EVS turns focus to getting the most out of replays, highlights

The growing amount of connectivity between remote production facilities and broadcast network facilities is changing the way sport network production crews can work. And nowhere at IBC are those new workflows more visible then at the EVS IBC stand, where technologies like next-generation XT[3] servers,  C-Cast, and the “Sports 360” focus are making it easier than ever to get more value out of highlight clips..

“We had to wait for the pipe to be ready,” says Fred Garroy, General Manager for the Americas for EVS of fiber circuits between sport venues and broadcast facilities. “And the pipes are cheaper and our technology is ready with Gigabit Ethernet and the ability to automatically generate low-res versions of clips.”

Fox Sports in the US will take advantage of those technologies tomorrow in an unprecedented way as a production team at the studio operations in Los Angeles will be able to directly access content on the EVS servers in trucks producing the network’s “A” game. Previously the team in Los Angeles would have to build highlights and updates from that game using only a line recording. Now they will be able to choose different camera angles and add more emotional impact to the story telling.

“We have always had the vision that someday the Olympics won’t be about the IBC but rather my IBC,” says Garroy of the possibility of having editing personnel stay in the home office rather than travel to an event. “Editing from home saves costs, gives access to more content, and raises the value of the programming. The issue is you do not want to affect the people in the truck.”

While game production may be best suited to having all personnel on site the pre- and post-game coverage of major events can become much more cost effective.

“You don’t need to build editing suites two months before a major event or have engineers on site with the editors who are there for 12 hours,” adds Garroy.

C-Cast, meanwhile, is looking to transform workflows related to the second-screen experience. The system makes it easier to make multiple camera feeds available to viewers at home by allowing the broadcaster to choose desired clips, send different angles of that clip, and then deliver those clips to a server that, in turn, readies them for delivery via the Web and mobile devices.

“C-Cast is exciting because today 95% of the work is thrown away when the game is over,” says Garroy of the vast amount of camera angles that never get in front of viewers.