Tag Archive: Broadcast lighting

1. WL helps raise the game with innovative studio technology for ITV Sport’s coverage of the UEFA Euro 2020 Championship

   27 July 2021 17:58 Leave a Comment

   Having previously delivered many creative technical solutions for ITV Sports’ studios during major sporting events, White Light (WL) was engaged for ITV’s coverage of the 2020 UEFA European Football Championship. As a leading specialist in delivering innovative studio technology of this nature, WL developed and delivered a creative technological solution for the studio presentation.

   • 

   • 

   • 

   Working under the direction of Paul McNamara, Senior Director and Executive Producer for major events at ITV Sport, WL worked alongside some of the broadcast industry’s most creative minds. Planning for the tournament was complex and challenging, with the team facing a complete overhaul of production plans due to the COVID-19 pandemic forcing a year long delay. ITV had to relocate from the originally planned rooftop studio location in Central London and chose Maidstone Studios as a COVID-secure home for the tournament in 2021.  

   An innovative hybrid extended reality (XR) studio was designed which, for the first time, placed a real studio set inside a much larger virtual studio. Building on the concept that the same project team initially conceived for ITV Sport’s coverage of the 2018 World Cup in Russia, the boundaries of innovative studio technology were pushed even further. A 360° expansive virtual environment was created, without any of the challenges of working with green screen. 

   WL’s Innovation & Media Solutions teams designed an end-to-end technical solution, built around the disguise media server platform. The solution integrated a 20m wide curved LED wall, which formed the background of the real studio set, along with virtual set extensions, foreground augmented reality, lighting and camera tracking. WL ensured that the virtual world was perfectly stitched to the real set, creating an augmented extension powered by Unreal Engine’s real-time graphics, which masked the rest of the Maidstone studio.  

   The set was designed by Paul Sudlow, with the physical elements built by Monkey See Scenery. The design for the extended virtual elements was translated into the Unreal Engine by Kev Cooney and his team at Level. WL led the technical integration across the project and worked closely with the team at Level to optimise and integrate their Unreal Engine design into the system. 

   Drawing on their extensive experience in delivering innovative studio technology for live broadcast, virtual production and XR, WL worked with ITV Sports Technical Supervisor Paul Bateman and facilities provider Arena to design a robust solution. The system facilitated four studio cameras which could be triggered by the vision mixer as per a standard workflow, but with the actual cameras being cut in the disguise media servers. This allowed WL to ensure that content in the LED video walls, virtual set extensions and AR, cut perfectly in sync to the perspective of each camera when switching between shots. The foreground AR content was provided to WL as a traditional key and fill for each camera by AE Live. 

   The ground-breaking disguise RenderStream technology allowed WL’s operators on-site in Maidstone to sequence, control and deliver a wide range of content into the hybrid set – treating the real LED wall and virtual world as one unified digital canvas. The team could paint live feeds from the vision mixer and EVS replays into any element of the set. Other dynamic content feeds included 11k video loops of Central London views and live panoramic UHD feeds from the host broadcaster fed directly from the stadiums across Europe.   

   Andy Hook, WL’s Technical Solutions Director, says “disguise RenderStream gives us an uncompressed, high quality live stream from Unreal Engine into disguise. With seamless integration into the broadcast media system, we can control the physical and virtual environments together in real time, giving us slick, unified control of the whole hybrid studio. We can easily scale render power for these complex virtual or hybrid projects by simply adding more render nodes on a 25gb IP backbone. This removes the performance bottlenecks we used to see on virtual set projects and means creatives are no longer limited by hardware and only their imagination”. WL deployed a fleet of six of the latest rxII render nodes from disguise, along with three of their flagship vx range to produce a powerful, fully redundant and integrated media system to run the whole studio. 

   WL welcomed DOP’s Chris Hollier and Andy Cottey, along with ITV’s creative department, to their London HQ where they made use of their pre-visualisation suite for testing and programming. This allowed the teams to change the set looks, program lighting and test screen content before they even stepped onsite in Maidstone.   

