Overcoming Broadcaster Barriers to Virtual Production

We've been in this business for a while, and each time we bring up adoption of virtual production, the top objections we usually hear from broadcasters revolve around the same three topics: 

• Cost concerns 

• Technical complexity 

• And of course, workflow integration. 

Since we keep hearing these objections repeatedly, we decided to address them in this blog post: let’s start with the obvious objection: 

Objection 1:  The cost is too high with uncertain returns

When broadcasters hear "virtual production," they often picture massive upfront investments with unclear payback timelines.  

This concern is valid – traditional virtual solutions typically require substantial capital expenditure in hardware, software licenses, and specialized personnel. In fact, it can be the worst nightmare: you sign up for big costs and then have no team to pull it off. 

We get it - that’s why our approach is different. Rather than forcing heavy hardware investments, we focus on software flexibility, enabling clients to use minimal or even existing proprietary hardware. Our platform supports accessible GPUs - both professional and gaming-grade - reducing the need for expensive, specialized equipment. This makes virtual production not only more affordable but also scalable and tailored to each broadcaster’s needs. 

Even major broadcasters are mindful of cost efficiency. That’s why Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) approached Pixotope when seeking to upgrade the XR solution for their multi-technology set in Atlanta, used for NHL on TNT.

Their goal was to transition from a high-cost, resource-intensive system to a more sustainable solution that their internal studio team could manage independently. Our team delivered a cost-effective, operator-friendly setup tailored to WBD’s production needs. Additionally, with Pixotope’s flexible, cloud-based licensing model - controlled entirely by the WBD team - they’re now able to reallocate licenses across other productions and facilities during the NHL off-season, maximizing asset utilization and generating substantial long-term savings. 

The results speak for themselves. For example, Spanish broadcaster Televisión Canaria increased their audience share to 15.2% using Pixotope AR elements, compared to their usual 11% average - a clear boost that directly impacts advertising revenue potential. 

Our client in Taiwan, Formosa TV, reported "substantial cost savings" after their initial Pixotope investment by eliminating expenses for physical set construction, storage, and transportation. Their ability to instantly reconfigure virtual sets for multiple shows within the same physical space maximizes studio utilization. 

"The flexibility of using a green screen has allowed us to produce more content while saving time and money. In the past, our physical sets monopolized the entire studio, necessitating the relocation of other programs.

Although there were additional costs associated with the initial setup, we anticipate even more substantial cost savings next year.” 

Gísli Berg, Head of production at RÚV 

And now to answer the second part of the objection: the shortage of specialized personnel to run these complex systems. Without experienced operators, even the best technology can become a burden rather than a benefit.  

That’s why Pixotope is designed to maximize staffing efficiency. By enabling a single operator to control multiple aspects of production simultaneously, our platform dramatically reduces the need for large, specialized teams. 

For instance, during the Indian Premier League in 2022, Indian broadcaster Viacom18 deployed 36 Pixotope engines across seven studios with minimal personnel, showcasing how Pixotope scales without proportional staff increases. 

Objection 2: Virtual production is too technically complex for our team

Many broadcasters worry that virtual production requires technical expertise beyond what their teams currently possess.  

That’s why we designed Pixotope with ease of use at its core. Our intuitive interface offers unified control over cameras, signals, rendering, keying, and color correction - all from a single, easy-to-navigate dashboard. The unique WYSIWYG editor displays live video feeds, tracking data, and compositing in real time, making it accessible even to traditional broadcast personnel. 

For example, TF1’s news team successfully used Pixotope for French election coverage with their existing staff. 

“Pixotope made the perfect bridge between the needs of live broadcasters like us and the capabilities of Unreal.” 

Lionel Barbier, TF1’s Editorial Technical Manager 

Our template-based workflows, comprehensive support system, and seamless integrations further simplify operations, enabling broadcasters to deliver outstanding results with minimal disruption. 

To ensure a smooth transition from traditional to virtual production without the need for specialized programming skills, we partnered with Erizos.

Their flagship product, Erizos Studio, offers a single, intuitive UI that allows broadcasters to control multiple engines and multiple aspects of their show simultaneously. This means one operator can seamlessly drive CG overlay graphics, Augmented Reality elements, a virtual studio, and an XR wall - all from the same seat. 

The accessibility of this technology is remarkable: Erizos Studio completely flattens the learning curve, requiring only 2 to 3 days to master. And with Pixotope training, you'll be proficient in just five days, learning both camera tracking and graphics from the comfort of your own home.

A compelling proof of Pixotope learning curve is a music video of Taiwanese artist Evan Wu's which was entirely created by students from Fo Guang University using Pixotope - demonstrating that our platform truly makes virtual production accessible to the next generation of creators and can be mastered quickly.  

Objection 3: It won't integrate properly with our existing systems

If you've invested heavily in your current infrastructure and workflows, the prospect of introducing new technology that doesn't integrate seamlessly is a significant concern. 

Pixotope architecture was specifically designed to address integration challenges.  

First of all, unlike competitors with closed ecosystems, we offer compatibility with existing broadcast infrastructure. Pixotope supports multiple input/output formats, a complete SMPTE 2110 toolkit with NMOS integration for IP workflows. On top of that, our tracking system works with most industry-standard camera tracking products and protocols, which prevents you from lock-in to specific hardware vendors.  

But what about newsroom integration, you may ask? 

We understand that this can be a potential blocker - which is why we offer multi-channel graphics control fully compatible with MOS-compliant newsroom and automation systems. 

As mentioned earlier, our partnership with Erizos Studio specifically addresses newsroom workflow integration. 

In fact, this was a key reason why Swedish broadcaster SVT chose Pixotope as the platform for their new sports studio. They needed an efficient and flexible workflow to fully realize their studio’s potential. Erizos Studio was selected as the control solution due to effortless integration with Pixotope and its ability to deliver reusable templates and user-friendly interfaces for both producers and operators. 

But the ease of integration doesn’t end with newsroom workflows - it also extends to setting up new XR studios. 

Our partner GETOP, who deployed Pixotope for Taiwan's first XR broadcast studio at Formosa Television, shared this experience:

"Prior to implementing Pixotope, it was very difficult to achieve faithful color representation across our workflow, which is absolutely critical in XR production. Even if it could be achieved, the image quality and stability couldn't meet the standards of broadcast television.

With Pixotope, we don't need to worry about such technical integration issues: we're able to just focus on content creation and production. The seamless integration and ease of use has not only ignited our creativity but also positioned us at the forefront of Taiwan's virtual production revolution." 

Paul Chou, General Manager, GETOP

Getting you from "no" to "now"

Adopting virtual production isn’t just a technical upgrade - it’s a strategic decision.  

Concerns around cost, complexity, and integration are absolutely valid. That’s why we don’t just make promises; we back them up with real-world results.  

Whether you’re enhancing news coverage, sports production, or entertainment programming, Pixotope offers a reliable, flexible, and future-ready platform that can fit into your existing workflows and scale with your ambition. 

As our CEO, Marcus Brodersen, puts it: 

“In a market where attracting and retaining audiences is everything, we empower broadcasters to harness virtual production and stay competitive - without massive budgets or resources.”