Latest IMG studio facility relies on Vinten
UK: IMG Media’s new London-based facility, which was created to service a specific contract with Premier League Productions, has been set up around Vinten pedestals, tripods and heads. Broadcasting EPL to rights-holders worldwide, the service is offered to broadcasters 24 hours a day and includes a mix of studio-based output, including wraps around up to six live football matches a week, regular news shows and additional magazine programming.
The studio equipment includes three cameras mounted on Vinten Osprey Elite pedestals, and a fourth on a Vinten tripod, all using Vinten Vision 250 pan and tilt heads. The Osprey Elite is a versatile studio pedestal, with a two-stage elevation for on-shot movement of 770mm. With full crab and steer facilities the pedestal moves freely around the studio floor. The companion Vision 250 head combines Vinten unique Perfect Balance with its innovative TF drag system, allowing operators to set precisely the characteristics with which they feel comfortable.
When John O’Reilly, sales manager, Broadcast & Production Services (BPS), was approached by IMG for camera support, he instantly knew that Vinten was the answer: “We’ve had a lot of experience with Vinten in the past and we were confident that they could meet the brief and deliver the reliable and accurate equipment needed for this project”.
“As one of the world’s largest independent producers and distributors of sports programming, our knowledge of broadcast equipment is extensive and all of our studios use Vinten tripods, heads and pedestals,” said Richard Allingham, production manager, IMG Media. “With BPS’s recommendation and our previous experience, I never considered anything else for the new facility – they were the natural choice.”
Peter Harman, product manager at Vinten, added: “When a studio is in constant use, over long periods of time, Vinten’s Perfect Balance is more important than ever. Operators can line up a shot and leave it, confident the camera will remain completely motionless in every dimension. For a studio using modern lightweight digital HD cameras and compact lenses, the Osprey and Vision 100 is a perfect combination: light, simple to set up and use, cost-effective and 100% reliable.”