Loving the OB Lifestyle: Living on the Road With NEP UK Broadcast Guarantee Engineer Markela Deverikou
12/10/2022
Monday, October 10, 2022 - 14:31
Print This Story
Markela Deverikou, NEP UK broadcast guarantee engineer, was working on the WTA Monterey Open in Mexico, where she was able to use some downtime to hike the Cerro de La Silla mountain
I love the excitement and the pressure of a live environment. It's so satisfying seeing a project from the early stages of planning, prepping and rigging, to a final product people would enjoy on their tellies, says Markela Deverikou NEP UK broadcast guarantee engineer.
I love the OB lifestyle, travelling around the world, working with a team and different people. Travelling and being away for months at a time is a big part of being an OB engineer.
Like most people, I wasn't aware of the outside broadcast industry and all the behind the scenes roles that go into making a programme, so broadcast engineering roles were not on my radar
As to the challenges of working in the job that she loves, Deverikou comments: Keeping calm when things go wrong. Our job is time sensitive, faults need to be resolved as soon as possible, and if they can't a work around has to found. You also shouldn't let pressure affect you, which is harder than it sounds. Some projects have a big budget and big fines when they fall off air, which is the worse thing that can happen to you as a guarantee. Managing expectations but at the same time meeting clients' requirements can also be tricky, she notes.
NEP UK's Markela Deverikou worked at the Beijing Winter Olympics 2022, which was a major highlight of her career so far
Loving the OB lifestyle
Deverikou has taken a convoluted route to sports broadcasting. She explains: My interest and career in broadcast is not as straight forward as you might think. I discovered my passion for broadcasting a bit later in life and it was actually completely by accident, which is a recurring theme amongst female professionals in the industry.
Since I was 15 I wanted to be an engineer, to be more precise, a sound engineer. I loved the idea of touring, setting up equipment and making a show. At university I realised how much I enjoy figuring out how things work and being hands on with equipment when in our lab sessions building circuit boards and amplifiers. But like most people, I wasn't aware of the outside broadcast industry and all the behind the scenes roles that go into making a programme, so broadcast engineering roles were not on my radar.
Better to be a little fish in a big bowl - somewhere new and unknown than a big fish in a small one what you know and are familiar with
After she graduated from high school in Greece Deverikou moved to the UK to study audio engineering at the University of Surrey, where she completed the Audio Media Engineering course. However, she says, it turned out to be more electronics and less audio .
She continues: I graduated with a BEng in Electronic Engineering, but not wanting to follow a career in engineering as I didn't enjoy electronics a great deal or the potential engineering roles that came with the course. Although sound engineering was still on my mind, I felt I needed a break from engineering altogether.
After graduation she moved to London and through a friend heard about a media assistant role at OB company, Racetech. She applied and got what effectively was a tech office job; her daily tasks varied from tape ingest and repairing disks to answering emails and phone calls. There I slowly got exposed to the OB industry, she says. I took my first steps as a trainee engineer a year later. Best decision I've made; I haven't looked back since.
At university I realised how much I enjoy figuring out how things work and being hands on with equipment when in our lab sessions building circuit boards and amplifiers, says Markela Deverikou, NEP UK broadcast guarantee engineer, seen here taking stuff apart on the set of Love Island 2022
Taking things apart
At Racetech Deverikou spent half her week in the workshop learning about kit, repairing and maintaining equipment, taking things apart, soldering and making things work again and the other half of the week out on the road, which she says, is where I truly discovered my passion for broadcast .
She learned a lot at Racetech. I worked within vision, audio and RF. I learned broadcast video and audio workflows, how to rack cameras (control colours, exposure so they match), set up radio (RF) cameras, and audio mixing presenters and commentators. After a year I was fully on the road as a broadcast engineer and shortly after I started guaranteeing OB trucks. I guaranteed and planned jobs like Royal Ascot and Epsom Derby.
