Crewing Company, Atlas Hire gear up for Olympics

The London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics are already creating a high demand for broadcast equipment and crew. Among the UK companies gearing up for this are The Crewing Company (TCC), which is supplying personnel including camera operators, VTR managers, and technical operators; and Alias Hire, which has taken on additional staff to cope during the Games.

Both companies, which are part of the DIA Group and based in east London, will be working with a range of UK and international broadcasters over the coming weeks, including ABC TV Sports. TCC is placing crew at venues round the UK, including the grounds hosting the Olympic football events and the main stadium and Olympic village in the capital.

Alias Hire will operate extended opening hours during the Games and has agreed to a deal with CCK Media Technologies to supply videotape, memory cards, and other acquisition formats. Two engineers from Sennheiser, plus additional microphone equipment, will also augment Alias’s offering.

The mic manufacturer will be operating a “drop-in centre” for the duration of the Games, providing repairs and servicing for both cabled and wireless equipment, as well as retuning RF gear.

Says Alias Hire Managing Director Mike Smith, “Sennheiser will have stock on site for spares and new equipment, and there will be two dedicated engineers based with us who will be able to offer a repair service for their own and additional broadcasters. It’s going to be pretty rammed in our unit, which is very exciting.”

TCC Joint Managing Director Stuart Hatton says that, while the company is employing freelance staff from mainland Europe, Australia, and South Africa, he is trying “wherever possible” to use crew from east London. “Many of the roles we’ve been filling have been outside our usual area of expertise, especially the engineering, transmission, and playout types,” he adds. “However, this means we now have an excellent new division of freelancers on the books who we intend to continue working with well beyond London 2012.”