SPONSORED CONTENT
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visual revolution
The creative process merges concert design with the logic of motion graphics and live TV production
is the best I’ve experienced. Whether it’s a bug fix or a new feature, they’re responsive across time zones.” Now in the middle of a ten-week US run, Metallica’s team is already thinking ahead to future shows and creative possibilities – and PIXERA is set to play a key role in bringing those plans to life. “PIXERA feels future-proof,” Leonard concludes. “We’re already planning to adapt these files for other shows – it’s that versatile.”
despite hundreds of cables,” Denney explains. “PIXERA’s Hub tool simplifies managing eight servers – from network configuration to fan speeds – making our workflow incredibly efficient.” That efficiency is crucial, but the real star is the creative flexibility PIXERA allows. Video director Gene McAuliffe, who was instrumental in pushing for the system, saw its potential to transform how a live audience experiences a show. “The system lets us play around with perspective, wrapping visuals across multiple towers or isolating them for impact. It’s about giving fans a unique view from every angle,” Leonard recalls from discussions with McAuliffe. Denney also points to the unparalleled support from the PIXERA team as a deciding factor in the system’s success. “From Soundstorm to now, their support
tower receives a 4K signal, and our utility machine handles additional outputs for festivals or broadcasts, like when we streamed to 3000 cinemas worldwide.” Storage capacity is just as critical. Each night’s content folder weighs around 3.5TB, but PIXERA’s 16TB drives (upgradable to 60TB) make it easy to pivot between set-ups – whether it’s the main tower show or a leaner festival config, without the need to offload files. The system doesn’t just sit in a rack backstage. It moves as part of the six custom ‘barges’ that make up the tour’s mobile video infrastructure. Fibre lines stretch from video village out to the towers hundreds of metres away, and the modularity of the barges helped the crew to move fast. “The barges cut our server and camera set up time to under an hour,
To learn more about AV Stumpfl’s PIXERA, visit avstumpfl.com/en/pixera
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