Workflow insight: RAI prepares for Italy-Malta Group H Euro qualifier action
Later today (3 September), at the Artemio Franchi stadium in Florence, Italy challenges Malta in the latest instalment of Euro 2016 Group H qualifier action. Coverage of the qualifier is being produced by host broadcaster RAI for UEFA, with distribution to rightsholders internationally.
The match will be captured with 14 cameras by director Vincenzo Belli, operating within 18 metres of moving track, and in conjunction with the broadcaster’s Milano1HD mobile facility. This produces a clean feed signal in 16/9 HD, which is delivered to the uplink station for UEFA who then convey it to broadcasters globally.
Camera configuration
The 14 Grass Valley LDK 8000 series cameras occupying positions determined by a fairly standard layout:
– The first is the main camera following the game in its entirety
– The second deals with the close-ups
– The third is placed along the line of 16 metres on the left
– The fourth is similarly used to the third but mirroring from 16 metres on the right.
The first 4 cameras are located in the stands at the top.
– The fifth, from a low position on the halfway line on the left, captures the details and close-ups at pitch level.
– The sixth is the camera that captures the back goal on the left (behind goal pitch level left)
– The seventh is the one shooting from the back goal on the right (behind goal pitch level right)
– The eighth is in front of the fifth and placed on the half-way line on the right (pitch level reverse angle)
– The ninth is placed on a 9 metre jimmy jib dolly behind goal left
– The tenth is positioned very high up in the stands, behind goal right; it covers filming of the opposing team
– The eleventh is a shoulder camera which, along with the 11B, performs pre-match interviews and is also used in the ‘multilateral’ by international broadcasters
– The twelfth is a shoulder camera equipped with a radio link by Thomson located on a steadicam
– The thirteenth deals with the lockers and access tunnel.
– The fourteenth is an ENG camera situated in the locker area to capture the arrival of the players
The two back goal cameras are Super Slomo LDK SportCams from Grass Valley, although in total there are four cameras for high quality replay, with the others taking the form of a Super Slomo LDK 8300 and an I-MOVIX Hypermotion.
Other equipment
The mobile vehicle main studio hosts two EVS XT2 servers and two Tricam BLT 2U units, which take care of all the replays and slow motion. The main video mixer is a Sony MVS8000, whilst a Sony MVE8000 is also available. A second vehicle by RAI, RVM4, is devoted entirely to RVM and includes a further three EVS XT2 servers
The mobile truck Milano1HD is particularly versatile because, in addition to creating the clean feed at the same time, it also produces a customised feed for RAI Sport. The truck features an additional video mixer, from Sony, whilst customised integration of four other Grass Valley LDK 8000 series cameras is also possible.
The international feed is in 5.1 audio, whilst RAI Sport takes stereo audio and a commentary in Italian. The international uplink for UEFA includes graphics, although customised graphics for RAI Sport is added locally in Rome. All graphics for both the international and RAI Sport feeds are created by Unidea.