Evertz Positions DreamCatcher System for Video Production Powered by Real-Time, AI-Built Metadata Partnership with ShotTracker, Ease Live uses data to automate storytelling By Brandon Costa, Director of Digital
Monday, September 20, 2021 - 2:50 pm
Print This Story | Subscribe
Story Highlights
In an era when analytics are driving on-field decisions of the biggest professional sports franchises, it's only a matter of time before real-time data driven by artificial intelligence fuels live and on-demand content creation by sports broadcasters.
Evertz believes that time is here with the latest developments behind its IP-based production suite, DreamCatcher.
Evertz's DreamCatcher platform is generating real-time metadata and live highlight clipping for sports broadcasters.
Through a partnership with sensor-based system ShotTracker and the use of technology obtained in Evertz's acquisition last year of interactive graphics platform Ease Live, Evertz is targeting the collegiate-athletics market with a platform it describes as data-driven video production.
Essentially, the system uses tracking data, a locked-off 4K camera (or other autonomous cameras), and timecode synchronization with all the cameras in a broadcaster's arsenal to tie everything together to build replays and curated highlight packages built on real-time metadata.
The system turns data into a tool in the storytelling arsenal. Want to go into a game tracking one player's rebounds? Set the metadata, and a highlight playlist is built using angles from the locked-off camera as well as all the various traditional broadcast feeds that a timecode synched into the system. Did a surprising player off the bench have a big day? Add in metadata fields during or after the game, and DreamCatcher will mine the data already collected to spit out the exact content that you want.
All of that metadata, whether it's real-time or non-real-time, adds to the backend, where you can do live production or automated live production, says Nima Malekmanesh, product marketing manager/senior engineer, DreamCatcher, Evertz. You can add to and augment your live production; your traditional replay operators won't have to clip content, name it, tag it, export it. Referees would automatically see plays [in Video Assistant Refereeing] from multiple angles. It can all be automated.
According to Evertz, the platform is valuable to live-content creators in three areas: highlight creation (where producers can mine the data for stories), clip creation (for operators who need to focus in more than one area when cutting replays for a live production), and automated logging and exporting to a broadcaster's asset-management software.
The system received its first full end-to-end test during the Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament earlier this year.
In the live environment, the ability to deploy the 4K camera to zoom for automated camera follows is also a valuable add. Using digital zoom, DreamCatcher can isolate and follow a specific player or players on command, providing replays to roll based on predetermined storylines from a non-operated camera. For on-demand content, automated clipping will also immediately cut and appropriately tag and log a play in real time. All while synchronizing the locked-off camera source with the other broadcast cameras to build more-dynamic replays, highlight packages, and even melts.
Because we have real-time X,Y,Z data coming in through ShotTracker, with the follow of the ball, I can select multiple players, says Malekmanesh. The image will then zoom in and out, [keeping] those players in the [shot] at all times. It's very powerful [from the perspective of] a coach or a fan or a broadcaster. Maybe there's a matchup between a receiver and a cornerback that you want to follow. You can tailor and have as many of these isos as you want.
Through Ease Live, the system can also make it possible to put the controls in the hands of the viewer. Through streaming distribution models, broadcasters could offer fans the ability to custom-build their own highlight packages or real-time camera follows through live interactive graphics built directly into the live stream's video.
According to Evertz, more than 50 colleges, many in the SEC and ACC, are already DreamCatcher customers who have access to this technology. The full platform was given its first real end-to-end test at the Big 12 Men's Basketball Tournament in March. Currently, the platform is most naturally deployed for basketball, but the company says football and even volleyball aren't far behind as AI continues to grow smarter in those sports.
The technology is rapidly maturing, according to Evertz engineers, who note that, currently, the biggest challenges lie in installation of workflows on the end-user side.
Getting production teams to adopt a new workflow [is a challenge], says Malekmanesh. That's where the challenges lie; the technology is actually very resilient. Getting the schools to wear the sensors, [too].
The technology offers highly interesting prospects for a future where analytics won't just be forcing baseball teams into infield shifts but will be dictating the content-creation methods for sports-content rightsholders big and small.
Most recent headlines
05/01/2027
Worlds first 802.15.4ab-UWB chip verified by Calterah and Rohde & Schwarz to be ...
04/08/2026
Dalet, a leading technology and service provider for media-rich organizations, t...
04/07/2026
April 7 2026, 19:00 (PDT) Detective Conan: Fallen Angel of the Highway Opens in...
01/06/2026
January 6 2026, 05:30 (PST) Dolby Sets the New Standard for Premium Entertainment at CES 2026
Throughout the week, Dolby brings to life the latest innovatio...
18/05/2026
Despite a bumpy start to the year, the provider of event-production support and ...
18/05/2026
Daktronics has partnered with the University of North Carolina to manufacture and install 11 LED displays totaling more than 10,000 square feet and more than 14...
18/05/2026
CBS LA has announced a multi-year partnership with the Los Angeles Rams, covering exclusive local broadcasts of Rams preseason games, weekly year-round programm...
18/05/2026
Skyline Communications has announced an integration between its DataMiner xOps p...
18/05/2026
eCLUTCH, the hybrid esports platform powered by iKOMG, has announced an expansion of its distribution across Europe, MENA, Africa, and Asia, along with new cont...
