Production 360 Issue V2.1 January-February 2025 by The Magazine Production Company

V2.1 • JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2025

Welcome to Production 360º

Avery 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

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

The views expressed in Production 360 are not necessarily those of the editorial or publishing team.

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.

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.

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

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. Reportedly costing $2.3bn, Las Vegas’ Sphere –which opened with a residency by U2 in late 2023

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.

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.

CORE+ TECHNOLOGY

TASCAM release raises the bar on IP-based audio innovation DPA UNVEILS

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).

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

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.

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

NEXT- GEN BROADCAST WORKFLOWS

Operated with or without CCU | Supports 12G-SDI (x2), Dante®, ST 2110, NDI® High Bandwidth, SRT, and more | Network redundancy (SMPTE ST 2110) | Simultaneous HDR/HLG (BT.2020) and SDR (BT.709) | 2,000 TVL horizontal and vertical resolution EU.CONNECT.PANASONIC.COM/AK-UCX100

Empowering individuals at all stages of their professional growth

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

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

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.

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

Kramer introduces new PoE-powered Dante speakers and high-end installed audio portfolio

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 &

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.

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.

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.”

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.

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

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

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

www.adamantean.net

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.

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.

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

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.

Clear-Com’s Dave MacKinnon: ‘Virtualisation has been really big for our business’

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.

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

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.

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

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

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.

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

Chris Scheck.

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

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

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.

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,

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

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

developed from scratch, leveraging a microservice technology that is ready to leverage the power of even more potent future developments.

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.

I S T H I S H A P P E N I N G T O Y O U R M A K E T I N G & P R C A M P A I G N S ? L e t ’ s c h a n g e t h a t . h e l l o @ p a g e m e l i a . c o m

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.

…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.

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

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.

Panasonic’s Guilhem

Krier: ‘The live industry came back quickly after Covid’

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

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

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.

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.

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.

has really impressed you?

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.

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

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.

Vislink’s Mickey Miller: ‘Live production industry is a cornerstone of growth and innovation’

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.

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

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.

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.

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

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

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.

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

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.

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.

Are too many stakeholders sabotaging your hiring goals?

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

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.

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

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.

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