   Lighting was crucial to this project and WL provided all the real studio lighting fixtures and oversaw the lighting integration between the real and virtual worlds. Additional platform lighting for some of the outside broadcasts from Wembley and Hampden Park was also provided. The team chose to develop a hybrid scheme for Maidstone Studios, allowing control of all lighting fixtures from a traditional console in both the real set and the virtual environment. Hollier explains “Because there was no green screen keying to consider, we could focus on lighting the physical set without compromise. The huge LED canvas gave us a source of ambient light which affected the pundits and gave us real reflections of the London vista beyond.  This combined with the live, virtual lighting control we had at our disposal further blurred the lines between the real and virtual worlds allowing us to accurately match the changeable London weather conditions at all times of day in both worlds. This was a massive step forward for the team and a workflow I’m excited to explore further.”  

   The match between England and Denmark drew the largest football audience on a single channel ever with a huge 27.6 million viewers.  

   To find out more about our specialist Broadcast services, please CONTACT US

2. White Light Becomes A Repeated Fixture for ITV Sport Coverage

   30 November 2020 08:51 Leave a Comment

   

   As one of the leading suppliers of technical solutions to the broadcast industry, WL has continued working closely with its clients over the past few months to ensure it delivers high-quality broadcasts while still adhering to government guidelines and regulations. One of these includes ITV Sport, specifically with its coverage of both the UEFA Nations League and Guinness Six Nations Rugby Championship replays. 

   The UEFA Nations League is UEFA’s new international league-based tournament designed to keep European teams busy with competitive matches, rather than having so many friendlies. It takes place once every two years and begins after a major summer tournament; in this case the 2018 World Cup. ITV Sport has been broadcasting a Highlights Show on the evening of the matches and WL was approached to support this coverage. 

   WL’s Broadcast Key Account Ian Charlampowicz comments: “The filming of the Highlights Show took place at Timeline Studios, East London. Our team was tasked with supplying the set lighting, projection, media server and screens to complement the set from Scott Fleary Productions”. 

   

   WL was also responsible for the content that ran through the studio’s main backdrop. WL’s On-site Project Manager George Thruston explains: “We supplied the servers which run bespoke content to the studio’s large projection screens and acted as an engaging backdrop to the analysis. Similarly, our screens were also used for tournament branding. We were responsible for supplying the power distribution across the entire set and our crew remained on-site throughout the broadcast to ensure it ran as smooth as possible”.

   Following the Nation Leagues highlights, WL was also asked to work on ITV Sport’s coverage of the Guinness Six Nations Rugby Championship replays. Ian explains: “Our team supported both the match highlights and live studio coverage of England’s tournament-winning match. Both the live and highlight programs took place once again at Timeline Studios, where our team would work on live coverage one day and then immediately start on the highlights show the following evening. Similar to the UEFA Nations League, we were tasked with supplying the set lighting, screens, content delivery as well as power distribution”. 

   While the Guinness Six Nations Rugby Championship has now finished, WL will continue to support the ongoing coverage of the Nations League as the teams progress through to the knockout stages of the competition.

   Photos courtesy of ITV Press Office.

3. White Light Supplies BBC’s Festival of Remembrance

   17 November 2020 10:39 Leave a Comment

   • 

   On Saturday 7^th November, BBC One broadcast the Royal British Legion’s annual Festival of Remembrance from the Royal Albert Hall in London. Presented by Huw Edwards, this socially-distanced event featured readings, musical performances and special tributes from HRH the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall in order to honour Her Majesty’s armed forces as well as the nursing profession. Having worked on the BBC’s coverage of the Proms, VE and VJ Days, ELP, a trading division of WL, was called upon to supply the lighting production on this occasion.  

   Whereas the Festival of Remembrance is normally a live event with a sold-out audience and featuring a multitude of artists on stage together, the outbreak of Covid-19 meant that this year’s event would be very different. ELP Project Manager Robert ‘Sinbad’ Dunne comments: “We have worked on this event for several years now although it’s fair to say that this year was like no other. Rather than it being a live show, it was pre-recorded, didn’t have an audience and even the number of artists performing was incredibly streamlined, with the orchestra being a quarter of its normal size. That said, this is such an incredibly important event that, even with the restrictions in place, we wanted to ensure we created an unforgettable evening that did justice to those we were remembering”. 

   • 

   The lighting designer was Nigel Catmur who ELP have worked with for many years. While the Royal Albert Hall already has its own in-house rig, which was supplied by WL, the task of ELP was to bring in additional fixtures that would supplement this. Sinbad explains: “The evening featured an array of different performances which, naturally, encompassed a variety of moods. We would go from something incredibly sombre to something very uplifting and so the lighting needed to be able to reflect these tonal shifts. As such, flexibility was key”.  

