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Production 360 Issue V2.1 January-February 2025

Production360º is dedicated to covering the latest developments in the TV & Film media, sport and entertainment industries. From emerging technologies in video production to strategic partnerships between industry giants, Production360 offers a comprehensive overview of the trends shaping the landscape. Whether you’re interested in the latest award winners or innovative solutions for streamlining production workflows, Production360º provides valuable insights and analysis for professionals in the field. #TVBroadcasting #Television #Film #SportsTV #Broadcast #Media #MediaIndustry #ContentCreation #ContentMarketing #LiveTV #NewsBroadcasting #SportsBroadcasting #EntertainmentTV #TVDocumentary #TVProduction #TVShows #TVSeries #TVNetworks #Broadcasters #TVHosts #TVCrew #TVTechnology #BroadcastTechnology #HDTV #4KTV #8KTV #UltraHD #TVStreaming #OBBroadcast #OutsideBroadcast #CableTV #SatelliteTV #BroadcastRegulation

Production360º is dedicated to covering the latest developments in the TV & Film media, sport and entertainment industries. From emerging technologies in video production to strategic partnerships between industry giants, Production360 offers a comprehensive overview of the trends shaping the landscape. Whether you’re interested in the latest award winners or innovative solutions for streamlining production workflows, Production360º provides valuable insights and analysis for professionals in the field.

#TVBroadcasting #Television #Film #SportsTV #Broadcast #Media #MediaIndustry #ContentCreation #ContentMarketing #LiveTV #NewsBroadcasting #SportsBroadcasting #EntertainmentTV #TVDocumentary #TVProduction #TVShows #TVSeries #TVNetworks #Broadcasters #TVHosts #TVCrew #TVTechnology #BroadcastTechnology #HDTV #4KTV #8KTV #UltraHD #TVStreaming #OBBroadcast #OutsideBroadcast #CableTV #SatelliteTV #BroadcastRegulation

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PRODUCTION360.MEDIA WELCOME

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2025 | 3

Welcome to Production 360º

A

very warm welcome to issue 3 of

this new publication. This month

we are focusing on all things AV and

live events, and the ongoing convergence

with broadcast.

This month we have some amazing

insight from a host of industry leaders,

including Darren Jackson, business

development UK & IRL — rental staging

and virtual production, Absen; Dave

MacKinnon, vice-president of product

management, Clear-Com; Chris Scheck, head of marketing

content, Lawo; Dan Maloney, technical marketing manager,

Matrox; Guilhem Krier, head of new business and market

development, Panasonic Connect; Mickey Miller, CEO,

Vislink; and Ben Swanton, founder and CEO of 808 Talent.

This issue arrives as the latest ISE gets underway. As the

show gets bigger and bigger, for me personally it raises

more questions than answers. As a buyer and with the

wealth of information readily available at your fingertips,

do you visit large-scale exhibitions already knowing you

intend to buy? Or are you going with an open mind to look

at options and prices before you make your final decision?

Have you already seen the products at previous events?

Do you have a relationship already with a person or that

company? What is the primary reason for your visit?

The reason I pose these questions is simple: cost to visit.

This applies also to exhibitors but in a different way. Do

you know who’s coming before you get there? Is the deal

almost done, with a canapé and beer at 5pm expected to

be the clincher? Just a couple of weeks ago there was a

discussion on LinkedIn about the ‘ghosting’ that goes on

with prospects and sales people. I get this daily. It’s on an

industrial scale across many industries; there’s interest in

the product, then a follow-up, then nothing.

Let’s be brutally honest. It’s an expensive exercise even

attending exhibitions across the globe as a visitor. It’s even

more expensive for exhibitors and there is recent research

that shows exhibitions represent the largest cost per lead

in the media landscape. Simultaneously, there’s no doubt

that things are really tough out there for many companies

within the chain.

Having worked in other industries, I know that the

signing or agreement to the big deals is often done well

before the news comes from the show floor. Trade shows

are the lifeblood of any industry. They represent a unique

opportunity to meet, network, and do business. However,

do you need to visit or exhibit so many these days? Can

you really afford it? Or is the FOMO factor driving your

expenditure through the roof? Are your sales/marketing

team and other components servicing the customers

and potentials for the rest of the year properly? So many

questions are in the air at the moment, and their careful

consideration can only be beneficial — to individual

companies and the industry in general.

Please enjoy and support this issue. It’s free, accessible

on any device, and with your support we can do so much

more. Thank you.

Chris Cope, Publisher

Production 360º



PRODUCTION360.MEDIA JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2025 | 5

Publisher

Chris Cope

chris@production360.media

Contributing Writer

David Davies

daviddaviesjournalist@gmail.com

Production

Dean Cook

deancook@magazineproduction.com

Production 360 Media Ltd,

6 The Forum, Minerva Business Park,

Peterborough, PE2 6FT.

Tel: +44 (0)20 3289 8015

Website: www.production360.media

Production 360 is published six times

a year by Production 360 Media Ltd.

© 2025 Production 360 Media Ltd

The views expressed in Production 360

are not necessarily those of the editorial or

publishing team.

@production360

/production360

3 Welcome to Issue 3

Publisher Chris Cope welcomes readers to the third

issue of Production360, which focuses on the latest

innovations in live event and production technology,

including 5G, IP-based audio, LED video walls and more.

6 Comment: Live Event

Technology Innovation

Contributing writer David Davies looks at some of the

new and emerging technologies that have helped to

ensure the live events market has regained much of its

strength after the interruption and uncertainty of the

pandemic era.

8 Production360 News

As the latest edition of ISE approaches, Production360

offers the latest product and company news from

leading vendors and service providers.

18 Absen’s Darren Jackson: ‘2025 will be

huge for the live events industry’

With an industry newly re-energised by innovative

developments, and a number of major tours in

prospect, this year is likely to be a very successful one

for the live events industry, suggests Darren Jackson,

business development UK & IRL — rental staging and

virtual production at Absen.

20 Clear-Com’s Dave MacKinnon:

‘Virtualisation has been really big

for our business’

From cloud-based intercoms to increasingly

innovative live productions, it’s a hugely exciting time

for the live industry, which has come back strongly

after the challenges of the pandemic era, notes

Clear-Com vice-president of product management

Dave MacKinnon.

CONTENTS

24 Lawo’s Chris Scheck: ‘Expectations

focus on intuitive solutions to

real-world problems’

Simplicity of operation, sustainability considerations

are among the issues currently preoccupying users

in the live production and events markets, suggests

Lawo head of marketing content Chris Scheck.

30 Matrox’s Dan Maloney: ‘The cloud is

having a great impact on live’

The technical marketing manager of the video

technology company for broadcast and pro AV/IT, Dan

Maloney, discusses convergence, and the need for

seamless conversion between AV over IP technologies.

34 Panasonic’s Guilhem Krier: ‘The live

industry came back quickly after Covid’

The head of new business and market development

at Panasonic Connect, Guilhem Krier, discusses the IP

transition, the universal popularity of broadcast-grade

cameras, and the possibilities of AI-based camera

auto-framing.

38 Vislink’s Mickey Miller: ‘Live

production industry is a cornerstone

of growth and innovation’

The rise of 5G bonded cellular connectivity is among

the developments continuing to transform live

production and events, observes Mickey Miller, CEO

of live video transmission and streaming solutions

provider Vislink.

42 Are too many stakeholders sabotaging

your hiring goals?

Competition for top talent remains intense, with

its attendant challenges sometimes accentuated

by overly complex hiring processes. Ben Swanton,

founder and CEO of 808 Talent, explores some of the

most common recruitment pitfalls — and how to

avoid them.


6 | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2025 COMMENT

PRODUCTION360.MEDIA

A transformational time for live events

Whilst attendance has returned strongly after the pandemic, there are now some serious questions about the long-term health of the

live industry with so many small and medium-sized venues going out of business. Then there is the great unknown of AI… David Davies

looks at a sector in the midst of a complex transformation.

Back in 2021, as the world began to open

up and live events started to be scheduled

once again, it was by no means uncommon

to hear suggestions that the live industry would

never be quite the same again. Tours and festivals

would take place, of course, but there was a fear

that — after the best part of 18 months spent

mainly at home — it wouldn’t be easy to lure

people back into the sometimes inconvenient,

and often costly, business of attending live events.

It was also posited that — with streaming TV, in

particular, hitting new heights — the countless

digital distractions of home would prove

increasingly tough to circumvent.

If we focus on live music, in particular, many of

these concerns have subsequently proven to be

unfounded, as recent statistics from organisations

such as UK Music and Global Industry Analysts

confirm. According to the latter’s latest report,

Live Music — Global Strategic Business Report, the

worldwide market for live music was estimated

at US$28.1 billion in 2023 and is projected to

reach US$79.7 billion by 2030 — representing a

compound annual growth rate of 16.1%. It’s no

small achievement, especially bearing in mind the

Covid-enforced hiatus.

The recovery appears to have been especially

pronounced in the UK, where the latest report by

industry body UK Music, This Is Music 2024, found

that UK music’s contribution to the UK economy

hit a record £7.6 billion in terms of gross value

added (GVA) in 2023, while UK music exports

revenue also hit a record high of £4.6 billion —

doubtless aided by a strong year of international

touring by major British acts such as Blur,

Coldplay, Depeche Mode and Harry Styles.

GRASSROOTS CRISIS

But away from the attention-grabbing numbers,

spectacular stadium tours and eye-catching new

mega-venues — notably the Sphere in Las Vegas

— it’s clear that, in fact, the industry is not what it

was before the pandemic. Small grassroots music

Reportedly costing $2.3bn, Las Vegas’ Sphere –

which opened with a residency by U2 in late 2023

– attracted global attention for its AV innovation.

Photo credit:

Y2kcrazyjoker4

venues where musicians (as well as comedians

and other performers) could learn their craft and

build a following, before hopefully moving on to

larger venues, have always been considered the

engine room of the industry. But due to a complex

web of factors, many associated with rising

operational costs, a significant number have gone

out of business in the last few years — with more

expected to follow in 2025 and beyond.

