Argentina. Otra Vuelta Broadcasting, an Argentine company specialized in conventional live and Internet broadcasts, relied on an ATEM Constellation 8K mixer and several URSA Broadcast G2 units to achieve an immersive 360-degree experience during the three sold-out concerts of DJ Bizarrap at the Hipódromo Argentino de Palermo in Buenos Aires.
Since 2007, Otra Vuelta Broadcasting provides services related to the transmission of live productions, sports shows, electronic sports, and political and business events, among others. The company constantly seeks to take advantage of the latest technological advances in this area and has modernized its work dynamics by resorting to Blackmagic Design products in order to achieve a high quality cinematographic appearance in the productions of its clients without exceeding budget, something that was fundamental in the case of Bizarrap concerts.
The stage used during the three days of shows was surrounded by screens that provided an immersive experience, both to the audience present and to the spectators in their homes. To achieve this goal, Otra Vuelta Broadcasting used 23 cameras, 16 of them manufactured by Blackmagic Design, including six URSA Broadcast G2 units and five Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro that captured the images in Blackmagic RAW format.
"We worked with cameras during two of the concerts and broadcast the third through DirecTV Go," explained Rodolfo Cesatti, partner of Otra Vuelta Broadcasting together with Javier Delichotti. "Bizarrap is characterized by using lights and electrifying visuals that are projected through the screens around the stage, so it was essential to have film cameras that allow us to capture colors clearly."
The URSA Broadcast G2 units were mounted on cranes in different parts of the enclosure for the purpose of filming from different angles. At the same time, close-ups of Bizarrap were recorded camera in hand with the Pocket Cinema Camera 6K Pro models, in order to transmit to the audience the feeling of being with the artist on stage. On the other hand, several members of the Otra Vuelta Broadcasting team used these models when walking among the audience to record the atmosphere and adrenaline.
"We were able to offer people present and viewers in their homes a complete sensory experience thanks to the quality of the footage recorded and the low price of the cameras, which allowed us to use a large number of units. It was also important for us to have the ability to shoot in 4K with both camera models, as this brought uniformity to the show," he added.
Regarding the dynamic lighting of the concerts, Otra Vuelta Broadcasting relied on two ATEM Camera Control Panel devices to adjust the color of the cameras according to the changes of the light on stage and resorted to an ATEM Constellation 8K mixer for the effects of alternating between the signals. In turn, given the dimensions of the enclosure, Blackmagic Camera Fiber Converter and Blackmagic Studio Fiber Converter units were used to connect the URSA Broadcast G2 cameras to the mixer – located at a distance of 300 meters – through a single fiber optic cable.
"We had to record a master copy of the concert in 4K and, in turn, transmit the signal to a mobile outdoor unit to broadcast it through the DirecTV Go platform," said Cesatti. "The ATEM Constellation 8K allowed us to transmit the secondary signals to the ATEM Camera Control Panel devices to adjust the color on the fly. We also managed another mix with the ATEM 2 M/E Production Studio 4K model, in order to obtain images for the closed circuit television, some of which were broadcast directly and others after additional processing by the Bizarrap team. In turn, the 24 auxiliary outputs of the 8K version gave us the possibility of directly recording the images captured by the cameras through the HyperDeck devices installed in the rack. We really took full advantage of the performance of the ATEM Constellation 8K."
"On the other hand, the connectivity between the mixer and the URSA units facilitated communication between the director and the cameramen, those responsible for the cranes and the spider camera, and the rest of the team," he added.
"Our company has grown steadily over the years, so it's paramount to stay ahead of the curve in the technology we use." "Working with Blackmagic Design on such a complex production is a testament to the high quality and flexibility of their products. These teams were instrumental in successfully delivering such a dynamic show, and we look forward to our next project."
