SVG Europe Sit-Down: TV Skyline CEO Wolfgang Reeh with thoughts on HDR and IBC innovations

TV Skyline CEO Wolfgang Reeh

TV Skyline is located in Mainz within the Sky Centre office space. The products developed by TV Skyline include its own speciality cameras and tracking systems. The subsidiary, broadcast-Concept, has developed the Broadcast Manager software for quoting, scheduling to billing and accounting, ensuring that at all levels and work processes can be optimised and simplified. Its portfolio also includes separate studio operations and capacities in the field of digitisation and post-production. Our conversation with CEO Wolfgang Reeh covered a number of crucial recent format-related developments…

Last year you said that the biggest challenge was to create a simplified workflow for combined HD/UHD/HDR productions out of one OB truck. What progress has been made in this area?

After realising a great many HD/UHD productions, we have now a stable and reliable workflow for these technologies. Several details have been optimised. Converters are getting better and better and this will bring even more simplification in the future.

Clients are always looking to reduce costs. As an OB provider what can you do to help clients in this regard?

Our progress in bringing more efficiency into our service is based on continuous work. There are more small steps than big ones, because we think that the quality of our service is even more important.

Has the increasing use of remote production impacted your work?

We started with remote productions in 2013 and we have continued to collect a great deal of experience – and still do today. There has been no big impact on our work so far.

Where will we be regarding HDR by the end of 2018? And does the take up carry across different countries?

As long as we have at least three different formats to deal with it will not really push this innovation. There are a lot of tests going on and we see some projects in development. As HDR + WCG is a new technology, the consumers need new equipment as well.

So, by the end of 2018 it will be possible to realise OB work in HD – SDR, combined with UHD – HDR, on a regular basis.

What innovations would you like to see introduced at IBC?

It would be good to see more 12G equipment. For medium-sized trucks it is still a good solution, we think.

Do you have any future plans you can share?

We are always evaluating new technologies and business options for our company. Right now, though, there is nothing that we can share.