According to the Music Venue Trust charity,

about 125 grassroots music venues closed in 2023,

with more than 350 remaining at risk of closure.

Additionally, there are indications that the festival

sector, which performed so strongly throughout

the 2010s, has now lost considerable momentum.

Legendary Bath, UK, venue Moles closed

permanently in December 2023, having hosted

Radiohead, The Cure, Oasis and numerous

others in the early stages of their careers.

Photo credit:

Keith Daulby


PRODUCTION360.MEDIA COMMENT

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2025 | 7

An estimated 192 festivals have gone since 2019,

while 60 announced postponement, cancellation

or closure in 2024, according to data from the

Association of Independent Festivals.

If, like the present writer, you have had some

of the best evenings of your life watching bands

in small venues, then this can only be a matter

of grave concern. But even if you don’t have this

fondness for clubs and arts centres, the basic

causal link between the availability of venues

where acts can develop and build a fanbase,

and then subsequently having artists whose

popularity is sufficient to fill arenas and stadiums,

is plain to see.

Then there is the issue of new technology,

which is a recurring theme of the interviews in

this third edition of Production360º. Many of the

developments to have emerged in recent years are

positive, and in the view of a lot of our featured

companies they have played a considerable role

in bringing people back to live events postpandemic.

As several contributors note, gig-goers

now often expect a full son et lumière spectacular,

with the audio advances of the last two decades

(sophisticated processing, line arrays and, more

and more, immersive speaker configurations)

increasingly complemented by visual ones (better

lighting, high-definition video walls, graphical

elements and virtual reality).

Whilst you will now find line array technology

in even the smallest venue, it’s unlikely that they

will be able to invest so much in video walls and

interactive elements — especially in the current

climate — but they may feel compelled to at least

make some gestures in that direction to maintain

a market presence.

AI IMPLICATIONS

Then there is the not insignificant matter of AI,

which also makes an appearance in this edition’s

interviews. Quite reasonably at this relatively early

stage, many contributors err on the side of caution

about its probable impact on the live events

industry. Some of the applications are undoubtedly

benign; automated cameras, for example, or

the use of AI to undertake more complex data

extraction and analysis that ultimately yield

improvements to live events in areas such as crowd

management and security.

But there is also a much more unpredictable

dimension to AI. Its impact on recorded music is

already significant, so how might that play out in

the live performance arena? Could it be that ‘live

performance’ in itself will become an increasingly

contested notion? At the very least, it is something

that requires very careful thought and some form of

regulation to ensure that the malign possibilities of

AI are not realised.

Tom Kiehl, chief executive of UK Music, has

referred to the “wild west that is generative

Artificial Intelligence” as one of the “significant

challenges” now facing the sector and urges the

promotion of “changes to the law that safeguard

against unregulated AI, and reject proposals that

fail to achieve this.” With plenty of reckless talk by

politicians at the moment about unlocking the power

of AI, but without a proper understanding of what

this could lead to, it’s a sentiment which everyone

who loves the creative arts would surely second.

Whilst this article has focused on the impact

of change on live music, where it feels especially

acute, major technological shifts are also occurring

in sports. Once again, attendance has come back

London’s 20,000-capacity The O2

continues to go from strength to strength,

hosting a range of music and sports events.

Photo credit:

Heuschrecke

strongly after the pandemic, but there are also

questions of how sport will be viewed in the future.

At home, multi-screen changing of multiple sports

is now increasingly common, as is consumption

via smartphone and tablet. At the stadium, there

is an expectation that the production of data

and graphics will be of a broadcast quality — not

least because it has to compete for attention with

the smartphones that people will be referring to

throughout the event. (No surprise, then, that the

development of 5G networks has needed to be so

conscious of providing sufficient coverage around

stadiums and arenas — something that is still very

much a work in progress as a manageable approach

to network slicing has yet to be finalised.)

Make no mistake — many of the technologies

that are emerging now have exciting possibilities

that could be good for all ‘stakeholders’ in the live

experience, especially the actual attendees. But

there’s also no doubt that we are moving into a

deeply unpredictable period of history where the

absence of appropriate regulation — or even a

complete understanding of how AI could go very

badly wrong indeed — could be catastrophic. So

whilst we should continue to move forward with

the use of new technologies, it’s appropriate that

we do so with a little more caution than might have

been required ten or even five years ago.


8 | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2025 NEWS

PRODUCTION360.MEDIA

DPA UNVEILS

CORE+ TECHNOLOGY

DPA Microphones has

announced its new

CORE+ technology,

a groundbreaking,

patent-pending

innovation that sets

a new standard

for distortion-free

microphone sound. DPA’s CORE+ eliminates

the non-linearities typically generated by the

membrane and electronic components of a

microphone to redefine what’s possible in sound

capture. The company will unveil the technology

at The 2025 NAMM Show (Booth 18206) and will

showcase it in Europe for the first time during

ISE 2025 (Stand 7P600).

CORE+ neutralises distortion across the entire

dynamic range of the microphone, making

any non-linear artifacts imperceptible and

virtually unmeasurable. This new technology

provides a new level of pure, clean audio for

an extraordinary sound experience, whether

recording or amplifying content. It also reduces

the hassle of unpredictable challenges of live

sound environments, such as when the talent

speaks or sings at louder volumes or on stages

with multiple microphones. Microphones with

CORE+ completely eliminate artifacts, while

enhancing the transparency of the entire sound

image, to provide audio professionals more

freedom to create their desired soundscape.

TASCAM release raises the bar

on IP-based audio innovation

TASCAM, renowned for its versatile

and adaptable audio solutions,

announced the availability of the

new IF-ST2110 Expansion card

and 2.0 firmware for its TASCAM

Sonicview 16/24 Digital Mixing

Consoles. The compact, portable

TASCAM Sonicview solutions offer

an exceptional UX experience, low

I/O latency, and unrivaled audio

quality that has become essential

for live broadcasts, concerts, studio

production, outside broadcast trucks

(OB), and backup/disaster recovery.

The new expansion card brings

full support for SMPTE ST 2110

AV Networks to the TASCAM

Sonicview console at a fraction of

the cost of traditional mixing and

recording consoles making it a

smart investment for those looking

to future-proof their operations for

IP-based connectivity. The popular

TASCAM digital console series and

expansion card recently received the

prestigious 2024 Inter BEE Grand

Prix award for the professional

audio category.

“TASCAM has significantly

enhanced the digital mixing console

landscape with the TASCAM

Sonicview series. This top-tier solution

is recognised for its superb audio clarity, outstanding build quality

and tremendous versatility across. It offers an unparalleled

performance across a variety of production and broadcast

settings. For professionals looking to transition to IP, the TASCAM

Sonicview digital mixing console series coupled with the new

IF-ST2110 Expansion card provides the optimal balance with

regards to performance and cost, making it an exceptional choice

for professionals,” stated Yosuke Matsuno, Executive Officer and

General Manager, TASCAM Division — TEAC Corporation, Tokyo.

The release of the expansion card coincides with the robust

TASCAM Sonicview V2.0.0 firmware update. Added functionality

includes a new gain-sharing Auto Mixer function, designed

to optimize real-time gain control scenarios with multiple

speakers, with specialised functions like PRIORITY and WEIGHT

to enhance group interactions. Support for Ember+ and

SNMP open network control and monitoring protocols gives

broadcasters more workflow flexibility, greater efficiencies and

better performance gains.

www.tascam.com


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10 | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2025 NEWS

PRODUCTION360.MEDIA

Empowering individuals at all stages

of their professional growth

COLLABORATION AND INDUSTRY BACKING

In this first vodcast episode, representatives from Ross Video

discuss why industry sponsorship is essential for creating a

more diverse workforce. Their experience underscores how

such collaboration can lead to tangible benefits for businesses,

including greater innovation, stronger employee engagement

and a richer talent pipeline. By joining forces with Rise, companies

can not only broaden the skill sets within their teams, but

also create a more inclusive environment where women are

encouraged to excel and drive the sector forward

SUPPORTING WOMEN, DRIVING CHANGE

Rise, a global advocacy group dedicated to advancing gender equality in the broadcast

media and entertainment technology sectors, has introduced a brand-new vodcast series.

Hosted by industry professional Toria Farrell, who brings two decades of experience to the

table, this initiative addresses persistent underrepresentation of women in leadership and

technical roles.

A COMMUNITY ON THE RISE

Since its founding in 2017, Rise has grown into a dynamic international network of more than

4,000 members and over 25 partnering companies. The organisation’s multi award winning

mentorship scheme has supported countless women in areas ranging from professional

development to networking opportunities. Rise empowers mentees to develop their skills,

broaden their perspectives and inspire future generations entering the broadcast field

AMPLIFYING SUCCESS AND INCLUSIVITY

This podcast launch aligns with Rise’s array of ongoing initiatives.

Alongside the Rise Awards, which recognises outstanding

contributions by women in broadcast engineering, sales and

leadership, the organisation hosts networking events and runs the

Rise Up Academy. Through the Academy, younger talent gains

exposure to the varied career opportunities in media technology,

helping to ensure that the next generation of professionals

reflects a wider range of backgrounds and experiences.

LISTEN AND GET INVOLVED

This first vodcast episode establishes an ongoing conversation

about shaping a more inclusive future for media production.

Listeners can tune in to learn how they might contribute to

increasing representation in every corner of the industry. With more

episodes on the horizon, the Rise podcast is readily accessible

through major streaming platforms. For those seeking to sponsor

or become members, additional information is available at risewib.

com, where a committed community stands ready to champion

gender equality across the broadcast sector.


PRODUCTION360.MEDIA NEWS

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2025 | 11

Franck Racapé joins Iagona

as Managing Director

Strategy and Development

With a solid

experience in

the Audiovisual

and Digital

solutions sector,

Franck Racapé

— formerly

VP of Global

Communications

at PPDS — will be responsible for

driving and accelerating Iagona’s

strategic transformation. His

expertise in sales performance,

technological innovation and

complex project management will be

a key asset in meeting the challenges

of a rapidly changing market.