18/05/2026
Behind The Mic provides a roundup of recent news regarding on-air talent, includ...
18/05/2026
With 22 games this season, the production team looks forward to tweaking and enhancing the coverage
After 8,660 days off the air, the WNBA returned to NBC yest...
18/05/2026
(L-R) Midori Francis and Natalie Erika James attend the Saccharine premiere during the 2026 Sundance Film Festival at The Ray Theatre on January 22, 2026, in ...
18/05/2026
Last night, the Spotify Podcast Awards in Mexico returned to the country's capital. Now in its second year, the evening honors creators whose voices are hel...
18/05/2026
ZEN-Core synth goes mobile
Roland's powerful ZEN-Core software synthesizer has just been introduced to the iPad, offering a convenient entry point into ...
18/05/2026
Versatile new limiter plug-in announced
Based in Sheffield, UK, fedDSP offer a range of plug-ins that span the music production, live sound and high-end med...
18/05/2026
A new use for convolution?
Viiri Audio's debut plug-in aims to do something a little different with convolution processing, allowing users to adjust all...
18/05/2026
Delta Goodrem shines for SBS as more than 3.27 million Australians tune in for E...
18/05/2026
The Australian Defence Force uses L3Harris T4 and T7 robots for explosive ordnan...
18/05/2026
Continued investment across Europe and Germany is expanding local teams and improving access to stock, regional expertise, and specialist broadcast support.
CV...
18/05/2026
18 May 2026
Dubai and New York, May 18, 2026 - VEON Ltd. (NASDAQ: VEON), a glob...
18/05/2026
Monday 18 May 2026
Sky News offers ad-free podcasts and bonus episodes for just...
18/05/2026
Comscore March 2026 Consumer AI Chatbot Usage Rankings Show Claude Gaining Share OpenAI's ChatGPT maintains lead while Anthropic's Claude continues to c...
17/05/2026
Delta Goodrem's Eurovision Eclipse marks end of a stellar run
17 May, 2026
Media releases
Bulgaria wins Eurovision 2026
Relive every spellbinding mome...
17/05/2026
Back to All News
Oasis Premieres on Netflix June 19
Entertainment
17 May 2026
GlobalSpain
Link copied to clipboard
Summer, sunshine, the beach, parties. T...
16/05/2026
Helps to deliver a clean, balanced midrange
Developed alongside Newfangled Audio, the latest plug-in in Eventide's software collection has been designed...
16/05/2026
Brings onboard stem rendering to RANE System One
Engine DJ have just released Engine DJ 5.0, a free update for their Engine DJ OS embedded hardware and Engi...
16/05/2026
Boris FX Continuum Pairs AI Precision and Advanced Creative Controls
Jessie Electa Petrov May 16, 2026
0 Comments
The 2026.5 release adds automatic de...
16/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
16/05/2026
Share
Copy link
Facebook
X
Linkedin
Bluesky
Email...
15/05/2026
Seattle Sounders FC and Seattle Reign FC, in partnership with RAVE Foundation an...
15/05/2026
Dan Brumm has served as sound designer on Bluey, the Australian children's t...
15/05/2026
The Professional Audio Manufacturers Alliance (PAMA) and Shure Incorporated are accepting applications for the 6th annual Mark Brunner Professional Audio Schola...
15/05/2026
Netflix has announced an expanded NFL schedule for 2026 and beyond under a four-year partnership extension with the NFL through the 2029-30 season. Each season,...
15/05/2026
Ateme is supporting TVRI (Televisi Republik Indonesia) with a contribution and d...
15/05/2026
Concacaf has announced the launch of a new website and mobile app built on Deltatre's FORGE platform. Concacaf.com and the mobile app, available on iOS and ...
15/05/2026
Eutelsat has announced the launch of QBC Business Economic Channel by Qatar Media Corporation, broadcasting in 4K/UHD via Eutelsat's 7/8 West video neighbo...
15/05/2026
Major League Soccer has announced four original content series timed to the 2026...
15/05/2026
The Alliance for IP Media Solutions (AIMS) has announced it will exhibit and present at InfoComm 2026, taking place June 13-19 at the Las Vegas Convention Cente...
15/05/2026
InfoComm 2026 will take place June 13-19 (exhibits June 17-19) at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The show will include sessions and exhibits covering broadcas...
15/05/2026
Tracy McGrady's Ones Basketball League (OBL) and FuboTV Inc. have announced ...
15/05/2026
Disguise has partnered with Creative Technology (CT) to deliver visual playback ...
15/05/2026
Sony Electronics has announced two new products for professional imaging: the Alpha 7R VI full-frame mirrorless camera and the FE 100-400mm F4.5 GM OSS super-te...
15/05/2026
In-venue and creative video staffers at the professional and collegiate level ha...
15/05/2026
Ratings Roundup is a rundown of recent rating news and is derived from press rel...
15/05/2026
For sports organizations, the most valuable assets are often the most sensitive:...
15/05/2026
The NFL's broadcast partners released their 2026 regular season schedules ye...
15/05/2026
Besides drawing on experience with boxing, the production integrates specialty c...
Evertz Positions DreamCatcher System for Video Production Powered by Real-Time, AI-Built Metadata Partnership with ShotTracker, Ease Live uses data to automate storytelling By Brandon Costa, Director of Digital 