   In terms of the equipment used, ELP supplied 46x Martin MAC Aura XBs, 16x Martin MAC Quantam Washes, 14x Martin MAC Viper Performances, 12x Martin MAC Viper Profiles, 90x ETC Source Four Profiles, 42 of which were 5 degree lenses, 4x 6 Lamp Bars, 4x MDG ATMe Haze Generators, 2x ASTRA 6x Panels, 3x Avolites 48 Way AVO Dimmers as well as mains distribution.  

   • 

   Sinbad explains: “As you can see from the equipment list, as well as with the final broadcast, this was an incredibly extensive rig. Having to move from live music performances by Sophie Ellis Bextor and Mica Paris to war-time testimonies read by Samantha Morton to addresses by HRH the Prince of Wales is no easy feat but thankfully the equipment supplied was able to seamlessly capture the exact feels that Nigel required”. 

   Following the various performances, the evening culminated in an act of remembrance in which petals fell into the Royal Albert Hall in pure silence, creating a fitting tribute to all the victims of war and remembering those who made the ultimate sacrifice to defend our freedoms and way of life. 

   • 

   As with every broadcast that takes place in a post-Covid world, ELP and its team had to abide by strict guidelines when setting up the equipment. Sinbad explains: “We started the load-in on Sunday 25^th October at 8am and spent two days rigging. We then went on to rehearse and record on the Tuesday and Wednesday. Having so much time normally would be a luxury but this takes into account all of the new additional measures we have to adhere to”. 

   For the Festival of Remembrance, Nigel was assisted by Desk Operator Alex Mildenhall as well as Hippo Operator Matt Lee. WL had a crew of ten, including five staff members and five freelancers.   

   Sinbad concludes: “It was a privilege to work on this event once again; particularly during this surreal time we find ourselves in. We were delighted that, as a company, we were able to use our resources to ensure that such an important occasion was able to go ahead and that we were able to still honour those who have sacrificed so much for so many. It was also another example of how we are continuing to work alongside the current restrictions yet still deliver the highest levels of broadcast production”. 

   Photos courtesy of BBC.

4. White Light Included in London Stock Exchange Group’s ‘1000 Companies to Inspire Britain’ 2020 Report

   3 November 2020 08:33 Leave a Comment

   

   White Light has been identified as one of London Stock Exchange Group’s ‘1000 Companies to Inspire Britain’ 2020. The report recognises the UK’s fastest-growing and most dynamic small and medium sized businesses (SMEs)*, highlighting the regional and sector diversity of the UK’s SMEs and the entrepreneurial spirit shown by these companies. This is the second year running in which WL has been featured on the list. 

   To be featured in the report, businesses had to demonstrate strong revenue growth over the last three years and outperform their sector peers, creating a unique list of the UK’s most innovative SMEs. The inclusion on the list is an indication of WL’s growth pre-Covid and a recognition of how the company has been able to diversify its skills and expand into a variety of markets.  

   WL’s Managing Director Bryan Raven comments: “It’s been an incredibly challenging year as a company so to receive this news is extremely welcomed. It’s so easy to just focus on everything post-Covid now and while that is the reality of the situation we’re facing, it’s important to step back and reflect on what we were able to achieve as a company prior to this. We’re incredibly proud of how we managed to grow and expand as an organisation – a position we hope we can return to once we’re through the other side of all this”. 

   WL began in 1971 when five friends working at London’s Royal Court Theatre decided to quit their jobs and follow their passion for theatre lighting. As such, they formed WL – a hire company that would supply lighting fixtures to theatre shows. Shortly after this, they were asked to supply a six-week run of a new production called The Rocky Horror Show. These six weeks soon turned into six years with the play transferring and becoming an international smash. WL soon become a company renowned for supplying the latest lighting technology to the entertainment industry. 

   

   Almost 50 years later and WL’s beginnings remain a perfect example of what the company still is – constantly seeking new ventures, pushing the boundaries of what is possible, and operating ahead of its time. Over the past five decades, our offering has evolved and we now supply a range of technical solutions including lighting, audio and video to a variety of markets, such as broadcast, concert touring, leisure and corporate and live events. Over the past twelve months alone, the company has helped deliver a range of projects including the BBC Proms, London Fashion Week, the Six Day Series, Coldplay live at the Natural History Museum as well as continuing to be the leading lighting supplier to London’s West End.  