Based in Paris, Iagona develops,

manufactures, markets and

maintains self-service kiosks for a

variety of sectors, including banks,

retailers, corporate offices, public

spaces, hotels, hospitals, education,

food and beverage, transportation,

real estate, and more, managing

projects from start to finish.

Solutions Deployed +100,000 •

Dedicated members of staff: 120 •

Years of experience: 33

Commenting on his move to

Iagona, Franck Racapé said: “I am

absolutely thrilled to join the team

at Iagona on the journey to achieve

exponential growth. The quality

of the company and its people

combined with its investments into

product portfolio expansion will not

only set Iagona up as a leader in the

French domestic market, it will also

make the company ready to scale

internationally.”

Pascal Hermandesse, President

and CEO of Iagona added: “This

appointment marks a crucial step

in the evolution of Iagona, which

aims to become a key leader in

the user’s Digitalization journey.

We are convinced that Franck will

contribute to writing a new chapter

of success and innovation in our

joint adventure.

“We welcome Franck to the team,

and we look forward to his next

chapter in the future of Iagona.”

Iagona aims to develop digital

solutions designed to enhance

the user journey and experience,

improve service availability, and

add value to points of sale or

service offerings.

Enabling Sustainable, Scalable

Growth

M&A

Strategy

Trusted advisors to business leaders

of startups and scale-ups in the

Broadcast & Sports Media Industry

since 2014

advisory@808talent.com

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Recruitment

& Search


12 | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2025 NEWS

PRODUCTION360.MEDIA

Kramer introduces new PoE-powered Dante

speakers and high-end installed audio portfolio

Technology at Kramer. “As part of our Panta Rhei ecosystem,

these speakers deliver a complete solution for professionals

looking to streamline installations and maximize performance.”

PREMIUM SOUND, SEAMLESS INTEGRATION

Kramer’s new speaker line delivers crystal-clear audio, optimised

for speech clarity and background music, making them ideal

for conferencing, education, retail, and hospitality settings. With

advanced sound dispersion technology, the speakers provide

consistent audio coverage, eliminating “dead spots” and ensuring

every note and word is heard with precision.

Kramer, the leading company in audio-visual experiences, is excited to announce the launch

of its new line of premium speakers. This broad portfolio includes PoE-powered Dante

speakers alongside other innovative models, delivering exceptional sound quality, sleek

design, and simplified installation for professional environments.

NETWORKED AUDIO, MADE SIMPLE

This portfolio introduces PoE-powered Dante speakers, which enable seamless integration

into networked AV systems. These soakers reduce installation complexity and wiring

requirements, making them a perfect fit for modern installations. Each PoE-powered Dante

speaker has a corresponding passive model with the same industrial design and sound

profile, allowing system integrators to mix and match speakers while maintaining consistent

sound quality and a cohesive look across installations.

“Our PoE-powered Dante speakers are not just about premium sound – they are about

simplifying and enhancing the entire AV experience,” said Dorit Bitter, EVP Product &

DESIGNED FOR SYSTEM INTEGRATORS

Kramer’s focus on system integrators is evident in the speakers’

sleek industrial design and intuitive software. Features like frontaccess

wiring for ceiling speakers and centralised speaker utility

software simplify installation, setup, and troubleshooting, saving

time while delivering consistent, high-quality results.

PART OF A COMPREHENSIVE AUDIO SOLUTION

The new speakers are part of Kramer’s broader audio portfolio,

which also includes DSPs and amplifiers, offering professionals

a complete and integrated solution for diverse audio needs.

The speaker product range features wall-mounted, ceiling,

and pendant models in various form factors, designed to suit

varied environments.

LIVE DEMONSTRATION AT ISE 2025

The new premium speaker line will debut at ISE 2025, with live

demonstrations available at Kramer’s booth (#3D300 in Hall

3). Product samples and bookings will open in Q1 2025, with

deliveries scheduled to begin in Q2 2025.


PRODUCTION360.MEDIA NEWS

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2025 | 13

LiveU presents its IP-video

ecosystem innovations

LiveU is driven by

its desire to provide

customers with

high-quality live

video contribution,

production, and

distribution solutions

through its awardwinning

LiveU

EcoSystem, enabling

broadcasters, sports

organizations,

and other content

creators to share their

stories globally in

dynamic, engaging ways.

At ISE 2025, LiveU will

present its complete

IP-video portfolio,

underpinned by its

resilient, low-latency

LRT (LiveU Reliable

Transport) protocol.

On show for the first

time will be LiveU’s new

LU-REQON1, offering

a versatile lightweight

tactical video encoder

for public safety

applications —

improving situational

awareness and mission

performance with reduced costs.

Built on an interoperable, adaptable platform, the

LiveU EcoSystem adds efficiency and shortens

workflows across the video production chain,

increasing production value. Its solutions are fast

to deploy and easy-to-use, with flexible payment

terms to suit every business model including PAYG

(pay-as-you-go), subscription, rental and more.

Steve Wind-Mozley, LiveU’s CMO said, “We make

sharing video in real-time, from anywhere, to

anywhere, easy, reliable and efficient. Production

companies, sports organisations and content

creators can produce more content for less effort,

time and cost, enterprise businesses can better

engage employees and customers more costeffectively,

and public safety service professionals

can increase mission performance and security

with reduced costs. For solution integrators, it’s

all of the above with class leading interoperability

thrown in for good measure!”.

G&D, VUWALL AND TRITEC

UNITE TO REDEFINE CONTROL

ROOM TECHNOLOGY

Guntermann & Drunck GmbH (G&D), a provider

of high-performance KVM solutions, is pleased

to welcome VuWall as a new member of

Naxicap’s portfolio of control room technology

companies. Naxicap, a prominent private equity

firm, previously acquired G&D in 2020 and Tritec

Electronic in 2022. With the addition of VuWall,

the group is further strengthened by significant

synergies to transform the control room industry

and deliver comprehensive end-to-end solutions

to customers worldwide.

This collaboration combines the strengths

of each company, with VuWall’s expertise in

innovative software development perfectly

complementing the high-performance hardware solutions of G&D and

Tritec. Together, the group offers the most comprehensive and fully

integrated portfolio, designed to streamline operations, enhance real-time

decision-making, and redefine efficiency and user experience in missioncritical

environments.

As part of this partnership, Thorsten Lipp, CEO of G&D, will also serve

as CEO of VuWall, driving the strategic direction of both companies.

Meanwhile, Paul Vander Plaetse, founder and former CEO of VuWall, will

assume the role of Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) for G&D and VuWall,

leading the group’s global marketing strategy.

“The combination of G&D’s world-class KVM technology with

VuWall’s innovative IP-based video wall solutions is paving the way for

unprecedented market growth and technological advancements for

control room environments,” said Thorsten Lipp. “Our customers will

benefit from seamlessly integrated solutions that not only simplify

operations but also significantly enhance security and boost efficiency.”


14 | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2025 NEWS

PRODUCTION360.MEDIA

Redefine professional video production with

Panasonic AW-UE150AW/AK PTZ camera

Panasonic Connect’s new AW-UE150AW/AK 4K PTZ camera has been

designed to meet the needs of professional broadcasters and content creators,

delivering advanced video quality, operability and efficiency in studio-based

video productions. The UE150AW/AK is the successor to the AW-UE150 – the

PTZ camera of choice for many rental, staging, and broadcast applications.

SEAMLESS COMPATIBILITY FOR IP-BASED VIDEO

The UE150AW/AK supports the NDI® High Bandwidth* protocol, enabling

seamless IP-based, low-latency 4K video transmission. This is in addition to

existing support for SRT and NDI® HX2 protocols, ensuring steady performance

in unstable network conditions.

It is also compatible with 12G-SDI, 2x 3G-SDI, HDMI, and fibre output

formats. This enables the UE150AW/AK to be easily integrated into a variety

of on-site production systems, making it the perfect choice for both remote

production and live streaming environments.

EXCEPTIONAL PERFORMANCE AND HIGH-QUALITY VIDEO

Equipped with a high-sensitivity 1.0-type 4K MOS sensor, Panasonic’s

UE150AW/AK delivers high quality video. Its wide-angle lens (75.1° horizontal),

20x optical zoom, and built-in auto-tracking functionality make it the ideal

choice for a versatile range of installations.

The UE150AW/AK features an optical low-pass filter (OLPF) that reduces

luminance and colour moiré when filming monitors or LED walls, whilst HDR

(HLG) compatibility delivers true-to-life image reproduction.

Its enhanced Optical Image Stabilizer (OIS) minimises image shake during

pan and tilt operations, and upgraded synchronisation of pan, tilt and zoom

presets for a smoother camera operation.

INCREASED COMPATIBILITY FOR ANY ENVIRONMENT

The UE150AW/AK is compatible with Panasonic’s AK-HRP1010GJ/HRP1015GJ

Remote Operation Panel for seamless colour matching with studio cameras,

increasing overall versatility and functionality within broadcasting setups.

“As broadcasters, video production companies and event operators

increasingly emphasize operational flexibility and workflow efficiency, the

demand for IP-based remote production systems and PTZ cameras as

primary tools has grown,” explained Andre Meterian, Director of Professional

Video Systems for Panasonic Connect Europe. “The new AW-UE150AW/

AK camera from Panasonic updates the standard for 4K PTZ cameras, fully

meeting the needs of professionals for compact remote systems offering

flexible operability and efficient production workflows, combined with ultrahigh-quality

video.”

The UE150AW/AK is scheduled for release in January 2025. The camera will

be displayed at Panasonic booth 3J500, Hall 3 at ISE 2025 in Barcelona.

Click here for more information.


PRODUCTION360.MEDIA NEWS

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2025 | 15

PPDS extends partnership

with Oracle Red Bull Racing

PPDS, the exclusive global provider

of Philips Professional Displays, is

proud to announce a new multiyear

contract extension with Oracle

Red Bull Racing, becoming a Team

Partner while continuing as the sole

supplier of digital displays to the

eight-time Formula One World

Championship winning team for

2025 and beyond.

A partnership driven by innovation

and teamwork, PPDS joined forces

with Oracle Red Bull Racing in 2022

as an ‘Official Team Supplier’, with

the mission of transforming the race

day experience for VIP guests inside

the team’s famous Oracle Red Bull

Racing Paddock Club.