I want to be good at what I do I take pride in it but most of the time there isn't time to familiarise yourself with equipment and projects. So you have to be responsible for your own progression
Through her work on the road with Racetech, Deverikou was able to connect with NEP crew which led her to her current tole as broadcast guarantee engineer at NEP UK.
She says: I was approached by NEP on one of the horseracing meetings, which coincided with the deployment of one of their brand new trucks, to let me know about available positions and inviting me to have a look around their base.
At the time I wasn't sure if I wanted to move but looking back I was probably a bit intimidated and insecure about my knowledge and skills, she continues. Because of those reasons I wanted to see where I stood in the industry, at what level I was. My experience was limited to the kit I had been using so far and to one way of working, and I was confident about my skillset at the time, but for me it wasn't a real measure either. I love learning
LINK: | https://www.svgeurope.org/blog/headlines/loving-the-ob-lifestyle-livin... |
See more stories from svg |
Most recent headlines
04/08/2024
Dalet Appoints Santiago Solanas as CEO to Lead Next Era of Growth and Innovation
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, is excited to announce Santiago Solanas as its new Chief Executive Officer (CEO)....
03/06/2024
Dalet and Veritone Reach Agreement to Distribute, Transact and Monetize Media Archives
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, a...
29/05/2024
Tucson TV Stations Launch NextGen TV Services
TUSCON Six stations have launched NextGen TV, aka ATSC 3.0 broadcasts in the Tucson, Ariz., area....
29/05/2024
France Tlvisions Upgrades to Grass Valley Kaleido-IP Video Multiviewer
MONTREAL Grass Valley is reporting that French National Public TV Broadcaster France T l visions, rebranded as france tv, has selected its next-generation Kalei...
29/05/2024
John Abbot Joins Google Fiber as Its First CFO
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. Google Fiber has announced that John Abbot has recently joined its team as the company's first chief financial officer (CFO)....
29/05/2024
Obsidian Lighting Control ONYX 4.10 Software Now Available
Obsidian Control Systems has introduced ONYX 4.10, the latest iteration of the popular lighting control software for NX consoles and PC systems....
29/05/2024
ZOO Establishes ZOO Italy, Launches Dubbing Studios in Milan
LONDON ZOO Digital, a global provider of localization and media services to the entertainment industry, has launched ZOO dubbing studios in Milan and establishe...
29/05/2024
Vizrt Integrates HTML Graphics System with Dalet News Production System
BERGEN, Norway Vizrt has integrated Viz Pilot Edge, the company's newsroom HTML-based templated graphics system, with the Dalet Galaxy five news production ...
29/05/2024
Elettroformati Audio Post House Installs PMC Monitors In...
Italian audio production company Elettroformati has chosen PMC monitors and an Avid management system for its new Dolby Atmos music mixing studio in Milan. Fo...
29/05/2024
Pixotope Enables Remote Intercontinental Camera Tracking...
Pixotope, the leading software platform for end-to-end real-time virtual production solutions, is breaking new ground by enabling remote real time virtual produ...
29/05/2024
Vizrt joins forces with Dalet to enhance newsroom operati...
Vizrt, the leader in real-time graphics and live production solutions for content creators, today announces that its flagship newsroom HTML-based templated grap...
29/05/2024
Ateme Leads TVRIs Transition to 4K UHD OTT Streaming
Ateme, the global leader in video compression, delivery and streaming solutions with innovation at its core, today announced TVRI s historic transition to 4K UH...
29/05/2024
WRAL-TV's Shrader, Holland Talk Historic Hurricane Forecast on WRAL Daily Download
NOAA (the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) issued a forecast las...
29/05/2024
SWR moves to software playout with integrated Pixel Power solution from Rohde & Schwarz
SWR moves to software playout with integrated Pixel Power solution from Rohde & ...
28/05/2024
AI and Disinformation in Taiwan's 2024 Election
This is a summary of the report commissioned by Thomson on AI Disinformation Attacks during Taiwans 2024 Presidential Elections, written by Professor Chen-ling ...