   David Schwimmer, CEO, London Stock Exchange Group, comments:“This report highlights the vital role of SMEs in driving economic growth, leading innovation and providing jobs across the UK. In this challenging year for businesses, it is more important than ever to shine a light on these stories of resilience and entrepreneurship. The success of UK SMEs is crucial as we rebuild a post COVID-19 economy, and London Stock Exchange Group is committed to helping growth companies achieve their potential.” 

   The news of WL’s inclusion in the list has come after that of a national lockdown; something which will not only affect the company but also the wider live entertainment industry. For the past few months, WL has been relentlessly campaigning for wider support within the industry, whether that’s through the #WeMakeEvents campaign, appearances on national news channels or in mainstream newspapers.   

   Bryan concludes: “Whilst being included on the list is an indication of how we’ve grown in size, we also hope that, as a company, we ‘inspire’ others through our core values and the causes we fight for. We appreciate that a lot of the organisations included in this list, such as ourselves, face an uphill battle over the next few weeks and I would ask that the government continues to work with us, our freelancers and everyone else who is part of this normally thriving industry, to ensure we all survive and that we save one of the most profitable sectors within our economy”.   

   A full searchable database of all of the companies along with a downloadable pdf of the publication can be found online at www.1000companies.com 

   *Company data as at December 2019 is included in this report 

   – End – 

5. Meet ELP: The New Faces Helping WL Deliver Broadcasts Across the Globe

   12 May 2020 13:10 Leave a Comment

   

   Earlier this year, WL announced that it had formed a strategic partnership with ELP. With over forty years’ industry experience, ELP has an unrivalled reputation for providing lighting technology and production management support to broadcasts and live events. Their work over the past few months alone includes BBC 1’s General Election coverage, BBC’s Young Musician of the Year, various commercials for ABF Pictures as well as the VE Day Celebrations which aired on BBC1 last Friday. With ELP now delivering these exciting projects as a division of WL, we thought we’d introduce some of the individuals who have joined our team and look at the knowledge and experience which they have brought to the company.

   Meet: Darren Fletcher

   

   After studying for a HND in Electrical Engineering, I immediately threw myself into the world of work and joined Playlight Hire in Manchester. Playlight was known for providing the “clever” dark art of lighting control (dimmers and consoles) to film and TV suppliers and this was an area that really interested me. We soon gained a reputation for providing all the latest technology to broadcasters such as BBC and ITV, which saw us introduce scrollers and the first wave of moving light technology. This would actually see me spend many years operating most of the early consoles on gameshows and big Saturday night LE shows such as Stars in Their Eyes. Playlight then formed a Film and TV division, which allowed me to gain even more experience working on film and drama sets, where I’d be given the glamorous titles of “Gaffer” and “Best Boy”. These were all important learning curves and I eventually became our main project manager for TV and Outside Broadcasts.

   When Playlight ceased trading in 2002, its assets were purchased by ELP and HSL. I was asked to head up ELP’s Northern operation by founder Ronan Willson as they were doing the same type of work as Playlight. I happily obliged and worked on a 50/50 basis of office and location work, consisting of small PSC shoots to filming the largest Cathedrals in the country. I even worked as Lighting Designer on the odd occasion, such as the ITV Gary Barlow Special from Camp Bastion. After a few years, I became Sales Director of ELP, managing some of their largest projects and events across the globe. I now find myself entering an exciting new chapter as we bring the ELP Broadcast Lighting brand into the WL family.  This amalgamation will allow ELP to draw on WL’s strength and knowledge in many other areas, not to mention their huge equipment inventory and expert staff, whilst ultimately ensuring that we offer our existing and new customers the very best service possible.

   Meet: Robert ‘Sinbad’ Dunne

   

   My interest in lighting actually started back in high school as it seemed much more preferable to be behind the stage as opposed to being stood on it! It was an interest that would continue to grow; to the point where I was working in local theatres and even studied a degree in Electronics. I maintained my interest in lighting throughout university where I first started hiring equipment from Playlight. I got to know the guys so well that I began working for them at weekends during my final year; which is where I gained my nickname Sinbad which has stuck throughout my professional life (this is a Brookside reference for those of you old enough to remember Michael Starke’s character!). I graduated in the summer of 1994 and was told there would be two weeks work for me if I wanted it. These two weeks turned into ten years and during that time, I went from van driver and stores sweeper to assisting on corporate jobs, operating lights at TV studios and working on many outside broadcasts; from church services to parliament openings to Eisteddfods. After Playlight ceased trading, I went freelance for a few years before eventually reuniting with some of the old team (including Darren) under ELP. Since then, I’ve continued to work on countless TV projects from single camera news bulletins to Papal visits, music festivals to Royal weddings and everything in between. I’m looking forward to now bringing all of my experience and expertise to WL and working with their team.