Fuelled by a joint desire to always

lead from the front and never

to accept second best, this was

achieved using displays from the

full portfolio of Philips Professional

Displays — offering live 4K UHD

race coverage, access to exclusive

behind-the-scenes content, links

to the pit lane, and audio feeds

from the drivers and crew — with

the centrepiece being a custom

designed, portable and easily

transportable 10m² Ultra HD Philips

dvLED videowall.

Following rip-roaring success in the

Paddock Club, in 2023 PPDS became

Oracle Red Bull Racing’s exclusive

‘Digital Display Supplier’. Forming

a deeper and more integrated

partnership and extending

beyond race day hospitality, this

included a range of solutions for

use inside the team’s spectacular

Red Bull Technology Campus

in Milton Keynes.

Recent examples include

revolutionising with 13 gamechanging

Philips interactive displays,

the installation of a 110” dvLED

wall in the MK-7 Boardroom, and

the record-breaking 46.25 metre

wide Philips dvLED wall inside the

updated MK-7 events venue, officially

unveiled in September.

www.ppds.com

QxP

Generate | Monitor | Analyze

25G IP | 12G-SDI

A New Form Factor for

Portable Waveform Monitoring

www.leaderphabrix.com


16 | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2025 NEWS

PRODUCTION360.MEDIA

Alfalite unveils MATIX AlfaCOB &

AlfaMIP technology with new Neopix and

UHD Finepix LED panels at ISE 2025

At its main booth (4R300), Alfalite will

present Neopix, the brand’s flagship

product featuring MATIX AlfaCOB &

AlfaMIP technology. Available in five

pixel pitches—1.5 mm, 1.9 mm, 2.6

mm, 2.9HB mm, and 3.9HB mm—this

premium panel is ideal for Rental and

Film VP XR applications.

Visitors will also have the

opportunity to discover the UHD

Finepix series, another product

powered by MATIX technology.

Specifically designed for critical

applications in Control Rooms

and Corporate settings, the UHD

Finepix panels come in five pixel

pitches—0.6 mm, 0.9 mm, 1.2 mm,

1.5 mm, and 1.8 mm—and are built

using MATIX AlfaCOB (Alfalite’s Chipon-Board

design) or MATIX AlfaMIP

(Alfalite’s MicroLED-in-package

design) for MicroLED assemblies.

The MATIX AlfaCOB & AlfaMIP

technology represents a significant

leap forward in LED panel quality

and durability. Its fully encapsulated

LED modules are built with advanced

materials that protect against

impacts, liquids, and chemicals. As an

evolution of Alfalite’s successful ORIM

technology, MATIX reduces glare and

reflections while offering an ultrawide

viewing angle of up to 175°. It

also enhances thermal dissipation,

color and brightness uniformity,

contrast, and deeper blacks,

providing optimal and long-lasting

performance in a range of conditions.

Additionally, Alfalite will unveil

new Modularpix LED panels for

demanding fixed installations in

Entertainment, Corporate, and Retail

environments. These panels are

available in four pixel pitches: 1.9 mm,

2.6 mm, 2.9HB mm, and 3.9HB mm.

The company will also showcase

its flagship LED panel for rental

companies, Alfalite Litepix

ORIM. Additionally, Alfalite will

feature its collaboration with

Brainstorm, integrating cuttingedge

3D technology for virtual

sets into its VP XR LED panels,

designed for high-demand virtual

production environments.

Alfalite’s second stand at ISE

2025 (4Q350) will focus on outdoor

and mobile advertising solutions.

Partnering with 1Trailer.com, the

company will present an advertising

trailer equipped with Alfalite Litepix

Outdoor screens. This mobile LED

display system is designed to

maximise the impact of outdoor

advertising campaigns, offering

a captivating and durable visual

experience even in challenging

weather conditions.


Riverside TV Studios

“Creating a state of the art facility was a complex

exercise to finance so we were delighted to work with

Adamantean and their creative, collaborative and

competitive approach. They have become a valued

partner to Riverside TV Studios.”

William Burdett-Coutts

Managing Director

Riverside TV Studios and The University of Chichester:

two major new studio installation projects Adamantean

is enormously proud to have financed.

Specialist Equipment

Finance Solutions

To find out more contact us:

020 3858 0161

contact@adamantean.net

www.adamantean.net

Adamantean Limited is authorised and regulated for credit broking by the Financial Conduct Authority – reference number 774119

University of Chichester

“The University of Chichester’s Engineering and Digital

Technology Park has been a ground-breaking development

for the disadvantaged West Sussex coastal region; the

contribution of Adamantean was critical to the successful

completion of this challenging project. Their diligence and

creativity have been greatly appreciated.”

Professor Jane Longmore

Vice Chancellor


18 | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2025 ABSEN

PRODUCTION360.MEDIA

From your perspective, what has been the most

important technology trend to impact upon

live events technology and production in the

last few years?

Mesh screens like the AbsenLive JP 8 Pro have

revolutionised the live music industry, despite

similar products existing for years. Their impact

stems from enabling designers to seamlessly

integrate lighting and video into unified, multilayered

designs. This technology allows for

impressive, instantaneous transitions between

lighting and video displays.

Absen’s Darren Jackson:

‘2025 will be huge for the

live events industry’

With an industry newly re-energised by innovative developments, and a

very strong line-up of touring acts and festivals, this year is likely to be

a very successful one for the live events industry worldwide, suggests

Darren Jackson, business development UK & IRL — rental staging and

virtual production at Absen.

As a contributor to your business, how

important is the live events industry in 2025?

[Dedicated category brand of Absen focused

on high-end rental/staging market and virtual

production/XR] AbsenLive does see 2025 as

being huge for the live events industry, with some

seriously impressive acts out on tour, with the

likes of Robbie Williams, Kylie, Scissor Sisters,

Lionel Richie, Diana Ross and — dare I say — the

Gallagher brothers (Oasis), so I do believe that 2025

will be a very memorable year for live events, and

that’s not even taking into account Glastonbury,

Leeds and Reading Festivals, etc.

In what ways do you think the pandemic period

changed requirements and expectations in this

part of the industry?

The pandemic forced the events industry to

innovate. Faced with survival, many companies

repurposed their existing equipment and built

in-house studios, allowing them to continue

trading and retain staff. Post-pandemic, the

industry experienced apprehension due to the fear


PRODUCTION360.MEDIA ABSEN

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2025 | 19

of resurgence. Only in the last year or two has the

public’s comfort level with large gatherings returned.

If you had to select one recent development

that has been especially important regarding

your presence in this industry, what would

it be — and why?

My extensive experience in the lighting

industry, including significant roles with Martin

Professional and Chauvet Lighting, has provided

a strong foundation for my transition into the

dynamic world of video for live entertainment.

Given Absen’s reputation for excellence and its

pioneering work in immersive experiences, the

opportunity to contribute my skills to a company

at the forefront of technological innovation in TV

shows, festivals, concerts, and other live events

was a compelling and a logical career progression.

How do you expect new technology, such as AI,

to impact the business in the next few years?

Absolutely — I express strong optimism about

the transformative potential of new technology in

enhancing events. I believe that new technology

will significantly improve events beyond current

expectations, citing the use of technology at

[events such as the Glastonbury Festival] as

evidence that the industry is ready and willing to

adopt and leverage such advancements to deliver

spectacular experiences for audiences.

What other technology trends are you

keeping an eye on in terms of live events and

related production?

Now then...I really can’t share tomorrow’s

dreams can I?

Our industry’s remarkable ability to deliver mind-blowing

experiences [continues to endure], even amidst challenges

Finally, is there a recent live event where the

use of technology has really impressed you?

The recent Culture Club tour at Nottingham’s

Motorpoint Arena wasn’t in the biggest venue,

but it showcased everything I love about our

industry. The breathtaking visual quality, the

meticulous programming allowing for seamless

transitions between video and lighting — it was

simply stunning.

This level of detail and innovation, exemplified

by shows [at venues like] The Sphere, as well as

Abba Voyage and Adele’s ‘largest LED Screen’

concert, proves our industry’s remarkable ability

to deliver mind-blowing experiences [continues

to endure], even amidst challenges. Let’s also

mention the latest immersive experience due to

open in London soon [May 2025], Elvis Evolution,

taking entertainment onto yet another level.

We’re delighted when our AbsenLive products are

deployed in such fabulous and exciting locations.


20 | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2025 CLEAR- COM

PRODUCTION360.MEDIA

Clear-Com’s Dave MacKinnon:

‘Virtualisation has been really

big for our business’

From cloud-based intercoms to increasingly innovative live productions, it’s

a hugely exciting time for the live industry, which has come back strongly

after the challenges of the pandemic era, notes Clear-Com vice-president of

product management Dave MacKinnon.


PRODUCTION360.MEDIA CLEAR- COM

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2025 | 21

Customers really like

having infrastructure in the cloud,

and the flexibility it provides is

very important to them

From your perspective, what has been the most

important technology trend to impact upon

live events technology and production in the

last few years?

I think the virtualisation of the world, moving to

the cloud, has been really big for our business. For

instance, we launched a product called Gen-IC,

a cloud managed virtual intercom, that also ties

in directly with the stuff on the ground. So it can

be all cloud, it can be hybrid, or it can be private

cloud. We have it live on an appliance, so it can

live anywhere, basically, and it ties in with our

existing equipment.

So our approach to cloud has been that if

you’re new to Clear-Com, you can start with the

cloud and kind of work your way to our other

product lines, or if you’re an existing Clear-Com

customer you can add cloud to your existing

Clear-Com gear.

So it’s really complimentary to what we’ve been

doing, and it’s probably the biggest change. [In

terms of end-user feedback] I definitely hear now

that customers really like having infrastructure

in the cloud and that the kind of flexibility it

provides is very important to them.

We’ve seen a resurgence in live event spaces, touring companies

and rental companies through 2023 and 2024

As a contributor to your business, how

important is the live events industry in 2025?

