Creative Technology reflects on its transformation during lockdown

Creative Technology worked with the BBC to produces this spectacular VJ Day event on Horse Guards Parade

The outbreak of COVID-19 across the globe saw the UK go into lockdown in late March 2020, and forced both a sudden hiatus as well as a transformation of the live events industry.

Large and small events across the world were faced cancellations and postponements due to strict government guidelines put in place. Following this end to live events, both sporting and otherwise, for the foreseeable future, Creative Technology moved virtual event technology to the centre of its offering, developing services and solutions to deliver to its clients.

Creative Technology expanded its inhouse facilities, which includes an XR studio powered by the Unreal engine, a fully fitted remote production gallery, two additional remote production suites and two COVID-secure, socially distanced performance spaces, all based at its offices in London, Gatwick.

It has been working around the clock for a whole host of clients, supporting them in delivering a range of challenging and complex virtual events in these new facilities.

The ability to record, edit, and live stream content all in one location has allowed Creative Technology to create some extraordinary events, reaching thousands across the globe. Its state of the art XR studio provides a totally immersive, interactive stage for a multitude of events that really capture their audiences. In August Creative Technology hosted the AIM Independent Music Awards, presented by Tiffany Calvert who was joined by a selection of award-winning artists including AJ Tracey, Arlo Parks, and Little Simz. Performances took place on the virtual stage in the Creative Technology studio and on a real physical stage in its performance space, Unity, for the pre-recorded event, which was then streamed by over 20,000 viewers.

In the world of sport, with many events now taking place behind closed doors, Creative Technology has been on hand to deliver core technical services on-site.
As an approved supplier of the European Tour, Creative Technology has been continuing to supply tournament television services as well as delivering new on-course leader boards, a digital alternative to the manual scoreboards which are helping to support social distancing guidelines by reducing the amount of people required to support this service.

In addition to this, Creative Technology has put two of its brand-new OB vans to work at the Men’s International Cricket. These fully fitted out vehicles, which were introduced for the 2020 season, brought in all feeds from the host broadcaster, CTV Outside Broadcasts, and distributed video and graphical content to the venue and perimeter LED screens.

Creative Technology was also pleased to work for client, the BBC, to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of VJ Day with a visual spectacular at Horse Guards Parade in London. The event, which was aired on BBC One on 15 August, saw content created by Kate Dawkins Studio projected across the complex structures using 69 31k projectors.

Commented Mark Elliott, managing director at Creative Technology UK: “As we reflect over the last six months, I am immensely proud of what Creative Technology has achieved, both as a business and as a team of individuals. We have been faced with huge challenges, as has the entire industry, that nobody could have foreseen and we will continue to pull together and work hard to deliver shows and support our clients with virtual, live or hybrid solutions, as we navigate through this new world of live events.”