   Meet: Matt Smith

   

   I actually had quite a unique start to my career in the sense that I began it as a musician! In a somewhat natural step, I found myself becoming a sound engineer in both studio and live settings. This resulted in me getting a job at Playlight where the nature of the role saw me develop a secondary interest in lighting; something which has simply continued to grow over the years and particularly when the company was taken over by ELP. What I love about my role is that it is all-encompassing. Whilst my official title is Project Manager, when I’m working on a project, I can also act as the technician, rigger – essentially whatever is needed. What I also love is the huge variety of projects I get to work on; whether its studio television programmes, live festivals or outside broadcasts. No two days are ever the same! Whilst I’ve worked in the industry for over twenty years now, my passion for delivering ambitious, innovative projects simply continues to grow and I’m really excited to continue doing this with WL.

   Contact the team on 0161 300 2922 or email [email protected]

6. White Light Helps Deliver Early Kick Off for BT Sport

   15 April 2020 08:38 Leave a Comment

   

   On Saturday 28th March, Jake Humphrey presented BT Sport’s Early Kick Off show from his home in Norfolk. With nationwide restrictions in place due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the show was broadcast by a fully remote production team using 4G technology. White Light was part of the minimal crew who worked in isolation onsite and followed a strictly structured rig schedule which allowed for timed kit deliveries and installation of the various technical elements. 

   Working closely alongside WL was the show’s Lighting Director Chris Hollier, who comments: “The producers (Sunset + Vine) approached us with a brief that the Early Kick Off broadcast was going ahead as normal and would feature interviews with regular pundits such as Peter Crouch and Rio Ferdinand, contributing remotely from their own homes. They wanted the main studio location to be a temporary install in a small cottage at Jake’s Norfolk home, with rigging and operational crew reduced to a bare minimum. In order to maintain the advised social distancing measures, the lighting equipment was transported and installed by one WL Gaffer, with Jake being the only person present in the studio.” 

   Chris specified Velvet Power 2s – 2×1 LED Panels, Velvet Mini 2s – 2ft Panoramic panels, an ETC ColorSource 20AV Lighting Console and the associated accessories. He explains: “I had to change the initial design when it became apparent that stricter government guidelines could come into play and crew may not be allowed onsite going forward. We therefore ensured the set up would be extremely easy to use and that Jake could control the lights himself using a simple lighting desk”. 

   Early Kick Off is an example of BT Sport’s commitment to continue producing innovative, engaging content for its viewers during these unprecedented times. It is also an example of how WL has been able to adapt and support broadcasters; helping to facilitate high-profile productions in accordance with the latest health and safety guidelines. Having delivered all of BT Sport’s Premier League outside broadcast lighting packages this season, WL’s long standing relationship with the broadcaster meant it could react quickly and was the obvious choice to work on this unique broadcast. 

   

   The show will be broadcast again this coming Saturday. Only the Technical Director will be needed on site with BT and Sunset + Vines’s entire production crew, including the Director, Producers, PA, Vision mixer, EVS, Sound and Graphics operators all working remotely from their respective homes. 

   Jamie Hindhaugh, Chief Operating Officer comments: “We at BT Sport are really proud of how our wider family have come together to enable us to deliver live topical programming but in a manner that respects the government’s guidelines with regards to isolation and social distancing. WL has been a fantastic partner in enabling us to realise our aspirations for our audiences.”

   WL’s Broadcast Senior Account Manager Ian Charlampowicz concludes: “What was great about Early Kick Off was the fact that we were able to work with a long-term client, fulfil an existing contract, yet do so with minimal travel, minimal crew and completely adhere to all of the new health and safety measures. As we move forward over the next few weeks, we are expecting to see more and more broadcasters and production companies adopt this way of working as they try to push out content in an ever-changing world. Thankfully, as a company, we have both the resources and expertise to help deliver this”. 