It continues to be a very important part of our

business. Of course, live has gone through so many

fluctuations over the last five years with Covid and

everything that it can be hard to get a baseline for

where it’s growing and where it’s maybe not growing

so much. But I would say that, in general, we’ve seen

a resurgence in live event spaces, touring companies

and rental companies through 2023 and 2024;

everybody’s been updating their equipment.

To be honest, I had wondered if attendance

at live events might plateau [after Covid],

but in 2024 it really came back strongly and I

think that is going to continue. So that’s been

very encouraging.


22 | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2025 CLEAR- COM

PRODUCTION360.MEDIA

If you had to select one recent solution or

service development that has been especially

important regarding your presence in this

industry, what would it be — and why?

One of the differentiators for Clear-Com is that

when we develop a new product it has to fit in

with our existing family of products and work

in an integrated fashion. We don’t do one-off or

‘orphan’ products that were developed for a single

requirement and then kind of live off on their own.

So once again with Gen-IC, we have a product

that has helped accelerate a lot of other product

development in other areas because they all

integrate with [this solution]. Raising the bar

with cloud has raised the bar with all of our

other products, which is pretty cool; having been

in this industry for a while, I know that’s not a

common outcome.

In what ways do you think the pandemic period

changed requirements and expectations in this

part of the industry?

I used to work in the live event space in the Bay

Area and I would say that the pandemic cleared

out a lot of the low-end players. The ones that

survived were the more professional operations,

and they expanded to kind of take over the market

share from a lot of the more local, niche promoters.

[In terms of our own business] if we have more

large touring companies and rental companies

buying our gear and doing more shows — as has

been the case — that’s positive.

From a consumer standpoint, if I’m going to

pay for a concert I think it does have to be a very

dynamic experience these days, so there is an

expectation of things like [high-quality] video

walls, augmented reality and so on. When I was

growing up and going to concerts, the venue

was often a bar with a large floor and a stage,

and [that was about it]. The expectation is a lot

higher now and I think that [especially postpandemic]

people have increased expectations

of the production, even from smaller venues and

touring groups. And as part of that, they do need

a reliable communications partner who provides

professional communications tools, and that is

what we provide.

How do you expect AI to impact the business in

the next few years?

It’s an interesting one, and it’s also so early [in

the overall history of AI]. I do feel there are

some vendors out there who are sort of throwing

AI at a product, which does risk muddying the

waters for consumers. Because when they go

out to buy something and it says this has an AI,

or is using an AI, they need to get an answer

to the question ‘how is it using AI’? They’re

likely to become sceptical of the claims, which

they should be.

So by contrast we’ve been thinking very

carefully about AI — working out exactly how

we want to use it and how it can bring real value.

Our engineering team does hackathons, too,

which are kind of fun and do provide a means


PRODUCTION360.MEDIA CLEAR- COM

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2025 | 23

Photo credit: TED Conference LLC

Photo credit: TED Conference LLC

Photo credit: TED Conference LLC

of tackling some of these new technologies and

hopefully establishing some basic parameters

[ for their application in broadcast and live

communications]. So we’re certainly looking [at

AI for various applications], but it has to be in the

service of something that’s actually productive.

What other technology trends are you

keeping an eye on in terms of live events and

related production?

It’s not perhaps as exciting as AI or cloud, but

the RF space around live events is getting more

contentious. Go to an NFL game, for instance, and

there’s video, telemetry, cameras, microphones

and everything else. So the RF space is getting

more congested and cellphone companies are

taking more spectrum away. And that is absolutely

a worldwide issue, too.

So one of the things that we as an industry

need to continue working on is how we protect

our customers and that RF space for these

AI has to be in the service of something that’s actually productive

communication platforms. Many of the issues

they experience come from congestion of RF, so

it’s vital that [all vendors] continue to innovate

from an engineering standpoint so that capacity

and reliability can be further improved in those

contested environments.

Finally, is there a recent live event — not

necessarily one that your company has been

involved with — where the use of technology

has really impressed you?

I’m a die-hard sports fan, including of baseball

and football, so I’m often [at San Diego’s Petco

Park venue] to watch the San Diego Padres, the

baseball team there. They often do concerts or

fireworks shows after games as well, and I would

say that the technology they’re using to facilitate

all of that has come a long way.

Whether it’s the pitch and clarity of LED walls,

or the communication systems that are being

used — which are often all IP — there are so many

cool innovations that have come into the sports

world recently. [That’s also evident] in on-screen

coverage, where the use of new technology to

do real-time analysis of the field and highlight

specific aspects — for example, where the defence

in a soccer match isn’t playing as tough as they

should be — is really exciting.

The whole ‘technologisation’ of sports and live

entertainment in the last few years is pretty cool,

and no doubt it will continue to develop in a very

interesting way.


24 | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2025 LAWO

PRODUCTION360.MEDIA

Lawo’s Chris Scheck:

‘Expectations focus on

intuitive solutions to

real-world problems’

Simplicity of operation, sustainability

considerations and the possibility of

cloud-based production are among the

issues currently preoccupying users in

the live production and events markets,

suggests Lawo head of marketing

content Chris Scheck.


PRODUCTION360.MEDIA LAWO

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2025 | 25

From your perspective, what has been the

most important technology trend to impact

upon live production and/or live events in the

last few years?

From Lawo’s perspective, there have been three

trends that users have been wanting to address for

some time. The first is related to simplicity: today’s

operators expect the learning curve of their tools

to be as shallow as possible, with a user interface

that hides the underlying complexity from those

who do not need to deep-dive into technical

aspects not directly related to the task at hand.

Expectations focus on intuitive solutions to realworld

problems, such as the ability to quickly make

the required tweaks while staying in the flow. A

well-oiled platform approach, where software apps

and hardware devices combine to provide ideal

outcomes is perceived as a big plus in this respect.

Secondly, the desire to be mindful of ESG

considerations and an outfit’s carbon footprint

has encouraged operators to reconsider their

hesitations regarding SMPTE ST2110-based IP

technology and to embrace resource-pooling

where one solution can be leveraged by different

users at different times. Distributed and remote

setups, i.e. access to processing capacity that may

very well sit in a different geographic location,

have become all but a given.

Finally, while the jury is still out on whether

the public cloud is indeed the ideal solution,

running processing and other services in the

form of apps that support all relevant transport

and compression formats on generic servers,

has been gaining traction. Today’s technical

requirements evolve at such a breathtaking

pace that it no longer makes sense for broadcast

vendors to design their own hardware, which risks

becoming obsolete on the day the first units ship.

With a view to future agility, users are advised

to select processing apps whose functionality is

completely decoupled from the hardware they

run on. Only this will allow them to migrate their

processing tools from one platform to the next

without impacting the processing efficiency,

which only stands to benefit on an increasingly

potent compute platform. This can be achieved

with microservice-based apps that run in socalled

containers. The latter benefit from a direct

connection to the CPUs and/or GPUs, doing away

with the need for a proprietary operating system,

which inevitably slows computational processes

down enough to cause unpleasant latency issues.

As a contributor to your business, how

important is the live production industry,

including a wide range of events, in 2025?

Broadcasters are well aware that unserved

audiences no longer wait for them to deliver the

expected content. They simply switch to other

channels — or should we say, platforms — that

provide what they want to watch on their mobile

devices and TV sets. For a while, it looked like

focusing on live sporting events was a sure-fire way

of securing satisfactory viewing figures.

Yet while top- or second-tier as well as niche live

sports coverage are still popular, attention spans

are shrinking among younger audiences. To keep

viewers engaged, broadcasters have therefore

adopted augmented reality, ways to enable a


26 | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2025 LAWO

PRODUCTION360.MEDIA

yet migrated to IP and the benefits it provides

were forced to reconsider their workflows and use

whatever was available to satisfy demand.

In the process, the broadcast industry realised

that top-notch quality was less important

than keeping the content coming. As a result,

compromising on quality ceased to be frowned

upon. Today, conducting interviews using video

conferencing applications is totally acceptable

in situations where no camera crew can be sent

on-site fast enough to cover breaking news before

the competition does. This development may also

explain why broadcast vendors need to be able

to support transport standards such as NDI, SRT

and others alongside the SMPTE ST2110 suite of

standards for both signal ingest and playout as

production environments become more diverse.

The adoption of distributed and remote production workflows is

one of the big takeaways that has outlived the pandemic

(partially) customised viewing experience and

other strategies.

With its long-standing focus on delivering the

right tools for live production, Lawo has become a

supplier of choice to production service providers

that cover events that are watched by billions.

The year 2024 has been especially successful in

this respect, and 2025 is off to an excellent start

in this respect.

In what ways do you think the pandemic period

changed requirements and expectations in this

part of the industry?

The adoption of distributed and remote production

workflows is one of the big takeaways that has

outlived the pandemic. While the groundwork

was laid well before the pandemic, broadcasters

with a functional IP infrastructure were clearly

at an advantage at the time. Those who had not

If you had to select one recent solution or

service development that has been especially

important regarding your presence in this

industry, what would it be — and why?

When HOME was released and implemented in all

existing and new Lawo products, people thought

that it was just another way to control broadcastcentric

hardware and software, and so were

surprised to learn that third-party vendors were

invited to turn their own products into HOME

natives. Two years later, the first HOME Apps were

released as an agile and flexible alternative to

bespoke hardware.

Despite the industry’s first forays into publiccloud-based

production, Lawo knew that

most broadcasters were uncomfortable with

surrendering ‘physical ownership’ of their content

and the cost involved in getting media assets into,


PRODUCTION360.MEDIA LAWO

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2025 | 27

and out of, the cloud. This is still very much the

case. Being platform-agnostic, HOME Apps can

run anywhere: on generic servers — which make

most sense when they are arranged into a private

cloud — in the public cloud and even on central

processing or graphic units alongside software

from other vendors.

Along with HOME Apps came the unified

platform approach that allows users to first look

at what they need to achieve and then decide

on how to get there, irrespective of whether the

tools run on bespoke FPGA- or generic CPU/

GPU-based hardware. Today’s users want to be

able to swap processing tasks within seconds

rather than minutes, and to use them where it

makes sense: close to the source or destination

to avoid network overload (edge computing), or

somewhere central, ie. close to other processing

apps to ensure minimal latency.

