FEED Summer 2021 Newsletter

graphics. That’s your branding. It’s one of the things that customers identify with as they start flipping channels. They see two things: a colour palette and graphical information formatted in a way that appeals to them. When you upgrade, always remember to maintain a strong brand style.” Ferber concludes: “Also, always remember that at the heart of it, great graphics are about telling the story in a more engaging and digestible way. You can have the best story in the world, but if you’re just showing a presenter standing against a blank wall, very few people will look at it. If you make your content engaging, you get attention. That’s the power of graphics – when used effectively, it’s amazing what a difference they make.”

“It’s easier on the actors as they can actually see what’s going on in real time on the LED display. It gives them something to work with, rather than just being in an empty green screen environment. It’s also easier on the directors, as they can tweak things live on set with LEDs. If they don’t like the mountain in the background, they can just move it, saving loads of time and money on reshoots or extensive post.” However, adapting this Hollywood workflow for a broadcaster was a challenge. “ The Mandalorian had a massive set, acquired with a Hollywood budget. For CCTV, we constructed a smaller 3x3m LED wall and floor for set pieces where they had singers and actors performing. We used XPression and Voyager, Ross Video’s graphics rendering solution based on the Unreal Engine from Epic Games, to feed graphics to the LEDs in real time,” Ferber explains. “The results were astounding, and they were all done with a single engine controlled by our own interface software, Lucid Studio – which acted as a centralised hub for everything virtual, from tracking devices and lens calibration to the data connection between engines.” For those still unsure about the investment – especially when the alternative is simply to paint a wall green – Ferber advises trialling a more flexible, cost-effective solution like CCTV’s. “We are currently building Voyager as one engine that can do

anything, whether it’s AR, virtual production with a green screen or XR with an LED wall – or any combo of the three. That means broadcasters can reuse the same engine and have the exact same set-up, no matter what they produce. We believe this flexible pipeline is key for the future.” POWER OF BRANDING While real-time analytical graphics and virtual or XR graphics are effective for standing out as a modern broadcaster, both Twomey and Ferber conclude that it’s important to modernise in a smart way, so brand identities remain intact, and graphics always serve the story. “It’s important to remember that it doesn’t matter what news channel you watch, every hour or two, the faces change. Oftentimes, the set piece and studio has changed, too,” Twomey points out. “The one thing that’s always the same are the on-screen logos and

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