   The weekly broadcast of Early Kick Off is shown on Saturdays on BT Sport at midday.

   For more information about how WL can support your broadcast needs during this time then please click here.
   

7. Meet the Broadcast Team

   6 December 2019 12:59 Leave a Comment

   

   As a company, we have a reputation within the Broadcast industry of pioneering the very latest technology alongside delivering award-winning projects across the globe. Following our recent win at the AV Awards for Broadcast and Media Project of the Year, we thought this would be a great time to speak to some members of our Broadcast Team and find out more about their roles and what they can offer clients.

   

   Ian Charlampowicz is WL’s Senior Account Manager within the Broadcast team. Having worked in the industry for over sixteen years, he describes his role at WL as “developing productive working relationships with our Broadcast clients and offering them a bespoke service in order to reach the high standards expected”. Prior to joining WL, Ian worked on a host of large productions such as Ant & Dec Saturday Night Takeaway, Later with Jools Holland, The Voice, Big Brother and Mock the Week; all experience which now “pays in dividends for any project I take on at WL”.

   Working closely alongside Ian is Will Evans, who is WL’s Broadcast Key Account Manager and has also worked in the industry for several years. He comments: “On a practical level, my role at WL sees me book the crew for our outside broadcasts, which cover football, rugby, tennis and snooker alongside others. I liaise with production companies, providing them with all the information they require from quotations to risk assessments as well as make sure the kit is prepped to the needs of the Board Operators and Lighting Cameramen on site”.

   

   WL’s Broadcast team delivers broadcasts across the globe on a weekly basis, with clients including ITV Sport, Sky Sport, BT Sport, Bloomberg, Discovery Eurosport and GFinity to name but a few. So what are the type of broadcasts that WL works on? Will comments: “We work on a huge range of projects, from international football tournaments to smaller-scale broadcasts with independent production companies. Regardless of the project, we approach each one with a solution bespoke to each client. For instance, the Europa League final in Baku last season saw us (at very short notice) deliver a full moving light studio rig along with two of our team to Azerbaijan! Similarly, the NBC Big Weekend involved us overseeing three games in three days across three different cities all over England (last season it was Manchester, Wolverhampton and then London). While only using two studio kits, we had to ensure that crew was covered for all three fixtures and the kit was successfully delivered between each venue”.

   With both Ian and Will having extensive experience of working within the industry, we were interested in hearing some of their personal highlights. For Ian, his is not a particular project but rather the job itself: “I just love being part of a production. I still get excited when I walk into a studio for the first time and working with some incredibly talented people to help deliver something to millions of viewers across the country”. For Will, it’s also about the work as a whole: “I’m hugely proud of how we’ve managed to successfully integrate new freelancers and the Production Technicians into our wide range of outside broadcasts. As a result, it’s really allowed them to gain vital experience and our own talent pool to grow”.

   

   With WL being a company renowned for its technical innovation, this means that the Broadcast team is on constant lookout for the latest technology which can be utilised on the company’s projects. At the moment, one of the most talked about innovations is not too far from home. Will explains: “I’m really excited to see the impact which the SmartStage technology will have within the industry. Following the buzz it created after its use on the Olympic Winter Games 2018 coverage alongside its unparalleled versatility, I can see it becoming a common sight in broadcast technology and studios alike”. Ian agrees: “SmartStage is broadening the possibilities of what a studio environment can achieve and it’s so exciting to see this ‘virtual world’ being created. I’ve also noticed recently that the industry is thinking much more about environmental sustainability and, as such, there’s a greater push to move away from conventional lighting and champion low energy, LED equivalents – as seen with SmartStage”.

   

   As strong advocates for the company’s broadcast work, we were interested to hear what Will and Ian enjoyed about working for WL. Ian explains: “For me, it’s the people. Everyone I work with at WL genuinely wants to provide the very best service for their clients. They want to create on-going relationships and ensure that every broadcast they work on not only achieves the brief but surpasses it”. Will expresses similar sentiments: “We’re so fortunate at WL to have a great team of people of working together to achieve a goal of consistent, professional, stand out productions on a weekly basis. They really are a fantastic bunch and it’s a joy to work alongside them”.

   Want to know more about our Broadcast team? Have a broadcast project that requires some technical support? Then contact our Broadcast Team today who will be more than happy to help.