Thanks to the ability to subscribe to the entire

From a content-creation perspective, generative AI is already

proving extremely powerful

HOME Apps offering at a fixed price designed to

match the processing capacity users actually need

on a day-to-day basis, and substantial efforts to

provide appropriate asset and network security

for a networked infrastructure, this approach is

beginning to resonate with broadcasters keen on

delivering more with less.

How do you expect AI to impact the business in

the next few years?

From a content-creation perspective, generative

AI is already proving extremely powerful. It is, for

instance, possible to feed a generative AI engine

with some information to get usable video footage.

Lawo sees many potential applications for this,

provided such services are used wisely and in an

ethical manner. A system of checks and balances

therefore appears indispensable, especially since

AI solutions tend to “hallucinate” in certain

situations, which leads to undesirable outcomes.

Similarly, on the audio side, music written

and performed by AI engines is beginning to

scare songwriters and performers alike, while

artificially generated voice-overs for videos and

live commentary for broadcasts manage to fool

a growing number of listeners into believing that


28 | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2025 LAWO

PRODUCTION360.MEDIA

just one reason why Lawo’s HOME Apps were

developed from scratch, leveraging a microservice

technology that is ready to leverage the power of

even more potent future developments.

they are listening to a human.

AI is being used to good effect for the generation

of closed captioning, which used to be a timeconsuming

task and can now be prepared within

minutes. Outside of content creation, we believe

AI will add massive value in an assistive role.

In the broadcast industry, talented

mathematicians nevertheless continue to create

evermore advanced algorithms that help audio

engineers, for instance, cope with a rapidly growing

workload. The beauty of such automation algorithms

is that they don’t require training and are very

deterministic in terms of the results they deliver, thus

providing broadcast operators with predicable, highperformance

and low-latency outcomes.

What other technology trends are you

keeping an eye on in terms of live events and

related production?

Although Lawo has been working towards this goal

for a number of years with its unified, open HOME

platform and HOME Apps, we take a keen interest

in initiatives centred on virtualising hardware and

the benefits this brings in terms of shrinking the

hardware real-estate even more than is possible

with generic servers that are currently used for

literally any processing task broadcasters require.

Initiatives such as leveraging shared memory

aimed at reducing latency to an insignificant

level look very promising in this respect. The

ability to play a key part in such a scenario is

Finally, is there a recent live event where the

use of technology has really impressed you?

The Olympics in Paris were an excellent example,

and showcase, of how far the broadcast technology

has come over the last few years. For some

events, 5G and other new technologies played an

important part, while remote production scenarios

and immersive audio were used extensively.

Everything remained manageable despite the

awe-inspiring number of sources that needed to

be routed to all required destinations — often in a

variety of formats and resolutions.

This is testament to the creativity of the

broadcast industry and the host broadcaster,

who gladly adopted everything vendors had to

offer, provided it served its purpose of delivering

flawless live coverage of some of the most intricate

events from a technical point of view.


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30 | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2025 MATROX

PRODUCTION360.MEDIA

Matrox Video’s Daniel

Maloney: ‘AV over IP is

elevating live production

workflows’

The technical marketing

manager of the video technology

company for broadcast and pro

AV/IT, Daniel Maloney, discusses

convergence, and the need for

seamless conversion between

AV over IP technologies.


PRODUCTION360.MEDIA MATROX

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2025 | 31

…there is always a

balancing act to be achieved

between quality, bit-rate

and — [critical] for live

applications — latency

From your perspective, what has been the most

important technology trend to impact upon

live events technology and production in the

last few years?

One trend is the whole convergence between

technologies that you see happening. For example,

in live events, there is a real mix of pro-AV and

broadcast technologies now, and what we

expect to see spin out of that is more demand

for enterprise- or broadcast-[grade] video.

Simultaneously, you see that the live event people

are pioneering some innovative new ways of using

those large LED display walls, so that whole side of

things is very interesting, too.

But I would also highlight video over IP, which

has really impacted upon almost every facet

now — from acquisition on the camera side and

transport using standard IP switches, all the way

to the displays. [This includes] the whole ability

to receive highly compressed or uncompressed

signals so that the need for HDMI and SDI is

gradually decreasing.

I expect you will continue to need those [older

formats] for a while yet, although more and more

video processing is taking place using IP and a

common single cable. Of course, there is always a

balancing act to be achieved between quality, bitrate

and — [critical] for live applications — latency.

You want the audio and the video to both be in sync

and as close as possible to what’s happening live,

because often there is a projection behind the talent

and you don’t want an offset between what’s being

presented and the live [content] on the screen.

As a contributor to your business, how

important is the live events industry in 2025?

Matrox Video has traditionally had two key

tranches — broadcast technology and pro-AV

technology. In developing those technologies,

the core tech has been repurposed to the

various tranches. So, for example, we’ve been

doing SMPTE ST 2110 uncompressed video and

H.264 compressed video for many years now [in

both markets]. And increasingly we see other

companies also finding the benefit of going

more into the live production area [by providing

support for] ST 2110.

One of the most interesting initiatives in the last

couple of years in the standards space has been

IPMX, which takes advantage of all the benefits

that ST 2110 brings, but adds some of the missing

puzzle pieces that mean it can be adopted in a

broader set of applications. So that’s been a key

focus for us for a number of years now — helping

to contribute to the IPMX specification through

the VSF and AIMS, and then implementing it in

our own products.


32 | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2025 MATROX

PRODUCTION360.MEDIA

IPMX had really great momentum in 2024, and

we expect that there will be [even more adoption]

for live applications in 2025.

In what ways do you think the pandemic period

changed requirements and expectations in this

part of the industry?

One of the things that impacted the industry most

[during the pandemic] was that many engineers

and professionals had to learn to live with the term

‘good enough’ — simply because that due to the

restrictions they were not able to put on the same

type of productions they would have been used to

before. It might have been the case, for instance,

that they couldn’t get the same full uncompressed

capabilities or be able to use the vision mixer that

they were used to. It could be that they had to deal

with software-only tools, and one outcome from

that might be that they did some really interesting

experimentation along the way. Matrox Video

offers a number of remote production and remote

operation tools — making use of the internet and

cloud — that certainly helped those who required

that the “show go on” during the pandemic.

Now that the Covid restrictions have been gone

for a few years, some people have reverted back

[to previous approaches] for a variety of reasons.

But, increasingly, cloud is now having a great

impact because it gives you a lot of flexibility and

you can pay as you go — as opposed to investing

in an all-in-one system that might be sat for weeks

on end doing nothing [in-between events].

If you had to select one recent solution or

service development that has been especially

important regarding your presence in this

industry, what would it be — and why?

There are a number of video over IP technologies

that Matrox Video provides, and for every one of

the markets we’re in we make our infrastructure

boxes to convert — for example — from one

baseband format to the video over IP format of


PRODUCTION360.MEDIA MATROX

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2025 | 33

choice. That’s been really successful for us, and we

continue to do that.

What has also become more clear is that

there’s more than one AV over IP format in

some environments, including live. You may

want to use one format to move video through

your local facility, but then employ another to

convert that to another format to go remote. For

example, you might want to use NDI, which is a

very popular format in live, but also have an ST

2110 or IPMX island of equipment because it’s

better suited to some of the other productions or

production requirements.

That raises the question of how you bridge

the [different AV over IP technologies], so we’ve

introduced a number of gateway products —

including the Matrox Vion IP Video Gateway that

we showed at IBC 2024 — to take one IP format

and/or codec, and convert that to another IP

format and/or codec, allowing all equipment to be

shared using the same physical IP infrastructure

and switches out without having to convert

into SDI and back to another format. It helps

installers and keeps things simpler, and that’s

where we see real interest moving forward with

our product line.

How do you expect AI to impact the business in

the next few years?

That’s a very tricky question! As far as our own

technology is concerned, [the most obvious area]

where AI could help is in encoding efficiency. If

you have an AI and somebody who’s analysing that

understands the space they’re in, then it’s possible

to make better decisions as to how to efficiently

encode the content. It could be something as

…I do think there are plenty of ways in which AI can undertake

real-time analysis of the video and enhance the viewer experience

simple as just analysing the content, but also

understanding the type of content played at

different times of the day. For example, selecting

different codec parameters for daytime television

or a ‘talking heads’ interview programme versus

a concert production — the parameters would

be quite different. So I think AI could go very far

in determining what the best encoding formats

would be in [different areas] of live production.

There are also applications on the delivery

side. For instance, in the cloud, the live content

could be curated in different ways and the

receiver — the viewer — could be fed all sorts of

additional interesting content related to [the main

programme], with AI used to curate the additional

information that viewers might be interested in

seeing. It’s not my area of specialty, but I do think

there are plenty of ways in which AI can undertake

real-time analysis of the video and enhance the

viewer experience.

What other technology trends are you keeping

an eye on in terms of live events and related

production? Is there still a push towards higher

and higher video resolutions?

I would have said that [even higher resolution] is

now no longer so important except I’ve recently

been looking into some of the immersive video

things that Apple is promoting — for instance with

its VR Pro headsets — and that really does provide

an extremely immersive experience, and one of the

keys for them to provide those experiences is very

high resolutions because you want to be able to

look throughout the whole space that you’re in.

[More generally] I expect that we will see a

lot more VR in the marketplace. It’s still pretty

bleeding-edge today, but if the production tools

are created — and not only at the very high-end

— and if it’s possible to participate in a variety of

other events when you’re remotely located, I think

that you will see VR having an impact in live.

Finally, is there a recent live event or

experience — not necessarily one in which

your company has been involved — where the

use of technology has really impressed you?

I don’t get out to see as many events as I would

like, but I have been to The Sphere in Las Vegas,

and that it is an amazing experience. I saw a movie

there, and as well as the visuals the audio was out

of this world with so many speakers and the use of

directed audio giving the potential of everybody

receiving slightly different sound depending on

which area they’re situated in.

It’s often been the case that venues in Vegas

have [raised the bar] in terms of using new

technologies, but even by Vegas standards they’ve

gone above and beyond with The Sphere.


