Broadcast News

Bookmark and Share
12/12/2008

Catalyst Colours The Money

Three dual output Catalyst G5 HD digital media servers formed a fast flexible control hub driving all the digital lightsources and video surfaces on the set of the new ITV prime time games show, 'The Colour of Money', presented by Chris Tarrant.
In a bold creative and technical statement, the lighting design developed for the show by Tom Kinane and Svend Pedersen didn't contain a single moving light, and was styled to compliment Patrick Doherty's eye-catching media-based stage set, and to offer a dramatic presentation departure from previous Chris Tarrant shows.
The Catalysts were supplied by Ross Williams and operated by Pedersen using a WholeHog 3 console, running 16 DMX universes and controlling up to 2060 individual fixtures around Studio 1 at the London Weekend Television HQ on London's South Bank.
Pedersen created approximately 200 custom video clips for the show, many of them involving turning the set into the idiosyncratic colour schemes needed to match the different 'colours' of the money (all real cash) in the machines as the game was played. They also did banner texts of contestants' names and the programme Ident.
The Catalysts drove 44 i-Pix BB4 and seven BB7 LED wash lights and nine different screen surfaces, including Barco O-Lite banners curving around the back of the set along with three G-LEC header banners, one large G-LEC background screen, a large high resolution central screen and three low res screens at the back providing camera candy in reverse shots of the contestants.
Pedersen really made the most of the Catalyst's Mix Windows facility, which allows different outputs to be fed to multiple screens via the abilty to assign mixes to layers, which he describes as "incredible".
Mix Windows also slims down the amount of hardware now needed to achieve very complex results, whilst allowing designers and programmers more options than ever, a real asset in the world of TV where sets increasingly feature digital scenery needing specialist media and visuals needed to run them.
One output of Pedersen's Catalysts was sent to the studio vision mixer and another to LED screen providers CT's Barco Folsom picture management system where they were sized to fit the screens.
For Pedersen and Kinane, Catalyst is the control platform of choice for LED surfaces and digital lighting on high profile TV productions. Kinane said: "It's completely stable and reliable. We've never had a problem with a Catalyst on any of our shows and that's a paramount consideration as time is always tight and we need to be assured that the machine/s will run with no glitches."
Pedersen added: "Richard Bleasdale's constant software updates ensures a phenomenal amount of freedom for designers, and it's great to be able to import images without any file size restrictions or not having to worry about codecs, etc..."
He added that the service and support from exclusive UK distributors Projected Image Digital is also superlative.
Further information is available at: www.pi-digital.co.uk.
(KMcA)
Solidmate Ltd Memory Card Hire London

Top Related Stories
Click here for the latest broadcast news stories.

01/09/2023
CueScript To Unveil Tools Needed For Broadcasters To More Easily Produce Content
At IBC 2023 (Stand 11.D10), CueScript is to showcase a range of tools needed for broadcasters to more easily produce content in the field. This includ
17/08/2023
Palmer Digital Group Unveils New Line Of On-Wall Outdoor Digital Menu Boards
Palmer Digital Group has announced a new line of on-wall outdoor digital menu boards for the restaurant industry. The new series targets QSRs and fast
14/03/2023
Visix Adds Digital Designs To Its epaper Product Line
Visix has added digital desk signs to its epaper line of products to further support hybrid workplaces. The new EPS 42 epaper desk sign is small, ligh
23/02/2004
Digital media server technology used for ‘Jet Set’
Television lighting designers/directors Mark Kenyon and Will Charles are pioneering new visual horizons in the world of broadcast television with the
03/08/2009
Mariinsky Theatre Invests In Catalyst For Ring Cycle
UK Catalyst distributor SNP Productions has supplied three top spec Catalyst v4 PRO media servers in custom SNP designed Catalyst system flightcases t
24/02/2009
Catalyst For The Krypton Factor
Visuals and moving light director Svend Pedersen made extensive use of a Catalyst digital media server to illuminate and animate the set for the lates
20/03/2024
Pikolo Systems Group Teams Up With Actus Digital
Pikolo Systems Group has entered into a strategic partnership with Actus Digital (Actus) to streamline and increase engagement for broadcast operation
07/04/2008
Catalyst On James Blunt Tour
A Catalyst V 4 digital media server is at the core of Paul Normandale's visual design for the 2008 James Blunt world tour. It's the first time Catalys
09/08/2023
Actus Digital To Unveil New Products To Its Intelligent Monitoring Platform
Actus Digital is to introduce two new products along with enhancements to its Intelligent Monitoring Platform. As the only global monitoring company,
02/08/2023
Actus Digital Appoints VP Of Solutions Engineering
Actus Digital has announced that Ric Belding has joined the company as Vice President of Solutions Engineering. With a distinguished career spanning o
28/07/2023
Carousel Digital Signage Keeps Campus Messaging Lively For Butler University
Carousel Digital Signage continues to strengthen relationships with long-time customers by transitioning server-based digital signage systems to the c
24/07/2023
Xilica Teams Up With Lumens Digital Optics
Xilica® has partnered with Lumens Digital Optics, Inc. to deliver greater AV automation in hybrid collaboration spaces. The partnership integrates Lum
10/03/2023
Broadcast Beat Studios To Produce Four-Day International Telecast
Broadcast Beat Studios (booth# C8835) and Broadcast Beat, in association with NAB, will produce the 2023 edition of NAB Show LIVE from NAB Show® in La
03/05/2023
Digital Nirvana's MediaServicesIQ Version 2 Wins 2023 NAB Show Award
Digital Nirvana has confirmed that its MediaServicesIQ Version 2 has won in the AI/Machine Learning category winner in the 2023 NAB Show Product of th
28/04/2023
Triveni Digital Wins Several Awards At NAB Show 2023
Triveni Digital has received several awards at the 2023 NAB Show for its outstanding ATSC 3.0 technology innovation. Triveni Digital's new ATSC 3.0 Tr