28/05/2024
In A Violent Nature: Festivalgoers Look Through the Eyes of a Murderer
PARK CITY, UTAH - JANUARY 22: Chris Nash attends the 2024 Sundance Film Festival In A Violent Nature premiere at the Library Center Theatre on January 22, 202...
28/05/2024
Aerojet Rocketdyne Expanding Huntsville Operations to Increase Solid Rocket Motor Deliveries
Aerojet Rocketdyne's Advanced Manufacturing Facility opened in 2019. The com...
28/05/2024
France Tlvisions Upgrades to Grass Valley Kaleido-IP Video Multiviewer to Support its Upcoming SMPTE-2110 Live UHD/3G Broadcast Transition
MONTREAL, CANADA -May 28, 2024 - Grass Valley , the leading innovator for live p...
28/05/2024
How Will Venu Sports Impact Pay-TV Subscriptions?
NEW ROCHELLE, NY Venu Sports, the new sports streaming bundle from Disney, Fox and WBD expected to launch later this year, could attract more than 4 in 10 sport...
28/05/2024
Tucson TV Stations Launch NextGen TV Service
TUSCON Six stations have launched NextGen TV, aka ATSC 3.0 broadcasts in the Tucson, Ariz., area....
28/05/2024
WSC Sports Unveils Trio Of AI-Driven Content Solutions
TEL AVIV, Israel WSC Sports has introduced three additions to its product portfolio for sports ecosystem companies that address content management, creation and...
28/05/2024
Pixotope Enables Remote Intercontinental Camera Tracking for NEP the Netherlands
Pixotope Enables Remote Intercontinental Camera Tracking for NEP the Netherlands Brie Clayton May 28, 2024 0 Comments Remote markerless through-the-le...
28/05/2024
Picture Shop's Mark Kueper Grades Billy the Kid With DaVinci Resolve Studio
Picture Shop's Mark Kueper Grades Billy the Kid With DaVinci Resolve Studio Brie Clayton May 28, 2024 0 Comments Blackmagic Design today announced...
28/05/2024
Profoto enters the cinema market with L1600D
Profoto enters the cinema market with L1600D Brie Clayton May 28, 2024 0 Comments Profoto enters the cinema market with uncompromising speed of use an...
28/05/2024
After Effects cameras and Unreal Engine
After Effects cameras and Unreal Engine Graham Quince May 28, 2024 0 Comments Welcome to my series on learning Unreal Engine for video production, esp...
28/05/2024
Apple Motion: Understanding Fixed Resolution
Apple Motion: Understanding Fixed Resolution Simon Ubsdell May 28, 2024 0 Comments An overview of this tricky but important topic which can hit you wi...
28/05/2024
OBS Taps Alibaba Cloud for AI-Enhanced MultiCamera Replays at Paris 2024
LONDON Olympic Broadcasting Services recently tested AI-enhanced multcamera replay tech from Alibaba Cloud at the Olympic Qualifier Series in Shanghai in prepar...
28/05/2024
Dune Part 2 and Avatar colourists to take part in DaVinci Resolve Live Tour
The events are for filmmakers, editors, colourists, and visual effects artists, whether theyre beginners and experienced users By Jenny Priestley Published: ...
28/05/2024
Meet the head of sound
1185 Films Mark Hodgkin explains his journey from studying classic guitar and piano to working on the sound of TV adverts, films and documentaries By TVBEurope...
28/05/2024
Alfalite presents its LED displays at InfoComm 2024
Alfalite, the European LED display manufacturer, returns for the second consecutive year to InfoComm with its LED displays for the rental, fixed installation an...
28/05/2024
Leader Electronics Corporation Appoints AV Group Technolo...
Leader Electronics Corporation, globally active innovator of broadcast-quality test and measurement instrumentation, announces the appointment of Sydney-based A...
28/05/2024
Advanced 3D qualifier in DaVinci Resolve
Advanced 3D qualifier in DaVinci Resolve Kasia Jarco May 27, 2024 0 Comments In today's advanced tutorial, I want to show you how and why to use 3...