34 | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2025 PANASONIC

PRODUCTION360.MEDIA

Panasonic’s Guilhem Krier: ‘The live

industry came back quickly after Covid’

The head of new business and market development at Panasonic Connect, Guilhem Krier,

discusses the IP transition, the universal popularity of broadcast-grade cameras, and the

possibilities of AI-based camera auto-framing


PRODUCTION360.MEDIA PANASONIC

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2025 | 35

From your perspective, what has been the most

important technology trend to impact upon

live events technology and production in the

last few years?

The transition to IP — everything being internet

protocol-based and network-based — is clearly the

biggest trend. It’s also one of the biggest challenges

on the market today [due to the need for people] to

buy new products, undertake training for the oldschool

technical staff, and so on.

Then of course, and linked to that, we have

cloud production, which is very important as

well. And then we should also mention remote

production, which is growing a lot, and AI.

Everybody’s talking about AI!

So there are several major trends that are

shaping the industry at the moment, I think.

As a contributor to your business, how

important is the live events industry in 2025?

Well, it’s a big part for sure. In terms of

percentages, it depends on whether we focus

on what we call the ‘pro AV business’, meaning

everything that has to do with switches, cameras

and how to process the pictures. But then we

might also include the products that we call

‘visual’, which includes displays, projectors and

everything that is used to display the picture.

In both cases, I would say it’s at least 30%

of the business.

Then the other major part of the equation is

corporate, which is a big part of the business for

pro-AV, visual and broadcast.

In what ways do you think the pandemic period

changed requirements and expectations in

this part of the industry? Has there been a

resurgence in the market since Covid receded?

Well, there definitely was a big disruption during

Covid because the usual live events could not be

achieved or broadcast as usual. But I would say

that it actually came back quite quickly after the

pandemic. A lot of people were eager to get back

to how things were before the pandemic, and were

keen to restart the live events, sports and so on.

[One consequence] is that investments were

reduced in comparison to what was done during

Covid. The reason for that is that, for us, a lot

of people invested in cameras with streaming

capabilities, and other equipment, during the

pandemic. The same applied to the education and

remote learning market as well because, all of a

sudden, there was this massive need to broadcast

content, which made for a very dynamic period.

You can also include the IP transition in

that because a lot of people who invested in

streaming also began to look into protocols such

as SRT [Secure Reliable Transport]. Altogether

it meant that several things all took off in the

same time period.


36 | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2025 PANASONIC

PRODUCTION360.MEDIA

If you had to select one recent solution or

service development that has been especially

important regarding your presence in this

industry, what would it be — and why?

I would suggest that it has been the rise of our

broadcast-grade cameras for a wide variety of

events and applications. If you go back 20 years,

the quality was already there and we had products

that were used in, let’s say, some of the lower-end

and entry-level stuff. But as the years have passed

and the technology became much better, we

spent a lot of time and money developing some

very nice products that could match broadcast

specs in terms of requirements. And as a result,

they are now basically ubiquitous; you see them

everywhere on TV sets, capturing concerts and

other live entertainment events, and so on.

Along with our PTZ cameras, it’s probably the

type of product of ours that’s found in the most

applications and environments.

It also fits very well with this whole trend we see

of automation, so for example you don’t need to

have camera operators for everything. Along with

IP, solutions that support automated workflows

are very highly requested at the moment.

How do you expect AI to impact the business in

the next few years?

This is quite a tricky one to predict, because

obviously it took off extremely quickly having

not been a huge trend prior to Covid. But then at

a certain point the whole ChatGPT story kicked

in and it became interesting for many different

types of market, not just for generating texts and

brochures. Now we are going through a stage, I

think, where people are trying to figure out how

AI might be implemented in the broadcast and

production world.

My expectation would be that this trend will

get stronger and stronger because, once again,

it’s linked to the IP transition and automation

trend. Which means that the logical next step is

to not only have everything automated through

IP, but then also have some kind of intelligence

to manage it properly on top and replace some

aspects of the human action.

Now, how all that is going to materialise exactly

in the future is difficult to know. I can say that one

thing we are working on at the moment is to use

AI especially to help with the framing, and what

we call the auto-framing of the production, so

that the cameras can actually frame presenters on

their own — and in a realistic way. Mimicking the

human touch to such an extent that it’s actually

usable on the air, for example.

The biggest difference is that, in the corporate

market, we are mostly talking about meeting

rooms, so it’s usually small spaces with people

seated in specific positions. It’s much less tricky to

achieve auto-framing in that kind of environment

than in live events where you’re talking about

bigger spaces and it’s less predictable.

But I expect that, with time, we will see more use

of AI for cameras capturing live events. So that, in

the end, the camera operator is mostly monitoring

what is going on and making adjustments, as

opposed to actually moving the cameras on his own

and doing 90% of the work manually.


PRODUCTION360.MEDIA PANASONIC

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2025 | 37

What other technology trends are you keeping

an eye on in terms of live events and related

production? Is there still a push towards

greater resolutions?

The resolution story is not so important now. We

see that a lot of people are still really happy with

HD, and let’s say they would mainly require higher

resolution not for the sake of having more precise

pictures, but to have more pixels to play with. So

for example, if you’re shooting an advertisement,

you might do so in 6K or 8K — not to produce an

8K movie, but because it’s then possible to crop

inside the picture and reframe without zooming

into the pixel or losing quality. That is why you see

so many people shooting in 4K or 6K, but in the

end broadcasting in HD.

For live events, where the content might not

be recorded [ for posterity so much] we tend to

use larger sensors and higher resolution for value

reasons. The first reason being to simulate a

longer zoom range, so for example you can

use your 4K sensor but then crop an HD part

of it. All of a sudden, that allows you to mimic

a 2x additional zoom on top without losing

quality, while the pixels will be used for what

we call stabilisation of the picture. Therefore,

it’s moving or whatever, it’s more stabilised

because some of the pixels around the picture

will be cropped.

So — to cut a long story short — we are still

working on 6K, 8K sensors and those kind of

things, but not so much to get more precision or

details in the pictures, but instead so that people

can zoom inside of the picture without the need to

acquire or rent super-expensive lenses. That whole

approach makes a lot of sense, I think.

Finally, is there a recent live event — not

necessarily one that your company has been

involved with — where the use of technology

has really impressed you?

A recent project that was especially interesting

was the Eurovision Song Contest, which in terms

of our involvement was basically managed by

Creative Technologies. [Editorial note: As Official

Event Supplier of the Eurovision Song Contest,

Creative Technology delivered all audio, lighting

and video to the event in Malmö, Sweden. For a full

case study, please visit https://ct-group.com/aus/

projects/eurovision-song-contest-2024/.)

Creative Technologies is a long-time partner

for us and has been using our high-brightness

projectors, studio cameras, PTZs and Kairos

[live video production platform] for many years

now. For this concert, they put together an endto-end

ST 2110 workflow, which as you know is

increasingly prominent in the broadcast and AV

world these days. What they created with the

media servers, image processing, LED controllers

and so on was really nice and technologically

very interesting. We provided a key part with our

Kairos KC2000S1 system, which tied everything

together with capabilities including several

custom multiviewers for operators as well as

ingress and egress of baseband video.

Obviously that was a really great, high-profile

project to be involved with, and a further

continuation of the long relationship we’ve had

with Creative Technologies.


38 | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2025 VISLINK

PRODUCTION360.MEDIA

Vislink’s Mickey

Miller: ‘Live

production industry

is a cornerstone

of growth and

innovation’

The rise of 5G bonded cellular connectivity is among the

developments continuing to transform live production

and events, observes Mickey Miller, CEO of live video

transmission and streaming solutions provider Vislink.


PRODUCTION360.MEDIA VISLINK

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2025 | 39

From your perspective, what has been the

most important technology trend to impact

upon live production and/or live events in the

last few years?

Over the past few years, the emergence and

refinement of 5G bonded cellular connectivity

have transformed live production and events. This

technology allows for rapid deployment, enabling

producers to set up quickly and operate effectively in

both urban and remote environments. Its adaptability

has opened new possibilities for how live content is

captured and shared, meeting the growing need for

immediacy in news, sports, and entertainment.

Key Vislink customers in news and sports

broadcasting have already embraced bonded

cellular solutions to enhance their production

capabilities. For instance, major news networks

have utilised these technologies to deliver breaking

news from remote or high-stakes locations,

ensuring uninterrupted coverage. Similarly, sports

broadcasters covering international events such as

marathons and cycling races rely on bonded cellular

connectivity to provide real-time updates from

challenging terrains. These examples underscore

the versatility and reliability of this technology in

diverse scenarios.

An equally important trend is the increasing

demand for supplementary content. Producers

are now expected to generate material for

promotional use, social media engagement, or

as value-added offerings for subscribers. This

shift highlights the evolving nature of storytelling

and audience engagement. Bonded cellular

connectivity has become an indispensable

enabler, ensuring seamless and reliable content

delivery even under challenging conditions.

Bonded cellular connectivity has become an indispensable

enabler, ensuring seamless and reliable content delivery even under

challenging conditions

As a contributor to your business, how

important is the live production industry,

including a wide range of events, in 2025?

The live production industry represents a

cornerstone of growth and innovation as we

move into 2025. The global broadcast market is

projected to grow significantly, with industry

analysts predicting a compound annual growth

rate (CAGR) of around 5.5% over the next few years

(MarketsandMarkets, 2023). By 2025, the market

size is expected to exceed $300 billion, fuelled

by advancements in technology and increasing

demand for high-quality, real-time content.

Notably, certain regions are experiencing


40 | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2025 VISLINK

PRODUCTION360.MEDIA

particularly robust growth. For

instance, Asia-Pacific is emerging

as a leader in broadcast innovation,

driven by substantial investments

in infrastructure and the rapid

expansion of streaming platforms.

Countries such as India and China

are witnessing exponential growth

in digital content consumption,

creating new opportunities for live

production technologies.

While defence and public safety

remain essential sectors, the

broadcast industry’s agility and

rapid adoption of new technologies

make it a significant driver of

innovation. Live production spans

a diverse range of applications,

from breaking news coverage

to global sports spectacles and

entertainment events. Its vitality

and growth potential underscore a

broader confidence in the sector’s

ability to adapt, innovate and

thrive. As we look to the future, the

broadcast industry’s role in shaping

media landscapes and connecting

audiences worldwide will only

grow in importance.