   Photos courtesy of Chris Hollier, David Carlier and Discovery Eurosport and ITV Sport.

8. ITV Racing Receives Royal Ascot Treatment with White Light

   3 August 2017 09:22 Comments Off on ITV Racing Receives Royal Ascot Treatment with White Light

   Royal Ascot is often regarded as the centrepiece of the British horse-racing calendar, attracting the best racehorses in the world. It was founded by Queen Anne in 1711 and is attended each year by Elizabeth II and other members of the Royal Family.  For the first time this year, the race was broadcast by ITV Sport, who have provided coverage for the entire horse-racing season.  Following its previous work with ITV, White Light was called upon to provide the technical lighting solutions for the mobile studio set and outdoor broadcasts at Ascot.

   Royal Ascot took place from 20^th – 24^th June at Ascot Racecourse in Berkshire. The Lighting Director for ITV was Chris Hollier.  He comments: “White Light have facilitated the lighting of ITV’s horse racing coverage week in week out since the start of the year.  The calendar is relentless; unlike any other sports season there aren’t any breaks, it just keeps rolling on, but Royal Ascot stands out due to the prestige and huge global coverage.  ITV Sport were broadcasting two shows; an hour long buildup show in the morning and then coverage of the racing all afternoon. Due to the long transmission times and multiple locations we needed to supply the presentation positions with the most reliable lighting support possible to deal with the changeable British weather ”.

   For The Opening Show in the morning, WL’s role was to install the set and provide all of the studio lighting along with the lighting crew. Chris comments: “The Opening Show started at 10am. Therefore we had to arrive on site early to fire up the studio, test the equipment and make the necessary adjustments to lighting levels ready for rehearsals”. For the indoor studio WL drew on two of Dedolight’s LED fixtures, the DLED7 and DLED9, which are small, powerful, yet extremely robust lighting fixtures, often used for broadcast.  Chris adds: “The Dedo’s came in particularly useful as they offered full control of level and colour and allowed us to achieve a consistent feel no matter what the weather threw at us”. For the particularly bright broadcasts across the five days, WL supplemented its existing equipment with HMI lighting.

   The afternoon broadcasts were presented from the open air presentation position in the middle of the Ascot parade ring .  WL had to install the set in the paddock area as well as provide the lighting once again. Chris states: “We faced an unique challenge in the middle of this prestigious arena.  The horses obviously move around the parade ring so there could be no mains power or cables for lighting.  We had to come up with a solution which gave us enough light output and could be run off batteries for a substantial amount of time ”.

   This saw WL draw on Zylight F8-D200s which are fresnel fixtures that can be solely powered by battery. Chris states: “We sourced the Zylight’s specifically for this broadcast along with a Flim Gear 360, high output LED panel which, again, provided the lighting coverage required without the reliance on mains cables”.

   The daily presence of the Queen and her guests resulted in another consideration for the production team. Chris explains: “Every day at approximately 2pm there was the Royal procession along the course with the Queen arriving into the parade ring.  This meant for the opening of the show at 1.30pm we had to relocate to another presentation position just outside the parade ring to get the best vantage point.  We would then wait until the Royal party had been escorted to the Royal box before moving back in the centre of the parade ring to our main position for the afternoon”.

   WL had two rigging days to prepare for the event. Chris states: “We worked all day on the Sunday and Monday to ensure everything was in place for that first broadcast on Tuesday morning when we went live at 10am.  We had a lot to get in place to cover the multiple positions and set ourselves up for the week before donning our top hat and tails for the hottest Royal Ascot in 20 years”.

   Royal Ascot marks just one of the many broadcasts that WL has worked on this year. The technical solutions specialist has supported all of ITV Sport’s horse racing coverage, lighting the studios and presentation areas.

   This year’s Royal Ascot attendance was one of the highest yet and  significantly increased viewing figures from last year. It was ITV Sport’s first ever broadcast of the races with  around 200 people working on the event, along with over 4 0  cameras positioned all across the entire racecourse, allowing viewers greater insight  than ever before.

   Chris adds: “This was a fantastic broadcast for us all to work on; not only in terms of the prestige but the fact that we were able to deliver on-site to a very stringent schedule. It was great to be working alongside  the ITV Racing team who were pushing boundaries in the coverage of this magnificent event”.

   Photos courtesy of ITV Picture Desk.