive Vice President Marc Genin and Head of Production and Content/Executive Producer Will Wright will describe how their company is helping sports broadcasters and others move operations off-site. Tapping into new high-speed connectivity solutions, they are linking camera operators at sports facilities directly to sophisticated production centers in London, Sydney and Los Angeles. Commentators, presenters, directors, producers and on-screen graphics teams work off-site, lowering production costs while maintaining high production standards and improving health and safety.

Greg Ciaccio, creative technologist, will moderate. Having formerly served in executive operational roles with Technicolor, Deluxe, Sim & Ascent, Ciaccio is also on the SMPTE Hollywood Board of Managers and Char of the ASC Motion Imaging Technology Council’s Workflow Committee.

SMPTE Hollywood’s “Meet an Industry Innovator” webinars are free and open to all, including non-members. Advance registration is required.