28/05/2024
Deadline Approaching for 2024 Emerging Leaders Intern Program
Applications for CBC & Leadership Triangle Due May 31 Only a few days remain for HBCU students in the Triangle to apply for the 2024 Emerging Leadership Intern...
28/05/2024
VEON Progresses with Asset-Light Strategy, Reaches Agreement to Sell Stake in TNS+ in Kazakhstan
28 May 2024 VEON Progresses with Asset-Light Strategy, Reaches Agreement to Sel...
28/05/2024
Analytics and Powering Next-Generation Consumption Experiences: A Conversation With ESPN's Allison Loucks
Analytics and Powering Next-Generation Consumption Experiences: A Conversation W...
28/05/2024
Live From London: Buzz 16 Tackles Production Duties for TNT Sports' EPCR Finals Host Coverage
Live from London: Buzz 16 tackles production duties for TNT Sports' EPCR fin...
28/05/2024
Live From London: EPCR Takes Over Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for European Rugby Finals Weekend
Live from London: EPCR takes over Tottenham Hotspur Stadium for European rugby f...
28/05/2024
Advance Step: Gen AI, Data and Coud on the Radar for British Basketball League as Production Transformation Continues
Advance step: Gen AI, data and cloud on the radar for British Basketball League ...
28/05/2024
AWS's Andrew Reich on Recent Developments in the Cloud, Helping Sports Clients Adjust to Industry-Wide Changes
AWS's Andrew Reich on Recent Developments in the Cloud, Helping Sports Clien...
28/05/2024
Riedel Bolero Empowers Student Production Excellence at Orange County School of the Arts
Wuppertal May 28, 2024 Riedel Bolero Empowers Student Production Excellence at...
28/05/2024
Bridgerton' Continues Its Reign; Atlas' Debuts at #1
Back to All News Bridgerton' Continues Its Reign; Atlas' Debuts at #1 Entertainment 28 May 2024 Global Link copied to clipboard Dearest Gentle R...
28/05/2024
Micro LED Panels and AlfaArt Combine the Best Digital Art with the Latest LED Display Technology in Easy-to-Use Solution
FOR-A Highlights Turnkey LED Video Wall System from Strategic Partner Alfalite a...
28/05/2024
2024-05-28
The Apple Hearing Study is sharing new insights on tinnitus in one of the largest surveys to date....
28/05/2024
Apantac Best of Show 2024 at NAB
Apantac Best of Show 2024 at NABApantac Best of Show 2024 at NAB Beaverton, Oregon, USA - May 22, 2024, - We are pleased to announce that our product OG-HDR-UDX...
28/05/2024
Thales' FlytEDGE digitally remasters the inflight entertainment experience
Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Live personalization for a journey filled with unique experiences Instantly stream favorites and never miss a beat, continue wa...
28/05/2024
AI-backbone for FCAS operational
AI-backbone for FCAS operational The HIS consortium and partners provide BAAINBw and industry with a cross-sectional AI development platform for FCAS (AI-back...
27/05/2024
Experience inspiration. Master challenges. With SIGRAFLEX and SIGRAFINE at ACHEMA 2024
It will soon be that time again: ACHEMA, the worlds most important trade show fo...
27/05/2024
How L3Harris Evolved into Canada's Trusted Tanker Aircraft In-Service Support Provider
L3Harris has been maintaining Canada's CC-150 Polaris fleet for over a decad...
27/05/2024
Tech Lifestyle Influencer Shelby Church Uses Blackmagic Cloud Storage with DaVinci Resolve Studio
Tech Lifestyle Influencer Shelby Church Uses Blackmagic Cloud Storage with DaVin...
27/05/2024
Bridge Technologies Introduce StreamOverview to the VB330
Bridge Technologies Introduce StreamOverview to the VB330 Brie Clayton May 27, 2024 0 Comments Single page diagnostics overview gives first-line engin...