TWENTY-TWO HI-MOTION II Ultra Slow Motion camera systems from NAC Image Technology were used to capture some of the most iconic moments from the London 2012 Olympics. From track and field to aquatics,
from the velodrome to rowing and road cycling, the Hi-Motion II found itself at the centre of this summer’s sporting action, capturing images at up to 1,000fps. Two gyro-stabilised units were mounted on camera cars for tracking shots and increased manoeuvrability, while a further unit saw duty mounted on a Wescam XR in the prow of a pursuit boat at Dorney Lake. Hi-Motion II cameras were also at recent equestrian, triathlon, mountain bike, BMX, canoe slalom, basketball and gymnastic events. The 22 cameras were supplied
by Fletcher London, while Fletcher and NAC also had a support team of six people in the field ensuring everything ran smoothly at the various sports
A clear view: NRK studio overlooking the Olympic Park in Stratford
Rosco helps broadcasters to capture Olympic VIEW
By Melanie Dayasena-Lowe A marathon effort: Ultra slow-mo shots were a major feature of the Games
venues around London where the Hi-Motion II was used. “One of the big changes the industry has seen since Beijing 2008 is the amount of ultra-slow motion that TV directors want to include in their broadcasts,” commented Andy Hayford, international sales manager, NAC Image Technology. “We are delighted that so many of those ‘money shots’ this summer have been taken with the Hi-Motion II, which has worked superbly in
varied lighting conditions. We’ve really been able to push up the frame-rate, slow the action down, and help the viewer get under the skin of so many sports.” The Hi-Motion II cameras use a unique three chip (CMOS) sensor capable of capturing more than 10X high speed images in Full HD and provide simultaneous output of live realtime video and ultra- slow motion replay video. www.hi-motion.netwww.nacinc.com
PlayBox has moved to larger premises in Sofia
STUDIO TELEMUNDOwas looking for the perfect backdrop behind their anchors for their London 2012 Olympic coverage. Space around the stadium was limited, so broadcasters began looking for alternative solutions. Broadcasters needed to make sure the windows of their studio were not blown out by the brightness of the exterior light so Telemundo turned to products like Rosco N.6 Roscolex Acrylic Panels. Many other studios installed
Staff enjoy a celebratory drink at the new PHABRIX facility
Companies on the move: PHABRIX and PlayBox Technology have both moved to new premises. PHABRIX’s new home is a purpose built headquarters in Thatcham, Berkshire. With over 1000 sq metres of space, the new building has been designed to accommodate up to 80 staff. There is an area where personnel and customers can mix in an informal space and two large meeting rooms for seminars and product demonstrations. PlayBox Technology has moved to larger premises in Sofia, Bulgaria. The move to the new Trade Center Europe offices provides over 10,000sqft (950sqm) and includes Research & Development as well as operational and warehousing facilities. www.phabrix.comwww.playbox.tv
Rosco VIEW, a product that was engineered to control the exposure in windows using a two-part system: part 1, a rigid Rosco VIEW Panel installed in the window, and part 2, a corresponding Rosco VIEW Camera Filter inserted into the camera. Rotating the camera filter causes it to cross-polarise with the panel in the window, which gives studios instantaneous control over the brightness seen in the window — even remotely. The best example of this was in
Norway’s NRK Broadcast Studio built on top of scaffolding rising over four storeys high. The company installed 13 Rosco VIEW panels into their scaffold- top studio and had three cameras
outfitted with Rosco VIEW Camera Filters. NRK sent a skeleton crew to operate the studio, opting to control most of the lighting, sound — and even the Rosco VIEW — from the studio in Norway. The Rosco VIEW GUI (Graphic User Interface) allows the control room to network with the Rosco VIEW Camera Filter Rotators — allowing them to control the brightness of the windows in their studio from over 1,000 miles away. One of the most remarkable
achievements by broadcasters at the Olympics was the Olympic Broadcast Services TV Tower — a series of 10 studios manufactured out of sea-freight containers. Each studio inside the OBS Tower was two containers wide and comes with windows that look out onto London’s Olympic Park. However, each of the incoming broadcasters leasing those studios were left to their own devices in how they would address the overpowering brightness coming through the windows in order for their viewers to see the Olympic- scape in the background. Some studios opted for gel while some chose N.6 Roscolex Panels — but four of the 10 studios in the tower chose Rosco VIEW. www.rosco.com