Broadcast TECH
Number of destinations to which SIS LIVE distributes feeds
1,000
Wimbledon: the onsite central apparatus room receives feeds from more than 100 onsite sources
WIMBLEDON 2012 SIS LIVE FOR BBC
Units used OB1 and three others Cameras 70+
How did you get involved in this OB? Alan Wright, OB project manager, SIS LIVE The BBC has been broadcasting the tournament on TV since 1937. In 2008, SIS LIVE acquired the outside broadcast division of the BBC, inheriting the contract in the process, and we have provided technical facilities to the BBC for the past four years, including HD cover- age for nine courts in 2012.
What do you supply to make it all happen? AW The set-up includes four state-of-the-art OB trucks, more than 300 personnel supplied by SIS LIVE, more than 70 HD cameras, including radio cams, super slo-mos, Steadi- cams, jimmy jibs and a crane cam. All of this is connected by more than 80km of cable. SIS LIVE provided all HD facilities to cover
matches from nine courts, each with its own production gallery, and with major courts
www.broadcastnow.co.uk/techfacils
managed from OB trucks. We also supplied four OB units including the latest dual pro- duction unit, OB1, which produced the BBC domestic programme.
Any stand-out features, such as speciality cameras? AW 2012 coverage included shots delivered from remote cameras positioned on the chairs of the umpires, from cameras moving on tracks parallel to the court base line (on centre court), as well as from an array of super- slo-mo and super-high-speed cameras on the major courts. As always with Wimbledon, the emphasis is on delivering comprehensive cov- erage from exciting angles while ensuring that equipment doesn’t distract from play. An important addition to the coverage over
the past few years has been the jimmy jib used to capture the crowd reactions as they watch the big screen from Henman Hill. Beauty shots of the London skyline are captured from a 70m hoist and added into the mix.
Is there one bit of kit you would single out without which the project would fall apart? AW That’s difficult but the on-site central apparatus room (Oscar), owned and operated
by SIS LIVE, is central to the operations. This receives feeds from more than 100 onsite sources and distributes host feeds to around 1,000 destinations, allowing broadcasters to select their preferred match and choose whether they want it with or without com- mentary or graphics.
What challenges did you have to overcome to ensure all went without a hitch? AW Crew scheduling is always a challenge, particularly with the unpredictable weather and the high demand over the summer months. Day lengths are variable, with courts sometimes out of action for entire days due to rain, and matches under the roof on centre court often running until 11pm at night. A lot of the work is conducted prior to the
start of the tournament, and preparation is key. Through our long history of working with the All England Tennis Club and the BBC, we are able to overcome challenges we encounter working around other onsite suppliers, includ- ing the movement of large vehicles on site, the timing restrictions imposed by the local coun- cil and a thousand other logistical obstacles. Having a great relationship with the organis- ers and other suppliers helps.
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