In what ways do you think the

pandemic period changed

requirements and expectations in

this part of the industry?

The pandemic catalysed profound

shifts in how live production

operates. One of the most notable

changes has been the move

toward individualised setups for

each camera, reducing reliance

on shared or pooled equipment.

This evolution not only improves

operational flexibility, but also fosters

innovation in equipment design

and deployment.

Additionally, the adoption of

cloud-based production workflows

has accelerated. Cloud production

offers unparalleled flexibility,

allowing teams to collaborate and

manage productions remotely with

ease. This approach minimises

physical infrastructure requirements

while enabling real-time editing and

distribution. Camera management

tools have also emerged as a vital

asset, empowering operators to

control and configure cameras

remotely, further enhancing

efficiency in multi-camera setups.

A prime example is LinkMatrix,

a remote management tool

designed for seamless control of

multiple camera feeds.

The rise of remote production,

initiated during the pandemic, has

since become a defining feature of

the industry. This approach enables

streamlined operations, reduces

on-site personnel, and aligns with

sustainability goals. The pandemic’s

lessons have set a foundation for

resilient and adaptive production

practices that continue to evolve.

If you had to select one recent

solution or service development

that has been especially important

regarding your presence in

this industry, what would

it be — and why?

One recent development that stands

out is the increasing accessibility of

automated production tools. These

advancements empower smaller

productions and niche events to

achieve professional-quality results,

democratising access to high-caliber

content creation.

These solutions also address

the growing need for additional

material, such as behind-thescenes

footage or promotional

clips for social media. Tools like

[Vislink advanced AI system that

automates professional sports

production without the need

for an onsite camera team or

director] IQ Sports Producer are

instrumental in helping achieve

these goals by automating and

enhancing production workflows.

By simplifying workflows and

enhancing efficiency, such tools

reflect the industry’s commitment

to innovation and inclusivity.


PRODUCTION360.MEDIA VISLINK

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2025 | 41

Immersive technologies, such as AR and VR, are opening new

dimensions for audience engagement

How do you expect AI to impact the business in

the next few years?

Artificial intelligence is poised to play a

transformative role in the broadcast industry’s

evolution. Its applications range from automating

routine production tasks to supporting backend

operations and generating supplementary

material. For instance, AI-driven systems are wellsuited

for predictable formats like racing events,

where they deliver precision and consistency.

Looking ahead, AI will also empower content

producers to tailor material for specific

platforms and audience segments, driving deeper

engagement through personalisation.

This capability allows broadcasters to deliver

customised experiences while streamlining

workflows, ensuring efficiency and scalability. AI’s

role as a catalyst for creativity and operational

excellence underscores the optimism surrounding

technological advancements.

What other technology trends are you

keeping an eye on in terms of live events and

related production?

The landscape of live production is shaped by

several emerging trends that promise to redefine

the industry. Remote production continues to

gain traction, bolstered by advancements in

connectivity, including the rollout of 5G networks.

These developments ensure greater reliability and

flexibility for live events.

Budgets, however, are becoming increasingly

constrained, making it essential to collaborate

with suppliers, equipment and teams that can

adapt to quick turnarounds and tighter financial

parameters. The ability to deploy kit that can be

set up quickly and efficiently, while maintaining

reliability, is critical in this environment.

Flexibility and adaptability in workflows

and technology have become indispensable

for meeting these challenges without

compromising quality.

Immersive technologies, such as augmented

reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR), are opening

new dimensions for audience engagement,

creating interactive and memorable experiences.

Sustainability is another critical focus, with the

industry increasingly adopting energy-efficient

equipment and eco-friendly practices. These

trends reflect a forward-looking, ambitious

approach to innovation and growth.

Finally, is there a recent live event — this does

not need to be one your company has been

involved with — where the use of technology

has really impressed you?

A recent example of technological excellence in

live production was the Beyonce halftime show

during the Christmas Day NFL game. The event

demanded impeccable execution, with multiple

camera angles and seamless coverage capturing

the energy and artistry of the performance. This

production exemplified the power of cutting-edge

technology in delivering unforgettable experiences

and showcased the industry’s potential for

creativity and collaboration. AVS utilised 10 Vislink

HCAMs to cover the event, ensuring seamless and

reliable broadcast quality.

[In conclusion the industry] is on an exciting

trajectory, fuelled by technological advancements

and a shared vision for innovation. As we embrace

new tools and approaches, we’re building a future

defined by creativity, sustainability and global

connectivity. The resilience and ambition of the

industry are a testament to its strength, offering

a confident outlook for continued growth and

transformation.


42 | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2025 808 TALENT

PRODUCTION360.MEDIA

Are too many

stakeholders sabotaging

your hiring goals?

Competition for top talent

remains intense, with its

attendant challenges sometimes

accentuated by overly complex

hiring processes. Ben Swanton,

founder and CEO of 808 Talent,

explores some of the most

common recruitment pitfalls —

and how to avoid them.


PRODUCTION360.MEDIA 808 TALENT

JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2025 | 43

The competition for top talent is fierce in

the fast-moving broadcast, media and

sports production industries. Yet despite

recognising the need for skilled professionals,

many businesses find themselves entangled in

overly complex hiring processes that mirror the

bureaucratic red tape of public service RFPs.

These drawn-out procedures, laden with too

many stakeholders, a lack of accountability, and

inefficiencies harm the candidate experience and

can tarnish a company’s reputation.

As a recruitment and talent acquisition

thought-leader, I’ve witnessed how such pitfalls

can hinder companies from securing the talent

they desperately need. Let’s delve into the

common challenges posed by overly convoluted

hiring processes and explore how organisations

can streamline their approach to attracting and

retaining top talent.

THE PITFALLS OF TOO

MANY STAKEHOLDERS

Bringing key decision-makers into the

hiring process is essential for alignment and

confident decision-making. But there’s a balance

to strike. When too many stakeholders get

involved, what should be a focused, efficient

process can become complicated and drawn

out. Here’s how that can impact your ability to

secure top talent:

1. Slower progress, higher risk: Involving the

right stakeholders strengthens hiring decisions.

But when too many voices are part of the

process, it can create unnecessary delays. In

a fast-paced talent market, timing is critical

— waiting too long to make a decision can

mean losing exceptional candidates to quickermoving

competitors.

2. Diverging priorities: Different leaders will

naturally have different perspectives on what

makes a candidate the right fit. While these

insights are valuable, too many competing

views can create confusion and slow

momentum, making it harder to move forward

with clarity and confidence.

3. The candidate experience matters: For

candidates, an overly complex hiring process

can signal indecision. Long interview rounds

with multiple stakeholders can leave them

feeling unclear about the role — or even

disengaged. This increases the risk of them

losing interest or choosing another offer before

a decision is made.

LACK OF ACCOUNTABILITY

AMONG HR MANAGERS

Another critical issue in modern hiring processes

is the lack of accountability. Hiring managers often

defer decisions or shift responsibility to HR, or to a

“joint collaborative hiring decision”, resulting in:

• Indecisiveness: Without a clear owner for

the hiring decision, the process can drag on,

causing companies to lose candidates to more

decisive competitors.

• Poor communication: Candidates frequently

experience long periods of silence due to

disorganised workflows, eroding their trust and

interest in the company.

• Missed opportunities: Top talent won’t wait

around for a company to get its act together. A

lack of urgency signals disinterest and can drive

candidates to competitors.

THE IMPACT OF SLOW

HIRING PROCESSES

A sluggish hiring process doesn’t just frustrate

candidates; it actively damages a company’s

reputation. Here are the key consequences:

• Negative candidate experience: In today’s

digital age, candidates share their experiences

online. Slow or poorly managed processes

often result in bad reviews on platforms like

Glassdoor, deterring future applicants.

• Brand perception: Companies known for

inefficient hiring practices risk being perceived

as disorganised or indifferent, which can hurt

their standing in the industry.

• Lost talent: The best candidates are typically

off the market quickly. Delays mean losing out

on top-tier professionals who could have made

a significant impact.

HOW TO FIX THE HIRING PROCESS

Streamlining your hiring process is essential to

attracting and retaining the best talent. Here’s how:

1. Limit stakeholder involvement: Identify

the key decision-makers and keep the group

small and focused. Clear role definitions and

decision-making authority can drastically

improve efficiency.

2. Empower hiring managers: Hold hiring

managers accountable for moving the

process forward. Provide them with the tools

and support they need to make informed

decisions swiftly.

3. Optimise Candidate Experience:

Communicate transparently and consistently

with candidates. Provide timelines,

updates and constructive feedback to


44 | JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2025 808 TALENT

PRODUCTION360.MEDIA

keep them engaged.

4. Set clear timelines: Establish firm deadlines

for each stage of the hiring process. This not

only keeps the process on track, but also

signals to candidates that your organisation

values their time.

5. Leverage technology: Use applicant

tracking systems (ATS) and other

recruitment tools to automate routine tasks

and provide visibility into the process for

all stakeholders.

THRIVING ON AGILITY

We all know how the broadcast, media, and

sports production industries thrive on agility,

creativity, and precision, so it makes sense for

your hiring processes to embody these same

qualities. By cutting through unnecessary

complexity, empowering the right decisionmakers,

and putting the candidate experience

front and centre, your organisation can attract top

talent while strengthening its market reputation.

The goal isn’t to limit valuable input — it’s

to ensure the process stays focused, decisive,

and respectful of everyone’s time, particularly

the candidates. A drawn-out, unclear

process sends a message about how your

organisation operates.

All of which means it’s important to challenge

outdated practices. Simplify decision-making so

you can deliver a hiring experience that stands out

for all the right reasons. Because in a competitive

industry, how you hire reflects who you are — and

first impressions matter.


YOUR MAGAZINE FOR SPORT, NEWS, FILM & TV AND EVENTS

V1.1 • SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2024

Keeping your finger

on the evolution

of production

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V1.2 • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2024

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