Sweden’s national public broadcaster SVT is renowned for its high-quality content across various genres, including news, documentaries, and sports.
As one of the most-watched broadcasters in Sweden, SVT recognized the need to innovate and elevate its sports programming and viewer experience: to achieve this, the broadcaster embarked on a significant project to modernize its studio infrastructure of studio 4 which hosts all sports studio broadcast, as well as the US election in 2024.
The broadcaster envisioned a dynamic studio space that could transcend physical limitations through advanced set-extension technology.
The ambition was to create a versatile hub that would streamline sports productions, minimize the need for multiple physical studios, and adapt quickly to different broadcasting needs. In addition, by leveraging immersive AR graphics and set extensions, SVT aimed to increase audience engagement and reduce costs.
Before adopting Pixotope, SVT faced challenges in integrating advanced AR graphics into live broadcasts, due to the limited capabilities of the previous technologies. The team experimented with various virtual production tools but ultimately chose Pixotope for its real-time rendering and hassle-free integration capabilities.
Key challenges included mastering real-time AR integration and ensuring smooth transitions between physical and virtual elements, however rigorous training and leveraging Pixotope’s comprehensive feature set addressed these issues.
Having decided on Pixotope as a platform for their studio, SVT realized that they needed an efficient and flexible workflow that would allow them to maximize the potential of their studio. Erizos Studio was selected as such a workflow solution due to its tight integration with Pixotope and its ability to create reusable templates with producer and operator friendly user interfaces.
Erizos Studio is a full software solution that give broadcasters a platform agnostic workflow, with control of multiple engines and multiple aspects of their show simultaneously. Producers have access to user friendly HTML based templates, while a single operator can drive CG overlay graphics, Augmented Reality elements, a virtual studio and an XR wall, all from the same seat.
Since sports broadcasts have a wealth of data that can enhance storytelling, Erizos' ability to easily integrate any data source made this possible without complicating the workflow.
SVT has also embraced Erizos MediaHub as their asset management solution to streamline the workflow for their augmented reality graphics. MediaHub simplifies access for operators to external assets, ensuring that graphic assets remain consistent and easily accessible across projects.
“With this flexible setup, we can move faster, support our content creators, and push what’s possible in production — all to deliver the experiences our audience expects.” Henrik Rejving, Technical Producer SVT
With such flexible infrastructure and workflow established SVT has the ability to be much more agile in the future.
The studio's construction took approximately 6-8 months, and despite COVID-19 challenges, SVT quickly integrated workflows into the new environment. The most significant challenge was establishing greenscreen operations, which took an additional six months.
SVT combined traditional broadcasting tools with Erizos Studio and Pixotope to achieve a seamless blend of real and virtual environments.
SVT's team became proficient with Pixotope within a year of adoption, facilitated by targeted training and ongoing support. With nearly five years of experience and three years of production use, Pixotope and Erizos have significantly reduced production costs and setup times, often under 15 minutes. This has allowed SVT to deliver more captivating and visually stunning broadcasts, ultimately enhancing the viewer experience.
"We see virtual production as an important part of the future of broadcasting, offering new levels of flexibility and creative possibilities. At SVT, we are committed to staying ahead by embracing and innovating with this technology."
Per W Andersson, Head of SVT Production
SVT’s commitment to innovation and technological advancement is evident in its strategic vision for the future of broadcasting. By leveraging virtual production technologies, such as Unreal Engine, Pixotope and Erizos, SVT aims to further enhance the quality and diversity of its content. This approach will enable the broadcaster to create more immersive and engaging experiences for its audience, ultimately solidifying its position as a leading media organization.
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